Anu-Hkongso language

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Anu-Hkongso
Anu
Native to Burma
Region Paletwa Township
EthnicityHkongso, Anu
Native speakers
4,000 (2008) [1]
Sino-Tibetan
Dialects
  • Anu
  • Hkongso
Language codes
ISO 639-3 anl
Glottolog anuu1241

Anu-Hkongso (also spelled Anu-Khongso) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken between the Kaladan and Michaung rivers in Paletwa Township, Chin State, Burma. It is closely related to Mru, forming the Mruic language branch, whose position within Sino-Tibetan is unclear. It consists of two dialects, Anu (Añú) and Hkongso (Khongso, Khaungtso).

Contents

Hkongso and Anu speakers self-identify as ethnic Chin people, although the Anu-Hkongso language is not classified as a Kuki-Chin language. [3] The language share similarities to Bodo-Garo languages. Most Anu and Hkongso speakers can also speak Khumi. [4] Anung has 72-76% lexical similarity with Mro-Khimi although mutual intelligibility is low, and 23-37% lexical similarity with neighbouring Chin languages. [5]

Varieties

Hkongso and Anu are mutually intelligible, and the languages 96-98% lexical similarity with each other. [5] The Kasang claim to be Hkongso, and live in a small area just to the south of the main Hkongso area, in the villages of Lamoitong and Tuirong. The Anu live in scattered areas to the west of the main Hkongso area. [4] Anu villages include Bedinwa, Onphuwa, Payung Chaung, Yeelawa, Daletsa Wa, Ohrangwa, Tuikin Along, and Khayu Chaung (Wright 2009:6).

The Anu people consider themselves to consist of 4 subgroups, namely Hkum, Hkong (Hkongso), Som, and Kla. However, the Hkongso maintain that they are an ethnic group equal to the Anu, but are not a subgroup of the Anu. [4]

The Kasang (also known as Khenlak, Ta-aw, Hkongsa-Asang, Hkongso-Asang, Asang, and Sangta) consider themselves as ethnic Hkongso, but their language is intelligible with Khumi rather than Anu. [4] Kasang villages include Lamoitong and Tuirong.

The Mru language is also closely related to Anu and Hkongso. The Mru had migrated to the Chittagong Hills from the Arakan Hills. [4]

Distribution

Hkongso is spoken in the following villages of Paletwa Township. [4]

Hkongso subgroups (clans) are Htey (Htey Za), Kamu, Ngan, Gwa, Hteikloeh, Ngai, Rahnam, Kapu, Kasah, Namte, Krawktu, and Namluek. [4]

Leimi, Asang, and Likkheng are other languages spoken in the Paletwa Township area. [4]

Phonology

Hkongso has minor syllables (also known sesquisyllables), which are typical of Mon-Khmer languages (Wright 2009:12-14).

Grammar

Unlike the Kuki-Chin languages, Hkongso (kʰɔŋ˥˩sʰo˦˨) has no verb stem alternation and has SVO word order (Wright 2009). [4] Also, unlike Mru and the Kuki-Chin languages, Hkongso has Neg-V word order (pre-verbal negation) instead of the V-Neg order (post-verbal negation) found in surrounding languages.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Languages of Myanmar</span> Languages of the country and its peoples

There are approximately a hundred languages spoken in Myanmar. Burmese, spoken by two-thirds of the population, is the official language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mro-Khimi people</span> Ethnic group in Myanmar

The Mro-Khimi people, also known as Mro, Awa Khami Mro, Wakim, Mro Chin or Awa Khami, are one of the 135 ethnic groups recognized by the government of Myanmar. They are identified as a sub-group of Chin people. They live widely in some parts of northern Rakhine state, Chin state, the townships of Matupi and Paletwa, and the regions of Samechaung and Michaung. They are Tibeto-Burman and have their own language, culture and customs which are still in existence. For Chin specifically, the Mro People are one of 53 sub-groups identified by the government of Myanmar. According to the Rakhine Chronicles, the Mro people were the first people who enter Rakhine land. They call themselves as Khami. It means 'human'. Mro people has their own language, culture. There are more than 100 clans.

The Sal languages, also known as Brahmaputran languages, are a branch of Tibeto-Burman languages spoken in northeast India, parts of Bangladesh, and Burma.

The Kuki-Chin languages are a branch of 50 or so Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in northeastern India, western Myanmar and southeastern Bangladesh. Most speakers of these languages are known as Mizo in Mizoram and Manipur. Also, as Kukī in Assamese and Bengali and as Chin in Burmese; some also identify as Zomi. Mizo is the most widely spoken of the Kuki-Chin languages. The Kuki-Chin language has official status in both Chin State and Mizoram as Chin and Mizo respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mru language</span> Sino-Tibetan language primarily spoken in Bangladesh

Mru, also known as Mrung (Murung), is a Sino-Tibetan language of Bangladesh and Myanmar. It is spoken by a community of Mrus (Mros) inhabiting the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh with a population of 22,000 according to the 1991 census, and in Rakhine State, Myanmar. The Mrus are the second-largest tribal group in Bandarban District of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. A small group of Mros also live in Rangamati Hill District.

Kadu or Kado is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Sal branch spoken in Sagaing Region, Myanmar. Dialects are Settaw, Mawkhwin, and Mawteik [extinct], with 30,000 speakers total.

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.

Matu, also known as Matu Chin, Batu, or Nga La, is a Kuki-Chin spoken in Matupi township, Chin State, Myanmar, and also in Mizoram, India by the Matu people. Matu is the most commonly spoken language in Matupi Township outside of Burmese language, which is the official language of Myanmar.

Daai, which borders the Mün and Ütbü language groups, is a Kuki-Chin of Myanmar. It is spoken in 142 villages in Kanpetlet, Matupi, Mindat, and Paletwa townships in Chin State, Burma (Ethnologue).

Chothe is a Sino-Tibetan language of Kuki-Chin subgroup of northeastern India. It may be intelligible with Aimol.

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.

Laitu"လိုင်းတူ" is a Kuki-Chin language of Burma. It is partially intelligible with Sumtu Chin. In Sittwe District, Rakhine State, Laitu is spoken in Minbya, Mrauk-U, and Myebon townships, and is also spoken in Paletwa township, Chin State. Laitu has 91-96% lexical similarity with Sumtu Chin and Songlai Chin, 85-89% similarity with Chinbon Chin, and 82-84% lexical similarity with Asho.

Sumtu is a Kuki-Chin language spoken in Ann, Minbya, and Myebon townships in Rakhine State, Burma. It is partially intelligible with Laitu Chin, with which it shares 91 to 96% lexical similarity. Sumtu has 96%–97% lexical similarity with the Dalet Stream variety of Laitu Chin, and 84%–87% with Chinbon Chin.

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.

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.

Thaiphum is a Southern Kuki-Chin language spoken in 4 villages of Matupi township, Chin State, Burma. Thaiphum is partially intelligible with neighboring languages, such as the Eastern Khumi varieties of Khenlak, Asang, and Rengcaa. Thaiphum has 72%–75% lexical similarity with Eastern Khumi, 69%–71% with Khumi, 65%–68% with Mro-Khimi, and 66%–71% with Matu Chin.

Mruic or Mru–Hkongso is a small group of Sino-Tibetan languages consisting of two languages, Mru and Anu-Hkongso. Their relationship within Sino-Tibetan is unclear. However, it shares similarities with Bodo-Garo languages

References

  1. ↑ Anu-Hkongso at Ethnologue (24th ed., 2021) Closed Access logo transparent.svg
  2. ↑ Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2017). "Mruic". Glottolog 3.0 . Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.
  3. ↑ ISO 639-3 Change Request Number: 2011-031
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wright, Jonathan Michael. 2009. Hkongso Grammar Sketch . MA thesis, Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics.
  5. 1 2 "Myanmar". Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10.

Further reading

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