Makyam language

Last updated
Makyam
Makyan
Paung Nyuan
Native to Myanmar
Native speakers
4,000 (2008) [1]
Sino-Tibetan
Language codes
ISO 639-3 umn
Glottolog maky1235

Makyam Naga (Lasam, Macham Naga, Makyan, Pongnyun, Paung Nyuan) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Myanmar. The Western Makyam Naga dialects share 99% lexical similarity. [2]

Contents

It is closely related to other Konyak languages. Makyam is 31%–35% lexically similar with Ponyo-Gongwang Naga, 29%–36% with Leinong Naga, and 27%–28% with Lao variety of Konyak Naga. [2]

Classification

Makyam belongs to the Khiamniungic subgroup within the Konyak–Chang group of languages (Naw Sawu 2016:6). [3] It is closely related to Leinong than to Khiamniungan.

Distribution

Makyam is spoken in 13 villages of northeast Lahe Township and Hkamti Township, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Ethnologue). Main dialect variation is between the western Makyan villages and Kuku villages.

Makyam is spoken in the following 18 villages, which are located just to the east of Lahe town in Lahe Township, Sagaing Division, Myanmar. They add up to a total of 1,026 households and 4,994 persons (Naw Sawu 2016:8). [3] Old village names are given in parentheses.

The majority of Makyam speakers can also speak Leinong, as the two languages are spoken in the same area (Naw Sawu 2016:10).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naga people</span> Ethnic group of South Asia

The Nagas are various ethnic groups native to northeastern India and northwestern Myanmar. The groups have similar cultures and traditions, and form the majority of population in the Indian states of Nagaland and Manipur, and Naga Self-Administered Zone of Myanmar (Burma); with significant populations in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in India; Sagaing Region and Kachin State in Myanmar.

The Konyak languages, or alternatively the Konyakian or Northern Naga languages, is a branch of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken by various Naga peoples in southeastern Arunachal Pradesh and northeastern Nagaland states of northeastern India. They are not particularly closely related to other Naga languages spoken further to the south, but rather to other Sal languages such as Jingpho and the Bodo-Garo languages. There are many dialects, and villages even a few kilometers apart frequently have to rely on a separate common language.

Southern Anung[ɑ31 nuŋ35], is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Nung people in Fugong County, China and Kachin State, Myanmar. The Anong language is closely related to the Derung and Rawang languages. Most of the Anung speakers in China have shifted to Lisu although the speakers are being classified as Nu nationality. The northern Anung people speak a dialect of Derung which is also called Anung actively, but is not the same Anung discussed in this article.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lahe Township</span> Township in Sagaing Region, Burma

Lahe Township is a township located within the Naga Self-Administered Zone of Sagaing Division, Myanmar. The principal town is Lahe.

Konyak is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Konyak people in the state of Nagaland, north-eastern India.

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

Tangsa, also known as Tase and Tase Naga, is a Sino-Tibetan language or language cluster spoken by the Tangsa people of Burma and north-eastern India. Some varieties, such as Shangge (Shanke), are likely distinct languages. There are about 60,000 speakers in Burma and 40,000 speakers in India. The dialects of Tangsa have disparate levels of lexical similarity, ranging from 35%–97%.

Khiamniungan is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Khiamniungan people in east-central Noklak District of Nagaland in northeastern India and in northwestern Burma. Most of the Khiamniungans in India are known to Pathso-Nyu which remains the main language within their geographical region.

Mro-Khimi is a Kuki-Chin language of Burma spoken by the Mro-Khimi people. The Mro-Khimi varieties share 91% to 98% lexical similarity. Mro-Khimi is 86%–90% lexically similar with the Likhy variety of Eastern Khumi, 81%–85% with Lemi variety of Eastern Khumi, and 77%–81% with Kaladan Khumi.

Khumi or Khumi Chin, is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language of Burma, with some speakers across the border in Bangladesh. Khumi shares 75%–87% lexical similarity with Eastern Khumi, and 78-81% similarity with Mro-Khimi.

Senthang is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language of Burma. The Senthang dialects share 79% to 95% lexical similarity.

Somra, also known as Burmese Tangkhul, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Myanmar. The two ethnic Tangkhul languages are related, but are not mutually intelligible, being only 30% lexically similar. Somra is closer to Akyaung Ari.

Akyaung Ari, or Ngachan, is a Tangkhulic language spoken in Burma. It is most closely related to Somra. It is spoken in Heinkut, Jagram, and Ngachan villages of Leshi Township, Sagaing Division, Myanmar. Ngachan shares 52% lexical similarity with Tanghkul Naga of Somra, 23% with Tangkhul Naga of Ukhrul in India, and 23% with Koki Naga.

Leinong Naga, or Htang Ngan, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Burma. Leinong Naga is spoken in about 25 villages of Lahe Township and northwestern Hkamti Township, Naga Self-Administered Zone, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Ethnologue). Dialects are Yao Dyang and Southern Leinong (Ethnologue).

Ponyo, or Ponyo-Gongwang after its two dialects, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Burma. Ponyo is spoken in 19 villages of Lahe Township, Naga Self-Administered Zone, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Ethnologue). Dialects are Ponyo and Gongwang, with high mutual intelligibility between the two, both of which share 89% to 91% lexical similarity.

Songlai is a Kuki-Chin language of Burma. It is 90% lexically similar to Laitu Chin, but not mutually intelligible. Dialects are Doitu, Hettui, Mang Um (Song), and Lai.

Koki, or Koki Naga, is an unclassified Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Burma. Speakers are included under the wider Naga ethnicity. It has been documented in Shintani (2018).

Long Phuri, or Long Phuri Naga, is an unclassified Naga language of Burma. Long Phuri is spoken in 6 villages of Leshi Township, Hkamti District, Sagaing Region, Myanmar.

Makury, or Makury Naga, is a Naga language of India and Myanmar. Shi (2009:3) and Saul (2005:25) suggest that Makury may be an Ao language. The Makury dialects share 93% lexical similarity.

Para or Para Naga, is an unclassified Naga language of India and Burma. It is not close to other Naga languages which it has been compared to, though Para Naga, Long Phuri Naga, and Makuri Naga may be closest to each other, with Para the most distinct. Barkman (2014) notes that Para Naga could possibly be an Ao or Tangkhulic language. Saul (2005) classifies Para Naga as an Ao language. Hsiu (2021) classifies Para as a sister of the Central Naga (Ao) languages.

Ganan is a Sino-Tibetan language of northwestern Myanmar, spoken in Sagaing Region. It belongs to the Luish branch, and is most closely related to the Kadu language of Myanmar, with which it shares 84 to 89% lexical similarity. The Ganan dialects share 95 to 99% lexical similarity.

References

  1. Makyam at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. 1 2 "Myanmar". Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10.
  3. 1 2 Naw Sawu. 2016. Descriptive Phonology of Makyam Naga . M.A. dissertation. Chiang Mai: Payap University.