The forms and development of the languages of the minority nationalities in Yunnan can be classified into the Following for categories.

Firstly, the ethnic minorities that only use their own languages, such as the Dai, the Jingpo, the Lisu, the lahu and the Wa nationalities. Secondly, the ethnic minorities that use both their own languages and Mandarin, such as the Bai, the Zhuang and the Naxi nationalities. Thirdly, the ethnic minorities who, besides their own languages, also use the languages of other ethnic minorities inhabiting the same regions. For example, members of the Deang and the Achang in Dehong Prefecture, the Bulang and the Wa in Xishuangbannan and Lincang speak both their native languages and the Dai language, while some members of the Nu, the Dulong, the Yi and the Pumi in Nujiang Prefecture dpeak the Lisu language as well as their native languages.

Fourthly, the ethnic minorities whose native languages have disappeared use Mandarin or the languages spoken by the neighboring ethnic groups. For example the Hui and the Man people use the Han language, and the Mongolians in Tonghai use both the Yi and the Han languages. In addition, some ethnic groups have their own dialects in different regions. For example, the Yi langiage includes six dialects; the Hani and the Wa languages each have five; the Dai language includes the Daile, the Daina and the Daibeng dialects; and the Jingpo people use both the Jingpo language and the Zaiwa languages.

Originally there were 22 writing systems for the ethnic minorities in Yunnan. Among them there were 5 Dai writing systems (namely the Daile, the Daina, the Daibeng. The Dai writing system in Jinping County and that in Xinping County), 4 Naxi writing systems ( the Dongba, the Geba, the Mali—Masha and the Pinyin systems created by foreign missionaries), 3Lisu writing systems (one created by the Lisus themselves and the other two created by foreign missionaries), 2 Yi writing systems (an original one and one created by foreign missionaries), 2 Jingpo writing syatems (the Jingpo and the Zaiwa), and one Tibetan, Miao, Lahu, Wa and Dulong respectively. Some writing systems like the Tibetan, the Daile, the Daina and the Jingpo are commonly used among ethnic minorities. Some, like the Lahu, the Lisu, the Miao and the writing systems created by foreign missionaries are used only by religious followers, and some, like the Mali—Masha writing system of the Naxi people, and the former one used by Lisu people, are only used in a small area. Almost all of these writing systems are closely related to religions. The Tibetan, the Dai, the Yi and the Dongba writing systems, besides recording religious scriptures, have also recorded their history, calendars, medicine, customs and some other documents, creating a series of art treasures for mankind. The rest are only used to record religious scriptures and religion—related books. The Dongba writing systems is the most unique among those that have left mankind cultural treasures. It was created in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, and is regarded as the only living hieroglyphics in the world. The Yi characters created in the Tang Dynasty have been used to record the ten—month solar calendar and the eighteen—month lunar calendar of the Yi nationality, which are among the earliest calendars in the world.