There are no dialects in strict sense,[clarification needed] but three local varieties (tuyu) can be found: Suonanba (ca.

[29] However, several exceptions to this rule exist: In Chinese loanwords, stress is not predictable; this is likely due to the tonal influence from the original pronunciation.

Examples of non-final stress include hushi /ˈxuʂi/ (nurse; from 护士 hùshì), daozi /ˈdɑwt͡si/ (rice paddy; from 稻子 dàozi) and dadou /ˈdɑdəw/ (soybean; from 大豆 dàdòu).

[31] There are a number of Arabic loanwords which also violate ultimate stress; these include aghili /ˈɑqili/ (wisdom; from عَقِيْل ʿaqīl), mehheri /ˈməhəri/ (dowry; from مَهْر⁩ mahr), ghalebu /qɑˈləbu/ (body, form; from قَالَب⁩ qālab), etc.

[32] Some words with unknown origin may also stress on other syllables, including tonghori /ˈtʰoŋqori/ (wild goose), dawala /ˈtɑwɑlɑ/ (urinary bladder) and bawa /ˈpɑwɑ/ (great-grandfather).

In Linxia, however, under the influence of the Mandarin Chinese dialects spoken by the neighbouring Hui people, sentences of the SVO type have also been observed.

The linguist Mei W. Lee-Smith calls this the "Tangwang language" (Chinese: 唐汪话), based on the names of the two largest villages (Tangjia and Wangjia, parts of Tangwang Town) where it is spoken and argues it is a creolized language.

[36] According to Lee-Smith, the Tangwang language uses mostly Mandarin words and morphemes with Dongxiang grammar.