Ponyo, or Ponyo-Gongwang after its two dialects, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Burma. Ponyo is spoken in 19 villages of Lahe Township, Naga Self-Administered Zone (formerly administered as part of Hkamti District), Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Ethnologue). Dialects are Ponyo and Gongwang, with high mutual intelligibility between the two, both of which share 89% to 91% lexical similarity.[2]
| Ponyo | |
|---|---|
| Ponyo-Gongwang | |
| Native to | Burma |
Native speakers | 4,500 (2008)[1] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | npg |
| Glottolog | None |
Ponyo is closely related to Leinong and Khiamniungan, sharing 69%–75% lexical similarity with the former, and 67%–73% with the latter.[3]
Alternate names include Gongvan, Gongwang, Gongwang Naga, Manauk, Mannok, Ponyo, Ponyo Naga, Pounyu, Saplow, Solo, Tsawlaw (Ethnologue).
Dialects
Ethnologue lists two main dialects.
- Ponyo (Manauk, Mannok, Ponnyio, Pounyu)
- Gongwang (Gongvan, Saplo, Saplow, Solo, Tsaplo, Tsawlaw)