Aimol language

Last updated
Aimol
Meitei transliteration of the term "Aimol".jpg
The term "Aimol" written in Manipuri script (Meitei script)
Native to India
Region Manipur, Assam
Ethnicity Aimol, Langrong[ verification needed ][ citation needed ]
Native speakers
6,000 (2001 census) [1]
Dialects
  • Aimol
Latin, Meitei (to lesser extent)
Language codes
ISO 639-3 aim
Glottolog aimo1244
ELP Aimol

Aimol, also known as Aimual, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Aimol people of Manipur, India. It is considered endangered and has less than 9,000 speakers worldwide as per 2011 census. [2] The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue. [3]

Contents

Geographical distribution

Aimol is spoken primarily in the Tengnoupal district, Chandel district, Kangpokpi district, and Churachandpur districts of Manipur. [4] Aimol is spoken in the following villages of Manipur state ( Ethnologue ). There are also small numbers of speakers in Assam,Mizoram,Tripura,Nagaland Meghalaya.

Name

The name of the language comes from the Aimol tribe of people who speak it. The word Aimol itself may come from the words Ai meaning " Ginzer" and Mol meaning "hill". [5]

Genealogical affiliation

Aimol is an Old Kuki language. The language displays similar characteristics as other Old Kuki including Hmar, Kom, Koireng, Kharam, Purum, Chiru, Chothe, Tarao, etc. However, most of the Old Kuki languages are not mutually intelligible with Aimol. [5] Additionally, Aimol is reportedly less influenced by Meitei, the lingua franca of the state of Manipur, as compared to the other neighboring languages. [6] Aimol is mutually intelligible with Kom. Speakers of the respective languages can understand each other when speaking in their own language. In terms of numeric structures, the two languages demonstrate extreme grammatical and structural similarities. [4] [5] In the Linguistic Survey of India, Grierson reported that all the Old Kuki languages, including Aimol, are all merely dialects of the same language. He also reported that these Old Kuki languages are closely related to the Central Kuki languages. [4] [7]

Dialects

The Langrong variety is distinct enough that some consider it a separate language. There are two dialects of Aimol proper, Sutpong and Khurai, which can perhaps be attributed to differing migration patterns. There are small differences between the two but they are completely mutually intelligible.

Most occurrences of Aimol writing are of Sutpong. This version makes use of glottal stops in word endings preceding by vowel sounds. Speakers of this dialect tend to take pride in speaking this dialect over Khurai.

Khurai usually does not use the glottal stops as is present in Sutpong. There is also less use of initial nasalized sounds in Khurai. There may be negative interpretations of the word Khurai which lead to the negativity with the dialect. [4] Additionally, the Khurai dialect is understood to borrow more words from Meitei and other neighboring languages, though it is indisputable that both dialects take from and are influenced by other languages.

Writing system

There are very few written records of the Aimol language. Much of what has been recorded were samples from Grierson. Younger generations use Latin script, while older generations use "Manipuri written in Bengali script." [4] Additionally, a version of the Bible has been recently completed and released. [8] This should greatly benefit the translation and preservation process.

Syntax

Aimol follows the traditional subject-object-verb word order, like the other Tibeto-Burman languages, and uses postposition instead of preposition. Tone is an important feature of the language, as the certain pitch used can indicate multiple different words.

Numerals

Cardinal numbers in Aimol are formed by using simple addition and/or multiplication compounds. The numbers between 11-19 are formed by taking the word for ten som and the respective number between 1–9, and using the connective word ləj. For example, the word for fifteen is som-ləj-raŋa, which is formed by the words for ten-connective-five. The decade, century, and thousand numbers are formed by using a multiplication compound. To illustrate this principle further, the word for three hundred is rethum, which is formed by the root re-, and the word for three ənthum (the prefix ən- is dropped). Finally, for the numbers not divisible by 10, the two principles are combined. The word for 22 is somniləjthum, which translate to ten-two-connective-two. In this instance, ten and two are multiplied to equal twenty which is connected to two.

Ordinal Numerals

Ordinal numerals are formed by adding the suffix cəŋnə to the base number. For example, second is expressed as ənni-cəŋnə, meaning two-necessary suffix.

Multiplicative Numerals

Adding the prefix wəj- to a base numeral results in a multiplicative numeral. Fifth is expressed by wəj-rəŋə, the prefix to the base word for 5.

Fractional Numerals

To express fractions, the prefix sem- is added to the denominator number, followed by the connective -ə-, and then the word for the numerator. To express the fraction two-fifths, the word in Aimol is sem-rəŋə-ə-ənni.

Sociolinguistic background

Manipur

The linguistic situation of the state of Manipur is complex and confusing, making it difficult for proper classification and documentation of the dozens of endangered languages in the region. Languages and dialects are classified according to status as a scheduled tribe. [4] Mutually intelligible dialects of the same language can be classified as distinct languages, and mutually unintelligible languages can be classified as dialects of the same language. Additionally, there is difficulty attributed to shifting ethnic loyalties in the region.

Meitei

Meitei is the official language of Manipur and the lingua franca amongst the various tribes in the region. Most Aimol speakers are completely fluent in Meitei. Also, it is the language that is taught in school, thus Aimol has to be taught as a second language in the home. [5] The strong influence of the lingua franca is a considerable threat to the continued existence of Aimol and its survival in future generations. However, there have been efforts to preserve the Aimol culture, including the language. [9] Additionally, Aimol sees a significant use in the personal domain.

Religion

The Aimol people are predominantly Christian and this community has helped with preserving the language. The New Testament has been translated, and there are significant audio samples of the language in the form of Bible studies. [10] While primarily done to spread and maintain the religion, recordings like these are vital to the continued existence of the language.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meitei language</span> Tibeto-Burman language of India

Meitei, also known as Manipuri, is a Tibeto-Burman language of northeast India. It is the official language and the lingua franca of Manipur and one of the official languages India. Meitei is the most widely-spoken Tibeto-Burman language of India and third the most used language of northeast India after Assamese and Bengali. There are 1.76 million Meitei native speakers in India according to the 2011 census. Most of these, or 1.52 million, are found in the state of Manipur, where they represent majority of its population. There are smaller communities in neighbouring Indian states, such as Assam (168,000), Tripura (24,000), Nagaland (9,500), and elsewhere in the country (37,500). The language is also spoken by smaller groups in neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The Koireng people are one of the ethnic groups inhabiting Manipur in North-East India. They speak the [Koireng language]. They are mentioned in the Meitei royal chronicle Cheitharol Kumbaba in the year 1404, one of the oldest tribes to be so mentioned. They have a shared common ancestry, history, cultural traits, folklore and dialects with their kindred people like Aimol and Kom. They use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

Bishnupriya Manipuri, also known as Bishnupriya Meitei or simply as Bishnupriya, is an Indo-Aryan lect belonging to the Bengali–Assamese linguistic sub-branch. It is a creole of Bengali language and Meitei language and it still retains its pre-Bengali features. It is spoken in parts of the Indian states of Assam, Tripura and Manipur as well as in the Sylhet Division of Bangladesh. It uses the Bengali-Assamese script as its writing system. Bishnupriya Manipuri, being a member of the Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, was evolved from Magadhi Prakrit. So, its origin is associated with Magadha realm. The Government of Tripura categorised Bishnnupriya Manipuri under the "Tribal Language Cell" of the State Council of Educational Research and Training. Its speakers are also given the "Other Backward Classes" status by the Assam Government and notably, there is no legal status of the Bishnupriyas in Manipur. In the 2020s, the Bishnupriya speaking people started demanding that the Assam Government should give them the status of "indigenous people" of Assam and treat the same like other indigenous communities of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandel district</span> District of Manipur in India

Chandel district is one of the 16 districts of Manipur state in northeastern India. Its headquarters is the town of Chandel. In December 2016, a part of the district was split to establish the new Tengnoupal district. The district is mainly populated by Kuki-Zo and Old Kuki/Naga tribal people.

Thadou or Thado Chin is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Northern Kuki-Chin sub-branch. It is spoken by the Thadou people in Northeast India. The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aimol people</span>

The Aimol people are an ethnic group living mainly in Manipur and in parts of Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Assam,Meghalaya in India. They speak Aimol language which is a Kuki-Chin language. They identify themselves as 'Aimol' an independent tribe with no affiliates. Aimols have continued to live in harmony with neighboring communities before the independence and to this day. Aimols are closely related to Kom, Koireng, Chiru, Chothe,khelma,Biete,Biate etc. They use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zeme language</span> Sino-Tibetan language of Northeast India

Zeme is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in northeastern India. It is one of the dialects spoken by the Zeme Naga, the other being Mzieme.

Vaiphei is a Sino-Tibetan language belonging to the Kuki-Chin linguistic subbranch of the Tibeto-Burman group of languages. It is spoken mainly in the Myanmar minutely in Manipur-KukiZogam, Mizoram, Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura. The dialect spoken in Myanmar exhibits a least partial mutual intelligibility with the other Mizo/Kukish dialects of the area including Thadou, Hmar, Paite, Simte, Kom and Gangte languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gangte language</span> Sino-Tibetan language of India

Gangte is a Sino-Tibetan language of Kuki-Chin linguistic sub branch of Northeastern India. Its speakers primarily live in Manipur and the adjacent areas of Meghalaya and Assam. The language appears to be homogeneous with no known dialectal variation and exhibits at least partial mutual intelligibility with the other Chin-Kuki-Mizo dialects of the area including Thadou, Hmar, Vaiphei, Simte, Kom and Paite languages. The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

Kom is a language of the Kom tribe of India. Kohlreng is usually considered a dialect of Kom, but may be a distinct language. Speakers of Kom live in the hilly provinces of Myanmar and India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kharam people</span> Ethnic group in Manipur, India

The Kharam people, also known as the Kharam Naga, are a Tibeto-Burmese ethnic group inhabiting the Northeast Indian state of Manipur. They are recognised as a Scheduled Tribe (STs) by India. They use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

Simte is a Kuki-Chin language of India. It is spoken primarily by the Simte in Northeastern India, who are concentrated in Manipur and adjacent areas of Mizoram and Assam. The dialect spoken in Manipur exhibits partial mutual intelligibility with the other Kuki-Chin dialects of the area including Thadou, Hmar, Vaiphei, Paite, Kom and Gangte. It is written in Latin script.

Ranglong is an ethnic people belonging to the Kuki people. The majority of the Ranglong people live in a small and densely-packed area in the northeastern part of India, mainly in the border areas of Tripura, Assam and Mizoram.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chothe language</span> Sino-Tibetan language spoken in India

Chothe is a Sino-Tibetan language of Kuki-Chin subgroup of northeastern India. It may be intelligible with Aimol. The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purum language</span> Kuki-Chin language spoken in India

Purum is a Southern Naga language of India. Speakers consider themselves to be ethnic Naga people, rather than part of the Kuki and Chin ethnic groups. Peterson (2017) classifies Purum as part of the Northwestern branch of Kuki-Chin. According Ethnologue, Purum shares a high degree of mutual intelligibility with Kharam. The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarao language</span> Sino-Tibetan language

Tarao, Taraotrong or Tarau is an unclassified Tibeto-Burman language of India. It is marginally (70%) intelligible with Chothe. The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kharam language</span> Southern Naga language of Manipur, India

Kharam is a Southern Naga language of India. Peterson (2017) classifies the closely related Purum language as part of the Northwestern branch of Kuki-Chin. According Ethnologue, Kharam shares a high degree of mutual intelligibility with Purum. The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

The Hmaric languages or Hmar languages are a subbranch of the Kukish branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family which comprises Hmar proper, Biate/Biete, Hrangkhol/Hrangkhawl, Sakachep/Sakechep, Zote, Darlong/Darlawng, Țhiek/Thriek, Saihriem (Faihriem), Leiri, Dulien/Duhlian(a sub-clan of Faihriem) and others. The Hmar languages are often treated as dialects of a single language, since differences between them are reportedly minor. The speakers of the language are also known as Hmar.

Meitei language, the sole official language and the lingua franca of Manipur, one of the scheduled languages of India, one of the recognised educational and literary languages of Assam and Tripura states, has its speakers spread across entire India.

References

  1. ↑ Aimol at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Endangered Languages Project - http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/3700
  3. ↑ "Meitei | Ethnologue". Ethnologue . Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Haokip, P. (2011). The languages of manipur: A case study of the Kuki-Chin languages. Linguistics Of The Tibeto-Burman Area, 34(1), 85-118.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Suantak, K. (2011). Socio-Linguistic Paradigm of the Aimol. Language In India, 11(6), 36-49.
  6. ↑ Ruhemann, B. (1948). The Relationship Terms of Some Hill Tribes of Burma and Assam. Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, 4, 155-198.
  7. ↑ Grierson, G. A. (1903). Linguistic Survey of India, 3. (reprint: 2005. Delhi: Low Price Publications).
  8. ↑ Welcome to Bible Society of India Aimol New Testament http://www.bsind.org/aimol.html Archived 2013-04-03 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ Manipur tribe turns to music to preserve culture - The Times of India. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Manipur-tribe-turns-to-music-to-preserve-culture/articleshow/24060212.cms/
  10. ↑ Global Recordings Network Aimol - http://globalrecordings.net/en/language/3822

Further reading

  1. (2013, August 22). The Times of India:; Manipur sets up cell to develop state languages. Times of India, The (Mumbai, India)
  2. Bose, J.K. (1934). Social Organisation of the Aimol Kukis. Calcutta: Calcutta University Press.
  3. Bradley, D. (1997). Tibeto-Burman languages and classification. Papers in Southeast Asian linguistics No.14, Tibeto-Burman languages of the Himalayas, 1-72.
  4. Bradley, D. (2012). The Characteristics of the Burmic Family of Tibeto-Burman. Language and Linguistics, 13, 171–192.
  5. Haokip, T. (2012). Revisiting English education amidst various local languages: situation in Manipur State. Language In India, (9). 404.
  6. Hodson, T.C. (1913). Note on the Numeral Systems of the Tibeto-Burman Dialects. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 315–336.
  7. Hyslop, G., Morey, S., & Post, M. (2011). North East Indian linguistics, 3. New Delhi: Foundation Books.
  8. Matisoff, J. (1995). Languages and dialects of Tibeto-Burman. Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus Project, Centers for South and Southeast Asia Studies, University of California, Berkeley.
  9. Needham, R. (1960). A Structural Analysis of Aimol Society. Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde Deel 116, 1ste Afl., ANTHROPOLOGICA, 81-108.
  10. Pramodini, N. (2011). Sharing the Future: The Language Situation in Manipur. Language In India, 11(5), 404–421.
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