Qiangic languages
The Qiang - Gyalrong - languages form a subgroup of the Tibeto-Burman languages , a primary branch of the Sino Tibetan. The twelve languages are spoken by 500,000 people mainly in Southern China in Sichuan Province. Qiang Gyalrong consists of the two branches of Xixia -Qiang and Gyalrong, form the generally accepted genetic units. The most significant individual languages Qiang with 130,000 speakers and Gyarong (also Gyalrong, rGyalrong or Jiarong ) with 140,000 speakers, both of which are spoken in north-central Sichuan. For Xixia Qiang branch and the Xixia or Tangut is expected, the extinct language of the Tangut Empire (11th - 13th century).
Classification and sub-units
- Sino-Tibetan Tibetobirmanisch Qiang Gyalrong Xixia Qiang languages ( 250 thousand speakers)
- Gyalrong languages ( 230 thousand speakers)