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Glite Dictionary
Chinese Shan

Chinese Shan

9.9
A language spoken in southwest Yunnan, China, by the Shan people
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Shan chino
  • The Chinese Shan language is spoken by a minority population in Yunnan Province.

Examples

  • Efforts are being made to preserve Chinese Shan among younger generations in Southwest China.

  • Linguists have studied the phonological features of Chinese Shan in comparison with other Tai languages.

  • The Chinese Shan language is rich in history.

  • Many people in Yunnan speak Chinese Shan.

  • Efforts are being made to preserve Chinese Shan among younger generations in Southwest China.

  • Linguists have studied the phonological features of Chinese Shan in comparison with other Tai languages.

  • The Chinese Shan language is spoken by a minority population in Yunnan Province.

Surface Forms

Chinese Shan singular
Chinese Shans plural

Morphology

Chinese + Shan

The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'Chinese' specifies relation to China and 'Shan' names the Tai language, so 'Chinese Shan' straightforwardly denotes the Shan variety spoken in China. Adjective + language-name constructions commonly mark regional varieties across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words would likely infer this meaning.

Etymology

Chinese Shan gets its name from the people called Shan who live in parts of China; imagine Shan-speaking families moving into the hills of Yunnan and keeping their own speech. So Chinese Shan 'means' the Shan type of Tai language that people speak in China.