Damu language

Last updated
Damu
Region Tibet
Native speakers
(80 cited 1985) [1]
Sino-Tibetan
Dialects
  • Panggi?
Language codes
ISO 639-3 None (mis)
Glottolog damu1236

Damu is a poorly documented Tani (Sino-Tibetan) language spoken in Tibet. Only 80 speakers of this language were reported to exist in 1985, [1] and the language community was experiencing strong language contact with speakers of Bodic languages at that time. No documentation or description of the Damu language other than some brief remarks and a wordlist in Ouyang (1985) appears to exist, and it is not known whether the Damu community is still intact and speaking their language.

The precise genetic affiliation of Damu remains unclear. Although Sun (1993) clearly identified Damu as a member of the Tani languages, he noted some difficulties that prevented its precise alignment within either Western Tani or Eastern Tani. In addition, Sun speculated that Damu might represent a northern variety of the Tangam language. Post (2013a) concluded that Tangam and Damu are in fact distinct, despite sharing a number of features. In particular, both Tangam and Damu share an early sound change which would suggest aligning them with Western Tani, despite sharing an overall Eastern Tani–like profile. [2]

Phonology

Consonants [3]
Labial Alveolar Retroflex Alveolo-palatal Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive oral p b t d c ɟ k g ʔ
aspirated
Affricate oral p r b r ts dz ʈʂ ɖʐ
aspirated tsʰ ʈʂʰ tɕʰ
Fricative s z ç x ɦ
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ̊ ŋ
Approximant w l r j
Vowels [3]
Front Central Back
Unrounded Rounded
Syllabic ( ɹ̩ )( ɻ̩ )
High i y ɯ ɯː u
Mid e ø øː ə əː o
Low a

Additionally, the following diphthongs have been observed: /iu/, /iə/, /ia/, /iaː/, /yu/, /yo/, /yə/, /ui/, /ue/, /ei/, /əɯ/.

References

  1. 1 2 Ouyang 1985
  2. Post 2013b
  3. 1 2 Namkung, Ju (1996). Matisoff, James A. (ed.). "Phonological Inventories of Tibeto-Burman Languages" (PDF). Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus Monograph Series (3). University of California, Berkeley.