Deori language

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Deori
Deuri
দেউৰী
Native toIndia
RegionAssam, Arunachal Pradesh
EthnicityDeori
Native speakers
32,376 (2011 census)[1]
Assamese script
Language codes
ISO 639-3der
Glottologdeor1238
ELPDeori

Deori (also Deuri) is a Tibeto-Burman language in the Sino-Tibetan language family spoken by the Deori people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.[2] Among the four territorial groups only the Dibongiya have retained the language. The others—Patorgoyan, Tengaponiya, and Borgoyan—have shifted to Assamese. It is spoken in Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh, and in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Tinsukia, and Jorhat districts of Assam.

In the colonial times this language became associated with the Chutia people erroneously,[3] and came to be known as the "Chutia language" in the Linguistic Survey of India.[4] This confusion, scholars assume, arose since the Deoris served as priests in the Chutia kingdom, but the Deori community today is not related to the Chutia community ethnically or linguistically.[5]

Distribution of Deori-Chutiya Language in Upper Assam, as reported in the Language Survey of India 1903

The Deori language is one of the most influential languages which has helped develop the Assamese language in Upper Assam.

However, the word for water has a similar form in many other languages of the Sal branch of Sino-Tibetan to which Deori belongs, so it is not conclusive evidence that Deori speakers were the first to occupy this area.[6]

Vocabulary[edit]

Some of the words of Deori language present in Assamese derived from the dictionary Chuperemago[7] are:

Deori word Assamese word Meaning
Khang Khong Anger
Dep-Depia Dhep-Dhepia Plum
Auja Auja Incline
Atiru Ati Highland
Pulunga Pulunga Straight
Lakia Lekhia Similar
Gujung Jung Spear
Mijima Mihi Smooth
On On Yes
Numoi Numoli Little girl
Norani Nora Straw
Dong Dong Irrigation Channel
Dekagu Deka Young man
Kalahaas Kalahas Alkaline prepared from banana stem
Kharisa Kharisa Bamboo Shoot
Bisu Bihu Folk Festival of Assam
Anali Anali Helpless
Tangan Tangan Beating Stick
Boutar Batar Weather
Hoja Hoja Simple
Jiyoi Jiyori Girl
Uyung Uyi Termite
Dokhar Dokhar Piece of cut off
Mena Mena Crooked
Habang Hebang Silly
Bonda Bonda Male cat
Ingkori Ingkori An insect
Seu Seu Habit
Meli Meli Unfold
Lapha Lapha A type of green-leafy be
Khaofi Ufi Dandruff
Aapa Aapa Father
Medali Madoli A type of Assamese Jewelry
Jakoi Jakoi Fishing tool
Khaloi Khaloi Basket
Dao Daok A type of bird
Dolong Dolong Bridge
Ketenga Ketenga Thin/Feeble
Chutuga Chuti Short
Hichori Huchori Bihu Carol
Hata Heta Spatula
Hajia Hajia Labor
Agu Athu Knee
Ka Kai Elder Brother
Jiku Jik Wet
Gila Ghila Knee cap
Eri Eri Eri silk
Gadu Gadu Pillow
Hasu Hasi Sneeze
Hami Hami Yawn
Hogora Hogora A Deer species
Kera Kera Displaced eye
Keturi Keturi A kind of turmeric
Kekura Kekura Crooked
Maguru Magur Cat fish
Kimu Kami Bamboo twig
Soru Horu Small
Temi Temi Container
Borola Borola Widower
Besoni Bisoni Handfan
Jeng Jeng Bush
Pei Pehi Paternal Aunty
Jabor Jabor Waste
Hapholu Hapholu Out hill
Kusia Kusia Eel
Kerketua Kerketuwa Squirrel
Fosola Posola Banana stem
Gorali Goral Cage
Gosok Gosok Trample
Ukha Ukha Breath
Amoto Amothu Heart
Guwa Guwa Areca nut
Suruka Suruka Clean
Hereka Hereka Tasteless
Kuduna Khundona Grinding pot
Takun Takun Stick
Jobura Jobura Vegetable curry
Kharoli Kharoli Mustard paste
Likota Likota Sticky
Hao Hao Curse
Umoni Umoni Incubate
Ubiriba Uburi Huwa Lying chest down
Sereng-sereng Sereng-sereng Excessive heat of sun
Robju Robo/Roba Wait
Ayoi Ayoi Painful sensation
Bega Benga Jump
Dep Depia Dhep Dhepia Plumb
Sa karba Kurua Sunrise
Dogia Dhokia Beat
Heleng-jeleng Heleng-jeleng Weakness
Kunga Kunga Crippled
Dai Daiti Paternal Uncle
Datig Dati Border area
Roina Roina Cleaning instrument
Pelinga Pelenga Boy
Kubi Kuki A type of Basket
Dun Dun Small basket
Dokora Dokora Wooden hammer
Hesiba Hesa mora Press
Hiju Hiju A plant
Keng keng Kengkengoni Yap
Isa Risa/Riha Wrapper cloth
Sumu Sum A plant
Rang-si Rang kukur Wild dog
Megela Megela bon Plum grass
Teku Tekeli Pot
Tokou Tokou A type of Palm tree
Serepa Serepa A type of insect

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues – 2011". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  2. ^ (Acharyya & Mahanta 2019:516)
  3. ^ "It was Brown who had the unfortunate idea of associating the name of the Deori with that of the (Assamese speaking) Chutiya." (Jaquesson 2017:8–9)
  4. ^ (Jaquesson 2017:8)
  5. ^ "The extant literature on Deori (Brown 1895; Brandreth 1878; Grierson 1909; Goswami 1994) associates the language of the Deori community with the Chutiyas, "the original language of Upper Assam" (Brown 1895:5). At present, there is no evidence of closeness of the Deori language to the language spoken by the Chutiya community." (Acharyya & Mahanta 2019:516)
  6. ^ Coupe, Alexander R.; Kratochvíl, František (2020), "Asia before English", The Handbook of Asian Englishes, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, pp. 13–48, doi:10.1002/9781118791882.ch2, ISBN 978-1-118-79188-2, S2CID 225196053, retrieved 12 January 2021
  7. ^ Kishor Deori, Chuperemago(1997)

Bibliography[edit]

  • Acharyya, Prarthana; Mahanta, Shakuntala (2019). "Language vitality assessment of Deori: An endangered language". Language Documentation & Conservation. 13: 514–544. hdl:10125/24853. ISSN 1934-5275.
  • Jaquesson, François (2017). Translated by van Breugel, Seino. "The linguistic reconstruction of the past: The case of the Boro-Garo languages". Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area. 40 (1): 90–122. doi:10.1075/ltba.40.1.04van.

Further reading[edit]

  • Acharyya, Prarthana & Shakuntala Mahanta. (2018). Production and perception of lexical tone in Deori. Sixth International Symposium on Tonal Aspects of Languages (TAL), June 18–20, 2018, Berlin, Germany. 93–97. doi:10.21437/TAL.2018-19.
  • Goswami, Upendranath. (1994). An introduction to the Deori language. Guwahati: Anundoram Borooah Institute of Language, Art, and Culture.
  • Jacquesson, François. (2005). Le Deuri: Langue Tibéto-Birmane d’Assam. Leuven: Peeters Publishers.
  • Mahanta, Shakuntala, Indranil Dutta, & Prarthana Acharyya. (2017). Lexical tone in Deori: loss, contrast, and word-based alignment. In Honeybone, Patrick, Julian Bradfield, Josef Fruehwald, Pavel Losad, Benjamin Ress Molin- eaux, & Michael Ramsammy (eds.), Papers in Historical Phonology 2. 51–87. doi:10.2218/pihph.2.2017.1906.
  • Nath, Arup Kumar. (2010). A lexico semantic study of Tiwa and Deori: Two endangered languages of the Tibeto Burman Family. New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (Doctoral dissertation). http://hdl.handle.net/10603/31796.
  • Saikia, Sangeeta. (2012). A socio-linguistic survey of Deori speech community. Gauhati: Gauhati University (Doctoral dissertation).
  • Saikia, Sangeeta. (2013). Deuri Asomar Bhasha. In Devy, Ganesh Narayandas (ed.), Peoples Linguistic Survey of India 5(2). 3-15. India: Orient Blackswan Private Limited.