Ersu

Ersu (ISO 639-3: ers) is an endangered Sino-Tibetan language, often grouped within Qiangic, spoken by roughly 9,000–17,000 people in Ganluo, Yuexi, Shimian, Hanyuan, and Jiulong counties of Sichuan, China. It is distinct from its close relatives Lizu and Duoxu, and generations of contact with Nuosu, Southwestern Mandarin, and Pumi have shaped its vocabulary and structure. Ersu has a rich consonant inventory, a two-way high–low tone contrast, and predominantly SOV clause order. Most everyday use is oral; the pictographic Shaba system, comprising about 200 identified signs, is used chiefly by ritual specialists, while a Latin-based romanization supports linguistic documentation.