35. Xibe

Xibe is a Tungusic language spoken in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in north west China by about 30,000 people. It is closely related to Manchu, though the Xibe people consider themselves a separte ethnic group. The Xibe were moved to the region in 1764 by the Ch'ing emperor Qianlong. The language is also known as Sibe, Xibo or Sibo.
Xibe is taught as a subject in a number of primary schools in Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County ( Cabcal Sibe beye dasangga siyan) in northern Xinjiang. It is also taught at Ili Normal University. A number of publications in Xibe were published between 1954 and 1959 by the People's Publishing House in Ürümqi. News in Xibe has been published in the Qapqal News since 1946, there are short daily radio broadcasts in Xibe, and occasional television programmes.

Xibe alphabet

Xibe is written with a version of the Manchu alphabet.

Notable features

• Type of writing system: alphabet
• Direction of writing: left to right in vertical columns running from top to bottom
• Used to write: Xibe
• Most letters have several different forms: initial, medial and final, which are used at the beginning, middle and end of a word respectively. The vowels also have isolated forms.
• Some letters have different shapes depending on which vowel comes before and/or after them.

Xibe vowels

Note

• The second final form of e is used after k, g and h.

Xibe consonants

Notes

• Imformation about the Xibe alphabet and Xibe pronunciation is difficult to find, so I am not sure if the above is correct. Corrections are welcome.
• The first medial form of n is used before vowels; the second is used before consonants
• ng only occurs at the end of syllables
• The first medial form of ng is used before i, o, u and ū; the second is used before e and i; the third medial form is used at the end of syllables
• The first medial form of k is used before a, o and ū; the second is used before consonants
• The first initial and medial forms of t are used before a, o and i; the second initial and medial forms are used before e, u ū; the third medial form is used before consonants
• First initial and medial forms of d are used before a, o and i; the second initial and medial forms are used before e, u and ū
• The first initial and medial forms of f are used before a and e; the second initial and medial forms are used before i, o, u and ū

Sample text in the Xibe script

Source: http://www.absolutechinatours.com/china-travel/migration-festival.html

Cyrillic alphabet for Xibe

This version of the Cyrillic alphabet for Xiba was proposed in China in 1957, but did not catch on.

Links

Information about the Xibe language, script and people
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xibe_language
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xibe_script
http://www.china.org.cn/e-groups/shaoshu/shao-2-xibe.htm
http://www.omf.org/omf/uk/asia/china/about_china/people_groups_of_china/xibe_china