Lyngngam is an Austroasiatic language of Northeast India closely related to Khasic languages. Once listed as a dialect of Khasi, Lyngngam has in recent literature been classified as a distinct language and believed to be former Garo speakers. Lyngngam speakers have food and dress similar to the neighboring Garo people. Garos consider Lyngngam ancestors to belong to the Garo Megam tribe, from which the Lyngam tribe emerged. Garo Megam tribe is also referred by name, Chisak Megam. Lyngngam Male Traditional dance outfits and customs are similar to that of Garo Tribe. As per Garo Oral Traditions Megam/Lyngngam people are said to be part of Garo Tribe.
| Lyngngam | |
|---|---|
| Lyngam | |
| Native to | India |
| Region | Meghalaya, Assam |
Native speakers | 11,586 (2011 census)[1] |
Austroasiatic
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | lyg |
| Glottolog | lyng1241 |
Phonology
editConsonant inventory
editThe following table lists the consonants attested in Lyngngam.[2]
Bilabial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal Nasal /m/ /n/ /ɲ/ /ŋ/ Stop voiceless /p/ /t/ /c/ /k/ /ʔ/ aspirated /pʰ/ /tʰ/ /cʰ/ /kʰ/ voiced /b/ /d/ /ɟ/ /ɡ/ Voiceless fricative /s/ /h/ Liquid /l, r/ Glide /w/ /j/
The main difference with the Khasi language is that Lyngngam does not possess the voiced aspirated series. Furthermore, Lyngngam does not have the phoneme /ç/. Words which have /ç/ in Khasi typically have /c/ or /s/ in Lyngngam,[3] as in the following pairs of cognates:
Lyngngam Khasi meaning cʔeŋ çʔeŋ bone cɨppʰeu çipʰeu 10 sɲjək çɲiuʔ hair snaːr çnjaʔ chisel
Vowel inventory
editThe following table lists the vowel inventory of the language.[2] The only vowels showing a length distinction are /i/ and /a/, in contradistinction to Khasi, where length is distinctive for all vowels.
Words with diphthongs in Khasi have monophthongs in Lyngngam,[3] as in the following pairs of cognates:
Lyngngam Khasi meaning bni bnaːi month ksu ksəu dog mot miet night
References
edit- ^ "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues - 2011". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 2018-07-07.
- ^ a b Nagaraja 1996, sect. 1
- ^ a b Nagaraja 1996, sect. 2
- Nagaraja, K.S. (1996). "The status of Lyngngam" (PDF). Mon-Khmer Studies. 26: 37–50. Retrieved 9 March 2014.