Kathu language
| Kathu | |
|---|---|
| Thou | |
| Native to | China |
| Region | Guangnan County |
| Ethnicity | Yi |
Native speakers | 5,000 (2007) |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | ykt |
| Glottolog | kath1251 |
| ELP | Kathu |
Kathu (Chinese: 嘎苏话) is a Lolo-Burmese language of Balong (坝聋), Nanping Township (南屏镇), Guangnan County, Yunnan, China. The Kathu are locally known as the White Yi (白彝). Wu Zili (2004) estimates that Kathu has a total of more than 7,000 speakers in Guangnan County (including in Dayashao 大牙少), as well as in Jinping County, Yunnan. Ethnologue mentions a possible presence in Xilin County, Guangxi Province.
A related variety is known as Thou.
Kathu-Thou is notable for having initial consonant clusters, which within the Lolo-Burmese branch are also found in Written Burmese (Old Burmese) and Jinuo (Hsiu 2014:66). Wu (2004) lists the onset clusters pl, pʰl, bl, ml, kl, kʰl, gl, ql, qʰl, ɢl, ŋl.