Tanchangya language

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Tanchangya
𑄖𑄧𑄐𑄴𑄌𑄧𑄁𑄉𑄴𑄡
Shukla Tanchangya.svg
'Tanchangya' in Tanchangya/Chakma script
Native to Bangladesh
Region Chittagong Hill Tracts (Bangladesh)
Mizoram and Tripura (India)
Rakhine State (Myanmar)
Ethnicity Tanchangya people
Native speakers
46,000 (2022) [1]
Tanchangya alphabet
Language codes
ISO 639-3 tnv
Glottolog tang1330

The Tanchangya language is one of the eleven indigenous languages spoken in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Mizoram, Tripura, and Rakhine State. Despite the common belief that it is a Tibeto-Burman language, it is categorized as a Indo-Aryan language. [2] It is closely related to Chakma and Chittagonian. It is primarily spoken by the Tanchangyas people. [3]

Contents

Vocabulary

Tanchangya has many words from Indo-Aryan languages. It also maintains some Burmanised words, particularly in Buddhist terminologies.

Ancient Tanchangya

The original words of Tanchangya are believed to be from ancient Tanchangya. [4]

TanchangyaEnglish
Awga (অগা)Uneducated, uncivilised
Awnsur (অন্সুর্)Regularly, always
Awnawpinaw (অন-পিন); Awnaw-sawnaw (অন- সনঅ)Insane, foolish
Awrawk (অরক্)Nest
Hawla (হলা)Fry, thick shrub bushes
Awsangya (অসাঙ্যা); Besangya (বেসাঙ্যা)An unmarriageable relation
A-uk/Aruk (আ-উক্, আরুক্)Picture; Sketch

Tibeto-Burman

Tanchangay belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family; hence, many Buddhist terms can be found in Tanchangya. [5]

Foreign words

In Tanchangya, words derived from Arabic, Portuguese, and English can be found.

TanchangyaArabic/PortugueseEnglish
Awktaw (অক্ত)Owakta (Arabic)Time
Gawrba (গর্বা)Gorba(Arabic)Guest
Gamala/Gabala (গাবালা, গামালা)Gamela (Portuguese)Bucket
Balti (বাল্তি)Balde (Portuguese)Bucket

Chakma

Outside of the Tanchangya tribe, there is a common belief that there is no difference between Tanchangya and the Chakma language. [6]

TanchangyaChakmaEnglish
BitsyawlBijolSmooth
Pawd, JangalPawtRoad
Awna sawnaAwnaw sawnawHalf-brain
Diri, BilawngDigholLong time

References

  1. ↑ Tanchangya at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  2. ↑ Debnath, Rupak (2008). Ethnographic Study of Tanchangya of CHT, CADC, Sittwe, and South Tripura. Kolkata: Kreativmind, India. p. 167.
  3. ↑ Debnath, Rupak (2008). Ethnographic Study of Tanchangya of CHT, CADC, Sittwe, and South Tripura. Kolkata: Kreativmind, India. p. 71.
  4. ↑ Roti Kanta Tanchangya (2000): 62-65
  5. ↑ Debnath, Rupak (2008). Ethnographic Study of Tanchangya of CHT, CADC, Sittwe, and South Tripura. Kolkata: Kreativmind, India. p. 88.
  6. ↑ "An Analysis of the Ethno-Linguistic Roots and Connections of the Chakma-Tanchangya People" (PDF). Dr Satyakam Phukan's Webpages. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
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