Nyishi (Kamle) or Sarak is a Tani language of India. It is spoken in Arunachal Pradesh by an estimated 9,000 people of the Nyishi tribe.[2] It appears to be a dialect of the Nishi language.[3]
| Nyishi (Kamle) | |
|---|---|
| Sarak | |
| Region | Arunachal Pradesh |
| Ethnicity | Nyishi (Kamle) people |
Native speakers | 10,000 (2008)[1] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | None (mis)Individual code: mrg – (included under Plains Miri) |
| Glottolog | None |
| ELP | Hill Miri |
Though Hili Miri is listed under Mising [mrg] in Ethnologue, Burling and Sun–experts on the Aranuchal Pradesh and Tani languages–treat Hill Miri and Mising as separate and distinct languages belonging to different branches of the Tani subgroup.[1]
Description
editNyishi (muri-mugli) is a member of the Tani branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages and is considered a dialect of the Nishi language. It is spoken by 9,000 people in the northern regions of India by the Nyishi people of Kamle.[1] It is threatened because the younger generation is slowly breaking away from their people's traditions and language.[4][5] Many audio books of gospel narratives in the Nyishi language of Kamle have been collected.
History of scholarship
editGeorge Abraham Grierson, in his survey of India regarding its linguistics, researched the Nyishi language and published a record over a century ago.[citation needed]
Phonology
editConsonants
editThe following table includes an inventory of Nyishi (Kamle) consonants.[6]
| Labial | Alveolar | Post- alveolar |
Velar | Glottal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n | ɲ[7] | ŋ | ||
| Stop | voiceless | p | t | c[8] | k | |
| voiced | b | d | ɟ[9] | ɡ | ||
| Fricative | s | ʃ | h | |||
| Approximant | w | l | j | |||
| Trill? | r | |||||
Vowels are front /i, e/, central /ɨ, ʉ, ə, a/,[10] and back /u, o/. Vowels occur long and short.
Grammar
editThe basic Nyishi (Kamle) grammar and basic word order are like those of related Sino-Tibetan languages, similar to that of Nishi.
Numerals
edit| Nyishi (Kamle) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | aken |
| 2 | eñi |
| 3 | oum |
| 4 | epi |
| 5 | ango/angngo |
| 6 | ake |
| 7 | kenne |
| 8 | pine |
| 9 | kora |
| 10 | íri |
Pronouns
editPersonal
edit| Singular | Plural | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st person | ngo | ngu-lu |
| 2nd person | no | nu-lu |
| 3rd person | bu, bú | bu-lu, bú-lu |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Did you know Hill Miri is threatened?". Endangered Languages. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
- ^ Moseley, Christopher (2007). Encyclopedia of the world's endangered languages. Routledge. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-7007-1197-0. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ Post, Mark W. (9 August 2013). Defoliating the Tani Stammbaum: An exercise in areal linguistics. 13th Himalayan Languages Symposium. Canberra, Australian National University. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
- ^ "Aptani, Hill Miri, Nishi". Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011.
- ^ Nabam Tadar Rikam (2005). Emerging religious Identities of Arunachal Pradesh. Mittal Publications. ISBN 978-81-8324-032-1. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ Ju Namkung, ed. (1996). Phonological inventories of Tibeto-Burman languages (PDF). STEDT Monograph Series. Vol. 3. Center for Southeast Asia Studies, University of California. ISBN 0-944613-28-4. LCCN 96-71235.
- ^ Value unclear, perhaps [nʲ]?
- ^ Value unclear, perhaps [t͡ʃ]?
- ^ Value unclear, perhaps [d͡ʒ]?
- ^ Transcribed ⟨ɯ, y, ɤ, a⟩ in Namkung
Further reading
edit- Abraham, P. T. (2005). A Grammar of Nyishi Language (PDF). Farsight Publishers and Distributors. ISBN 81-89297-07-4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 December 2015.
- Dryer, Matthew S. (2008). "Word order in Tibeto-Burman languages" (PDF). Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area. 31 (1): 1–83. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2010.
- Goswami, S. N. (1995). Nishing (Bangni) Language Guide. Government of Arunachal Pradesh. ISBN 81-7516-094-2.
- Simon, Ivan Martin (1976). Hill Miri language guide. Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh.
- Shri Aduk Tayeng (1990). Nishi Phrase book (PDF). Government of Arunachal Pradesh.