The Bouyei language

The Bouyei language is a Tai-Kadai language spoken in the Southwestern part of China. There are over 3 million Bouyei in China, and the language is quite vibrant, with the large majority of the ethnic Bouyei speaking Bouyei as their mother tongue. Most Bouyei live in fairly remote village areas, though many live in towns and cities. Though significant linguistic research has been done on the Bouyei language, Bouyei is one of the least documented Tai-Kadai languages, and little research has been done on the grammar. A comprehensive grammar has yet to be published in Chinese or English. This Bouyei grammar fills a much needed gap in the Tai-Kadai literature. This book is descriptive and functional in nature, dealing with syntax on a sentence level and below, though basic discourse features are discussed at times. The copious examples in this book come from collected texts, traditional Bouyei stories, and data elicited from a wide range of native Bouyei speakers. The author speaks Bouyei, and has lived in Bouyei areas off and on for over two decades. This book will be of interest not just to Tai-Kadai scholars, but anyone interested in descriptive or theoretical grammar.