Looking for a Coach in Lahu language in Yunnan

[Jind]

I am working on a project, on the minority Chinese dialects, I have picked Lahu, because of its presence in Thai, Myanmar. I need someone who can assist with some written Lahu text. I am aware they use the Latin script and work with me on this project for a period of one month, It will be paying well for this. Anyone who can help me get someone here?

[abcdefg]

A few suggestions:

 

1. Post a similar inquiry in GoKunming. You might catch the eye of someone who can help. https://www.gokunming.com/en/  

 

2. Ask around at 云南民族大学, the Minorities University (in Kunming.) 

 

3. Yunnan Normal University 云南师范大学 has a program to study and preserve minority languages. Make inquiries there. (Kunming.)

 

4. If those approaches are not fruitful, you might need to go to one or more of the predominantly Lahu-speaking 拉祜族 areas in the west of Yunnan and do some more scouting there. 

[anonymoose]

I think abcdefg's suggestions above are good. However, I think this may be harder than you imagine. Even amongst the minority people who are able to speak their own language, many are not literate in it. I think you'll be hard pressed to find a Lahu speaker who is literate in Lahu and educated enough to be of use to you at an academic level. Do let us know how you get on, though.

 

I've been interested in minority languages for a long time, but never had enough time or opportunity to learn any of them. Nevertheless, I have a lot of books in those minority languages which have a written form. Below are a couple of Lahu books.

 

[Jind]

Thanks for the suggestions, it is funny that it was quite easy to get literate Lahu from Thailand and Myanmar, but so difficult here in China.

I will follow up with the suggestions and keep you updated on how I get on with my quest.