Which Mongolian languages are spoken near the border of Gansu and Qinghai provinces?
The Mongolian languages spoken in isolated communities near the border of Gansu and Qinghai provinces are Monguor (also known as Tu), Bao’an (Bonan), and Santa (Dongxiang).12
These languages belong to the southern group of Mongolian languages and are noted for retaining archaic features, such as unassimilated vowel sequences and the preservation of the /f/ and /h/ sounds, which have been lost in other Mongolian languages.12
Regarding these specific languages:
* Monguor (Tu): This language is similar enough to Bao’an that the latter has occasionally been classified as a dialect of Monguor.1
* Bao’an (Bonan): Often grouped with Monguor, it is spoken in the same compact area.12
* Santa (Dongxiang): Spoken just east of the Bao’an-speaking communities, it is considered less similar to Monguor than Bao’an is.12