Editing Zhuang languages (section)

== Writing systems ==
<!-- This section is linked from [[Chinese character]] -->
[[File:Manuscripts in the Yunnan Nationalities Museum - DSC03931.JPG|thumb|220px|Zhuang [[Sawndip]] manuscript]]
[[File:Manuscripts in the Yunnan Nationalities Museum - DSC03934.JPG|thumb|right|the 81 symbols of the ''Poya Songbook'' used by Zhuang women in [[Funing County, Yunnan]]]]

The Zhuang languages have been written in the ancient ''[[sawndip]]'' script for over a thousand years, possibly preceded by the ''[[sawgoek]]'' script. ''Sawndip'' is based on [[Chinese characters]], similar to Vietnamese ''[[chữ Nôm]].'' Some ''sawndip'' logograms were directly borrowed from Han characters, whereas others were created locally from components of Chinese characters. It has been used for writing songs, and more recently in public communications encouraging people to follow official family planning policy.

There has also been the occasional use of a number of other scripts, including pictographic [[proto-writing]].

In 1957, a hybrid script based on the [[Latin script]] and expanded with Cyrillic- and IPA-derived letters was introduced to write [[Standard Zhuang]]. In 1982, it was updated to use only Latin letters.<ref>{{harvp|Zhou|2003}}</ref> These are referred to as the "old" and "new" Zhuang, respectively. [[Bouyei language|Bouyei]] is written in Latin script.

=== 1957 Alphabet ===

==== Consonants ====
B b D d G g C c By by [[Ƃ]] ƃ [[Ƌ]] ƌ Gv gv Y y Gy gy
M m N n Ŋ ŋ Ny ny My my F f S s H h Ŋv ŋv
V v L l R r

==== Vowels ====
A a I i U u E e O o [[Ɵ]] ɵ Ə ə [[Ɯ]] ɯ

==== Tone letters ====
[[Ƨ]] ƨ Ɜ ɜ Ч ч [[Ƽ]] ƽ [[Ƅ]] ƅ

[[File:Zhuang language.webp|thumb|alt=A sign in Zhuang language located in Guangxi |A sign in Zhuang language (top) located in Guangxi ]]
=== 1982 Alphabet ===

==== Consonants ====
B b D d G g C c By by Mb mb Nd nd Gv gv Y y
Gy gy M m N n Ng ng Ny ny My my F f S s H h
Ngv ngv V v L l R r

==== Vowels ====
A a I i U u E e O o Oe oe (from Ɵ) Ae ae (from Ə) W w (from Ɯ)

==== Tone letters ====
Z z J j X x Q q H h