Kam Language (China) - Dialects

Dialects

The Kam language can be divided into two major subdivisions, Southern Kam and Northern Kam (Yang & Edmondson 2008). Northern Kam displays more Chinese influence and lacks vowel length contrast, while Southern Kam is more conservative.

Southern Kam

• First lectal area: Róngjiāng Zhānglǔ (榕江县章鲁村), Lípíng Hóngzhōu (黎平县洪州镇), Jǐnpíng Qǐméng (锦屏县启蒙镇) in Guizhou; Tōngdào (通道县) in Hunan; Longsheng (龙胜县) and Sanjiang Dudong (三江侗族自治县独峒乡) in Guangxi
• Second lectal area: Lípíng Shuǐkǒu (黎平县水口镇), Cóngjiāng Guàndòng (从江县贯洞镇), Róngjiāng Píngjiāng (榕江县平江乡) in Guizhou; Sānjiāng Hélǐ (三江侗族自治县和里村) in Guangxi
• Third lectal area: Zhènyuǎn Bàojīng (镇远县报京乡) in Guizhou
• Fourth lectal area: Róngshuǐ (融水苗族自治县) in Guangxi

Northern Kam

• First lectal area: Tiānzhù Shídòng (天柱县石洞镇), Sānsuì Kuǎnchǎng (三穗县款场), Jiànhé Xiǎoguǎng (剑河县小广侗寨) in Guizhou
• Second lectal area: Tiānzhù Zhǔxī (天柱县注溪乡) in Guizhou
• Third lectal area: Jǐnpíng Dàtóng (锦屏县大同乡) in Guizhou

In Congjiang County, Dong consists of three dialects: Jiudong 九洞 (similar to Chejiang 车江 Dong), Liudong 六洞 (similar to Liping 黎平 Dong), and another dialect spoken in Xishan 西山, Bingmei 丙梅, and Guandong 贯洞 (similar to Sanjiang 三江 Dong) (Congjiang County Almanac 1999:109).

In Suining County, Hunan, Dong is spoken in Lianfeng 联丰 (including Duolong 多龙村), Huangsangping 黄桑坪, Le'anpu 乐安铺, and other nearby locations. In Chengbu County, Hunan, Dong is spoken in Yanzhai 岩寨, Chang'anying 长安营, and Jiangtousi 江头司.

Kam is also spoken in the single village of Đồng Mộc, Tuyên Quang Province, northern Vietnam, where there are about 35 Kam people (Edmondson & Gregerson 2001). The Kam of Đồng Mộc had migrated to Vietnam from China about 150 years ago. The Kam variety spoken in Đồng Mộc is most similar to that of Lípíng Shuǐkǒu (黎平县水口镇) in southeastern Guizhou, China.

In China, a total of six counties designated as Dong Autonomous Counties (侗族自治县).

• Yuping Dong Autonomous County, Guizhou
• Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, Guangxi
• Xinhuang Dong Autonomous County, Hunan
• Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County, Hunan
• Jingzhou Miao and Dong Autonomous County, Hunan
• Tongdao Dong Autonomous County, Hunan