Saihriem language

The Saihriem (Faihriem, Syriem) language is spoken by a mixture of the Saihriem/Faihriem people- a sub tribe of Hmar group of tribes of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo and other ethnically closely related people such as the Aimol, Kuki, Vaiphei, in four neighbouring villages (Noxatilla, Bagbahar, Balisor, Nagathol & Saihriemkhuo villages) around Dwarbond in Bojalenga Block of Cachar District, Assam.

Saihriem
Faihriem, Sairiam, Sairiem, Sairhem, Saihriam, Syriem, Sairang
Saihriem/Syriem/Sairang
Native toIndia
RegionCachar District of Assam
EthnicityFaihriem
Native speakers
500–700 (2011)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3None (mis)
Glottologsyri1242

It is critically endangered, with the people who still speak the language numbering a few hundreds only. It was recorded wrongly as Sairang in the Census of India, 1901 and there were mere 71 speakers of the language at that time. It belongs to the Kuki-Chin branch of the Tibeto-Burman family of languages.[1]

Basic vocabulary
Saihriem language English
Engame i hming? What is your name?
Ke hming chu Lala a eh. My name is Lala.
Ka lawm ie. Thank You
I dam naw? How are you?
Ka dam ie. I am fine.
Tui Water
Boruok Air
Rilei Soil
Nga fish
Ar (sa) chicken(meat)
Vawksa pork
Sehrâtsa beef
Kêlsa mutton
Dailaw lentils
Zingkar Morning
Khawlawi Evening
Sawngkawl Shirt
Tatuom pants
Hmarcha chilli
Samatarai Orange
Thinghnatui Tea
Lungsiet taka tui mi pek ta. Please give me water.
Lungsiet taka bu mi pek ta. Please give me food (rice).
Lungsiet taka an mi pek ta. Please give me curry (side dish) vegetable / meat.
Engame ka pek sik che? What will I give you?
Engam? What?
Engtika? When?
Engasik? Why?
Khawtiengam? Where?
Engtinam? How?
Imuttui. Sleep well. (The equivalent of "Good Night".)
Engtinam Aizawl se ka ti? How do I go to Aizawl?
Ma hi engza man ame? What is the price of this?
Dam taka se rawh ou. Safe journey

Numbers
0 Biel
1 Inkhat
2 Phahni
3 Inthum
4 Inli
5 Ringa
6 Kiruk
7 Sari
8 Kiriet
9 Kuo
10 Sawm
20 Sawmhni
30 Sawmthum
40 Sawmli
50 Sawmnga
60 Sawmruk
70 Somsari
80 Sawmriet
90 Sawmkuo
100 Zakhat
200 Zahni
300 Zathum
400 Zali
500 Zanga
600 Zaruk
700 Zasari
800 Zariet
900 Zakuo
1000 Sângkhat
10000 Sîngkhat
100000 Nuoikhat
1000000 Maktaduoi
10000000 Vaibelsie
100000000 Vaibelsietak
1000000000 Tlukledingawn

Names of weeks
Sl. No. English Saihriem
1 Sunday Pathienni
2 Monday Thawṭanni
3 Tuesday Thawleni
4 Wednesday Nilâini
5 Thursday Ningani
6 Friday Zirtawpni
7 Saturday Inrinni

References
  1. Syriem numerals
  • 1999, Robin D. Tribhuwan, Preeti R. Tribhuwan, Tribal dances of India ( Encyclopaedic profile of Indian tribes, volume 1), page 117: […] 21 clans. They are Biete, Changsan, Chawrai, Darngawn, Faihriem, […] and Zote. The past tradition suggests that each clan had a dialect of its own but nowadays a common dialect used by the Hmar people was developed by Christian missionaries
  • 1902, B.C. Allen, B.A., I.C.S., Census of India, 1901. Volume IV. Assam. Part I. Report. Print. Chapter VIII, page 90.
  • Saihriem language documentation in the Computational Resource for South Asian Languages (CoRSAL) archive



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