Deori language

Deori[3] is a Tibeto-Burman language in the Sino-Tibetan language family spoken by the Deori people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.[4] Out of three, only one clan of the Deori tribe, the Dibongya, have retained the language. The others, Tengaponia and Borgoyan, have shifted to Assamese, but among the Dibongya it is vigorous. It was the original language of Upper Assam.[5] As per the Linguistic Survey of India(1898-1928), the Deori(referred to as Chutia) language represents the most archaic stage of the Bodo-Kachari language family. It is most closely connected with the Dimasa language, but is certainly more primitive in its grammatical system.[6] According to PRT Gurdon (1903), the Deori-Chutia language is very similar to the Moran dialect of Assamese and it can well be stated that the Moran language was nothing but a transitional language between Deori and Assamese language.

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

Deori
Chutia, Deori-Chutia
দেউৰী
Native toIndia
RegionAssam, Arunachal Pradesh
EthnicityDeori
Native speakers
32,376 (2011 census)[1]
Assamese script
Language codes
ISO 639-3der
Glottologdeor1238
ELPDeori[2]

Deori is spoken in Lohit district, Arunachal Pradesh, and in Lakhimpur district, Dhemaji district, Tinsukia district, and Jorhat district of Assam. It was once the original language of Upper Assam.

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

The Chutia/Deori word for water is "Di/Dji", which apparently forms the first syllable of all major rivers of Upper Assam including Dibang, Disang, Dikhou, Dikrong River, Dikarai, Dihing, Digaru, Difolu, which shows that this group of people were the dominant tribe in the entire region with their seat in Sadiya, the earliest known power and civilisation of Chutia.[7] 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.[8]

Some of the words of Deori language present in Assamese are:

Deori word Assamese word Meaning
Khang Khong Anger
Arsing Arhi Mirror
Auja Auja Rest
Atiru Ati Highland
Pulunga Pulunga Straight
Lakia Lekhia Similar
Jung 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 Troubles
Tangan Tangan Beating Stick
Boutar Batar Weather
Haphalu Haphalu Out Hill
Jakhala Jakhala Ladder
Hoja Hoja Simple
Jiyori Jiyori Girl
Uyung Uyi Termite
Dokhar Dokhar Piece of cut off
Mena Mena Crooked
Habang Hebang Silly
Bonda Bonda Male cat
Chang Chang Platform
Seu Seu Habit
Meli Meli Open
Lapha Lapha A type of green-leafy be
Khaofi Ufi Dandruff
Aapa Aapa Boys
Medali Madoli A type of Assamese Jewelry
Jakoi Jakoi Fishing tool
Khaloi Khaloi Basket
Dati Dati Border
Dolong Dolong Bridge
Ketenga Ketenga Thin/Feeble
Chutuga Chuti Short
Hichori Huchori Bihu Carol
Dheki Dheki Grinding tool
Hata Heta Spatula
Hajia Hajia Labor
Agu Athu Knee
Ka Kai Brother
Jiku Jik Wet
Gila Ghila Knee cap
Eri Eri Eri silk
Gadu Gadu Pillow
Gumorua Guborua Beetle
Hasu Hasu Sneeze
Hami Hami Yawn
Hogora Hogora A Deer species
Kera Kera Displaced eye
Keturi Keturi A kind of turmeric
Kekura Kekura Crooked
Kokiri Kekura Crab
Magur Magur Cat fish
Sogun Hogun Vulture
Soru Horu Small
Temi Temi Container
Sun Sun Lime
Borola Borola Widower
Besoni Bisoni Handfan
Jeng Jeng Bush
Pei Pehi Aunty
Jabor Jabor Waste
Hapholu Hapholu Out hill
Kusia Kusia Eel
Kerketua Kerketuwa Squirrel
Fosola Posola Banana stem
Ghorali Goral Cage
Gosok Gosok Step
Ukha Ukha Breath
Dhekia Dhekia Fern
Amoto Amothu Heart
Guwa Guwa Areca nut
Hiloi Hiloi Gun
Suruka Suruka Clean
Hereka Hereka Tasteless
Kuduna Khundona Grind
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

Further reading

  • Acharyya, Prarthana & Shakuntala Mahanta. 2019. Language vitality assessment of Deori: An endangered language. Language Documentation & Conservation 13: 514-544.
  • 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.

References

  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. Endangered Languages Project data for Deori.
  3. Acharyya, Prarthana; Mahanta, Shakuntala (1 September 2019). "Language vitality assessment of Deori: An endangered language". Language Documentation & Conservation. 13: 514–544. ISSN 1934-5275.
  4. Brown, William Barclays (2015) [1895]. An Outline grammar of the Deori Chutiya language spoken in Upper Assam. Shillong.
  5. Grierson, George, Linguistic Survey of India(Volume 3-2), p. 118.
  6. Endle 1911, p. 4.
  7. 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, retrieved 12 January 2021


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