Qabiao, Pu Peo or sometimes Laqua (autonym: ; Chinese: Pubiao 普标, Vietnamese: Pu Péo) is a Kra language spoken by the Qabiao people in northern Vietnam and Yunnan, China. Alternative names for Qabiao include Kabeo, Ka Beo, Ka Bao, Ka Biao, Laqua, Pubiao (Pupeo or Pu Péo) and Pen Ti Lolo (Bendi Lolo). The meaning of the name "Qabiao" is unknown. Maza, a Lolo–Burmese language spoken near the Qabiao area, is notable for having a Qabiao substratum (Hsiu 2014:68-69).

Geographic distribution

In Vietnam, Qabiao is spoken in Đồng Văn District, Hà Giang Province in Phố Là and Sủng Chéng villages, and perhaps also in Yên Minh and Mèo Vạc Districts. Tran (2011:15) reports that Qabiao is spoken in the following locations of Ha Giang Province. The Pu Péo (Qabiao) of Vietnam claim that they had traditionally lived in the following villages in Vietnam and China (Tran 2011:16). In China, Qabiao is spoken in Tiechang Township 铁厂镇 and Donggan Township 懂干镇 in Malipo County, Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan (Liang, et al. 2007). Many Qabiao people have shifted to Southwestern Mandarin, although it is still spoken in villages such as Pufeng 普峰.

Phonology

The Qabiao language has the following tones: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, D2. Like Paha (J.-F. Li and Y.-X. Luo 2010: 16–17), Long-haired Lachi (Kosaka 2000: 20–24) and Buyang, Qabiao (J.-R. Zhang 1990) have sesquisyllables, which are not present in most Kra-Dai languages.