Thangmi language

Thangmi, also called Thāmī, Thangmi Kham, Thangmi Wakhe, and Thani, is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken in central-eastern Nepal and northeastern India by the Thami people. The Thami refer to their language as Thangmi Kham or Thangmi Wakhe while the rest of Nepal refers to it as Thāmī. The majority of these speakers, however, live in Nepal in their traditional homeland of Dolakhā District. In India, the Thami population is concentrated mostly in Darjeeling.[2] The Thangmi language is written using the Devanagari script.[3] Thangmi has been extensively documented by Mark Turin.

Thangmi
Thāmī, Thangmi Khan,Thani
Thangmi Kham and Thangmi Wakhe
Pronunciationthang-mi
RegionNepal and India
EthnicityThami
Native speakers
23,200 (2011 census)[1]
Dialects
  • Dolakha
  • Sindhupalcok
Language codes
ISO 639-3thf
Glottologthan1259
ELPThangmi

Distribution

Thangmi is spoken in Bagmati Province, mainly in the region of Dolakha; villages on Sailung Khola (The northern panhandle of the Ramechhap District; mainly in Gokulganga); eastern regions of Sindhupalchowk District; and by some elders among the population who migrated to the cities in the Kathmandu Valley.

Very few ethnic Thami outside Dolakha and Sindhupalcok districts speak Thangmi.

Classification
Devanagari is the script that the Thangmi language uses.

The Thangmi language seems to have many similarities with other languages in Nepal. For example, Barām, Kiranti and Newar. Studies from Konow (1909), Shafer (1966), Stein (1970), Toba (1990), van Driem (1992) and Turin demonstrate that Thangmi is closely related to the Rai and Newar languages.

Grammar
Thangmi English Pronoun
gai I first person singular
ni we first person plural
naɳ
 you second person singular
niɳ
 you second person plural
to he, she, it third person singular
tobaɳ
 they third person plural

Dialects

Dolakhā vs. Sindhupālchok
Dolakha, Nepal

Thangmi consists of two dialects, Dolakhā (East) and Sindhupālchok (West). They differ in terms of phonology, nominal, and verbal morphology and in lexicon. The majority of the Thangmi speaking population use the Dolakhā dialect while only a handful speak in Sindhupālcok. The Dolakhā dialect offers a more complete verbal agreement system while the Sindhupālcok dialect has a more complex nominal morphology.

Kinship
English Dolakhā Sindhupālchok
younger brother hu calaca hu
younger sister humi camaica hu
father's eldest brother jekhapa jhya?apa
father's younger brother ucyapa pacyu
father's eldest sister nini jhya?ama
father's younger sister nini nini
mother's eldest brother palam palam
mother's younger brother malam mou
mother's eldest sister jekhama jhya?ama
mother's younger sister macyu phus?ama

Thangmi songs

The Thami population are people who are rich in cultural and traditions. Their language is a large part of who they are and they portray this in their cultural, mostly in music. The Nepal Tham Society (NTS) produced a handful of Thangmi songs that were recorded in 2007. The lyrics were written by Singh Bahadur Thami, Devendra Thami and Lok Bahadur Thami. Here are some examples:

Comparative vocabulary

The following 210-word list of five Thami dialects is from Regmi, et al. (2014).[4] The dialects covered are:

Baram words from Kansakar (2010)[5] are also provided for comparison.

GlossBabreLapilangSuspa KshamavatiDaduwaChokatiBaram
body mɑŋmɑŋmɑŋmɑŋjiuaŋ (IA loan)
head kɑpukɑpukɑpukɑpukɑpukəpu
hair cimyɑŋcimeŋcimeŋmusmussjam
face kʰenkʰenkʰenkʰenkʰenmik
eye mesemesemesekmesemesemik
ear kulnɑkulnɑkulnɑkulnɑkulŋɑkuna
nose ciŋɑciŋyɑciŋɑcĩyɑ̃ciyɑ̃cina
mouth uɡouɡouɡoogoogoanam
teeth suwɑsuwɑsuwɑsuwɑsuwɑswa
tongue cilecilecilecilecilece le
breast cucucyucyucucununucucunənu
belly bɑŋkɑlbɑŋkɑlbɑŋkɑlbʌŋɡʌlbʌŋɡɑlujaŋ
arm/hand lɑʔlɑʔlɑklɑlɑhit
elbow uruɽuŋuruurukuinokuina (IA loan)
palm oilyɑlɑʔlɑkpɑtilɑlapʈa
finger cʰumpicʰumpicumpicyukuricukuriəŋla (IA loan)
fingernail pinpinpinpinpinluŋdziŋ
leg konʈekonʈekonʈekonʈelɑiundzik
skin ʃebiʃebiʃebiʃebiʃebichala (IA loan)
bone koʃɑkoʃɑkoʃɑkoʃyɑkoʃyɑhaɖ (IA loan)
heart loŋseloŋseloŋsekloŋseloŋsemuʈu (IA loan)
blood cɑicɑicɑicʌicʌicihui
urine uʃiuʃiuʃiuʃiuʃici
feces kuɽikuɽikiɽikuɽikiliku
village rɑɽedesedesedesedesehannuŋ (IA loan)
house nemnemnemnemnemnam
roof cʰɑnɑcʰɑnɑpɑlipɑlicʰɑnɑchano
door kʰɑɽoŋkʰɑɽuŋkʰɑɽokʰʌɽukʰɑɽuɖhoka (IA loan)
firewood seŋseŋseŋseŋseŋsiŋ
broom tʰopetʰopetʰopetʰopetʰopeastuŋ
mortar yɑmbɑʔlokmɑŋlokmɑŋʈimluŋsiləuʈo (IA loan)
pestle ulumlokulumulumloɦorolohoro
hammer ʈʰokʈʰokyɑʈʰokʈʰokyɑʈʰokʈʰokeʈʰukʈʰukiɑʈʰokʈʰokyɑhətəuɖo (IA loan)
knife ɑikucɑɑikucɑɑikucɑkɑrdɑcʌkkuukhmen
axe rɑpɑrɑpɑrɑpɑrɑʔpɑrɑpɑkəm
rope ʃɑkpɑʃɑkpɑʃɑkpɑʃyɑpɑɖɑmlɑɖori (IA loan)
thread dʰɑɡosɑlebenɑʃyɑpɑdʰɑgoləkthun
needle ɦiliɦiliyuliyuliɦulipənuŋ
cloth myuŋmiŋmyɑŋmyuŋmyũmyuŋmu
ring sɑimundrosɑimundrosɑimundroʌŋɡuliŋʌũʈʰiəŋʈhi (IA loan)
sun uniuniuniuniuniuni
moon cʌlʌunicʌlʌunicʌlʌunicʌlɑʔunicʌlɑunicəlauni
sky sʌrɡyɑsʌrɡyɑsʌrɡesʌrɡeʌkɑsakas (IA loan)
star ucʰiucʰiucʰiucʰiucʰitara (IA loan)
rain pɑŋkupɑŋkuyusɑjʰʌriuɑnʃyɑrdejʰɑriaŋmət
water pɑŋkupɑŋkupɑŋkupʌŋkupɑŋkuawa
river ʃoŋʃoŋʃoŋʃoŋʃoŋgudul
cloud dʰummɑkʰɑʃukʰɑsudʰummɑdʰumpɑa mu
lightning mirlisidusʌrɡyɑtowɑnmirliksɑmiklikgʌɽɑŋguɽuŋtʰɑ–
rainbow indreniindreniindrenilʌrkuniindreniindreni (IA loan)
wind pʰɑʃɑpʰɑʃɑpʰɑʃɑpʰɑʃyɑpʰɑʃyɑasi
stone ɽiŋɽiŋliŋɽiŋlyuŋkumba
path ulɑmulɑmulɑmulɑmulɑmuŋma
sand pʰɑʃeɽiŋkʰreʔduɽiŋjɑŋkʰɑsyɑŋɖobʌluwɑbalwa (IA loan)
fire memememememui
smoke ɑskuɑskuɑskuɑcʰɑdʰuwɑ̃tʰɑnisku
ash tɑrbɑtrɑbɑtrɑbɑtrɑbɑtɑbrɑmaju
mud nɑsɑnɑsɑnɑsɑnɑsɑnɑsɑnəsa
dust pʰɑʃepʰɑssedʰulebuʃidʰulodhulo
gold sunloŋluŋɡoɦosunsun (IA loan)
tree doŋboduŋbodombopoleruksjaŋma
leaf ɑjɑɑjɑɑjɑɑjɑɑjɑsu
root polepolenɑrɑdɑrɑjɑrɑdzəra
thorn puʈupuʈupuʈupuʈupuʈuachu
flower reŋreŋreŋreŋreŋphul (IA loan)
fruit pʰɑlpʰulpʰɑlpʰulpʰɑlpʰulkʌntʰʌmʌlpʰɑlpʰulphalphul (IA loan)
mango ɑ̃pɑ̃pɑmcurɑ̃pɑ̃pəmba (IA loan)
banana muĩmuimuĩmuĩmuiumse
wheat (husked) jɑʔcʰojɑʔcʰojɑksojɑcʰojɑʔcʰogəu
barley ɑkɑnɑkɑnɑkɑnɑkɑnɑkɑndzəu
rice (husked) jɑkejɑkijɑkemekejɑkehadza
potato kwɑikwɑikwɑikwɑikoialu (IA loan)
eggplant bɑnʈɑbɑnʈɑbʰenʈɑbʌnʈɑbʰẽɽibhənʈa (IA loan)
groundnut bʌdɑmbʌdɑmbʌdɑmbʌdɑmbʌdɑmbədam (IA loan)
chili mɑrcimʌrcimɑrciɑsokʰorsɑniasok
turmeric ɦʌrdiɦʌrdiɦʌrdibesɑrbesɑrbesar (IA loan)
garlic lʌsunlʌsunlʌsunlʌmbolʌsunləsun (IA loan)
onion pyɑjpyɑjpyɑjpyɑjpyɑjpjadz (IA loan)
cauliflower reŋkopireŋkopikopikɑulikɑulikauli (IA loan)
tomato bɑnʈɑɡyɑmbɑlɑɡɑmbʌlbʌnʈɑgolbʰẽɽɑgolbhẽɖa (IA loan)
cabbage ɑjɑkopiɑjɑkopibʌndɑbʌndɑbʌndɑbənda (IA loan)
oil ɑsɑɑsɑɑsɑɑsɑɑsɑasa
salt cʰyɑcʰyɑcʰɑcʰyɑcʰɑcha
meat ciciciciciciɑcʰinciciku sja
fat (of meat) cʰeucʰoucʰeucʰocʰyʌukucho
fish nɑŋɑnɑŋɑnɑŋɑnɑŋɑnɑŋɑnəŋa
chicken wɑcɑwɑcɑwɑcɑwɑcɑwɑcɑhocca
egg omɑɦumɑɦumɑumɑumohom
cow mɑmɑʃyɑmɑmɑʃyɑmɑmɑʃyɑʃyɑʃyɑsja
buffalo meʃɑmeʃɑmeʃɑmeʃyɑmiʃyɑbhəisi (IA loan)
milk olonolonolʌnnununununənu
horns nɑrunɑrunɑrunɑrunɑruujuŋ
tail limelimelimeklemelimepitik
goat ʈuɽiʈuɽiʈuɽiculiculimi chja
dog kucukucukucukucukucua kja
snake rulrulrulrulrulpəi hu
monkey mɑkɑrmɑkɑrmɑkɑryuyupəi huk
mosquito ʈininiʈininiʈininilʌkʰʌʈoʈolɑmkʰuʈʈelamkhuʈʈe (IA loan)
ant ʈikoʈikuʈikucukkucukuanap
spider mɑkɑrpɑpɑmɑkɑrpɑpɑmɑkɑrpɑpɑjrɑmpʰɑljʌrɑmpɑldzənna
name nɑmenɑmenɑmenɑmenɑmeu men
man mimimimimibal
woman cɑmɑicɑcɑmɑicɑcɑmɑicɑcɑmɑicɑcɑmɑicɑmama
child ɦocɑucɑɦucɑɦuccɑɦucɑuca
father ɑpɑɑpɑɑpɑɑpɑɑpɑpapa
mother ɑmɑɑmɑɑmɑɑmɑɑmɑama (IA loan)
older brother bubububububububububudadze (IA loan)
younger brother ɦuɦuɦuɦuɦuale
older sister tetetetetetetetetetedidi (IA loan)
younger sister ɦumiɦomiɦumiɦumiɦuabi
son cɑcɑcɑcɑcɑucuwa
daughter cɑmɑicɑmɑicɑmɑicɑmɑicɑmɑiucuməi
husband lɑwɑʈʰoɽelɑwɑlɑwɑlɑwɑukəi
wife umɑumɑumɑumɑumɑuməi
boy ʃɑrɑʃɑrɑcɑɦucɑʃɑrɑcɑpapaca
girl ʃɑrmɑʃɑrmɑcɑmɑicɑʃyɑrmicɑmɑimamaca
day uniseuniseuniseʃyɑŋuniseunis
night ʈɑɦeʈɑɦeʈɑecyɑecyɑrat (IA loan)
morning bʌcinʈebʌcinʈebʌsinʈebʌsinʈebɑʃehamdzaŋ
noon uniseuniseuniseuniseunisediuso (IA loan)
evening ŋyoɽiŋŋyoɽiŋyʌɽiŋnyõɽicyɑtʰɑnhole
yesterday miryɑŋmiryɑŋmiryɑŋmerɡʰyɑŋmerɡʰyɑŋminja
today yɑŋyɑŋyɑŋyɑŋyɑŋtəja
tomorrow bɑʈʈʰebɑʈʈʰebɑʈʰebɑʃebʰʌĩsehogei
week ɦʌptɑɦʌptɑɦʌptɑloʔʃyɑŋsɑtɑdinhəpta (IA loan)
month mʌinɑmʌinɑmʌɦinesumcpʃyɑŋmʌinɑməina (IA loan)
year kɑlekɑlekɑledɑrɑbʌrsʌbərsə (IA loan)
old kʰɑrukʰɑrukʰɑrukʰɑrukʰɑrucəŋpa
new nɑkenɑkenɑkɑnɑkɑnɑkɑkawoi
good ɑprɑɑprɑɑprɑkʌstɑɑprɑkisen
bad mɑʔɑprɑmɑʔɑprɑɦijebɑmɑjɑdumɑʔɑprɑməsen
wet pʰodupʰodupʰodupʰodubʰijɑiŋɑnkjasun
dry ɡɑŋdumɑpʰodupʰʌŋpʰʌŋgʌŋdumɑbʰijɑisukhkha (IA loan)
long ʌlʌmɡɑʌlʌmɡɑʌlʌmɡɑʌlʌmɡɑʌlʌmɡɑalok
short ucʰiɡɑucʰiɡɑucʰikɑucʰiɡɑucʰiɡɑikuri
hot ɑdumɑdumɑdumɑdumɑdumkewon
cold ʈilɑʈilɑɑjikijicilɑŋɑnkjasun
right cɑkʰurcɑkʰurcɑkʰurcɑkʰurdɑɦinedaine (IA loan)
left kʰolɑkʰolɑkʰolɑkʰolɑdebredebre (IA loan)
near kʰerkʰerkʰertekʰereŋcʰeuteigin
far ʌlʌmtʰɑʌlʌmtʰɑʌlʌmtʰɑʌlʌmtʰɑɑlɑmtʰɑkalok
big jekʰɑjekʰɑjekʰɑjekʰɑjʰokɑalam
small ucyɑucyɑucɑcɑucyɑncɑecenɑikine
heavy ɡʌruŋɡʌruŋɡɑnunidugʌrumɡʌruŋgegruŋ (IA loan)
light ɦʌluŋɦʌluŋpʰinpʰincɑɦʌluŋɦʌluŋhəlka (IA loan)
above ɦyuteɦyuteɦyuteɦyuteɦyobbikhuŋ
below nʰɑtenʰɑtenʰɑtenʰɑnɑinɑbihjaŋ
white ubouboubouboobogjabo
black kijikijikijikijikijiciliŋ
red ɖiŋɖiŋɖiŋɖiŋɖiŋɖiŋɖiŋɖiŋkeretphəija
one dididididede
two nisnisnisnisnisnis
three sumsumsumsumsumsom
four olioliolioliwɑlicar (IA loan)
five wɑlŋɑwɑlŋɑwɑlŋɑwɑ̃lɑhwɑlŋɑpãc (IA loan)
six mɑtmɑtmɑtmʌtmɑtchə (IA loan)
seven rɑrɑroloɽosat (IA loan)
eight lɑlɑlɑlɑlɑaʈh (IA loan)
nine kitkitkyutkitkitnəu
ten dicipdicipdicipdicipdʰicipdəs
eleven dicipdidicipdidicipdidicipdidʰicipdeegharə
twelve dicipnisdicipnisdicipnisdicipnisdʰicipnisbarə
twenty nisdicipnisdicipnisdicipnisdicipnisdʰicipbis
one hundred dicipdicipdicipdicipdicipdicipdicipdicipdʰicipdʰicipde səe (IA loan)
who susususususu
what ɦɑrɑɦɑrɑɦɑrɑɦɑrɑɦɑrɑhai
where kutɑkutɑkutɑkutɑkutɑkuni
when kutɑleŋkutɑleŋkutɑleŋkutɑleŋɦɑŋgɑlyɑŋkəile
how many ɦɑniɦɑniɦɑniɦɑ̃lĩɦɑikwa
which kundukundukundukundukundukun
this kɑkɑkɑkɑkɑjo
that tototodʰɑtotjo
these kɑbɑŋkɑbɑŋkɑbɑŋkʌpʌliŋkɑbɑlijibaŋ
those tobɑŋtobɑŋtobɑŋtopʌliŋtobɑŋubaŋ
same tototototoui
different bʰindʌibʰindʌibeɡɑletoŋɑkɑpʰʌrʌkphərək (IA loan)
whole sɑkkʰɑlesɑkʰɑlesɑkɑlesɑkɑlesʌkkʰɑlisəbəi (IA loan)
broken kwɑdukwɑʔdukwɑɡduʈʰemɑncʰyomdukipak
few ucʰincɑucʰincɑucʰinucʰincɑicʰinijurse
many ɑɦeɑɦeɑɦeɑɦeɑɦedherəi (IA loan)
all sɑkkʰɑlesɑkʰɑlesɑkɑlesɑkɑlesʌkkʰɑlisəpəi (IA loan)
eat cyɑsɑcyɑsɑcyɑsɑcyɑsɑcyɑsɑcago
bite ceʔsɑceʔsɑceksɑceʔsɑceʔsɑaŋakko
hungry krɑisɑkrɑisɑkʌrɑisɑkrʌisɑisɑkɑrɑinɑnhego
drink tunsɑtunsɑtunsɑtuncʰɑtuncʰɑsjaŋgo
thirsty lɑkɑisɑlɑkɑisɑlɑkɑsɑlɑkɑŋsɑlɑkɑinɑnəs kago
sleep ɑmisɑɑmisɑɑmisɑɑmisɑɑmisɑnago
lie pʌlʈʌisisɑpʌlʈʌisisɑpʌlʈʌisɑbliŋsɑpʌlʈʌisisɑləllumgo
sit ɦoʔsɑɦoʔsɑɦoksɑɦoʔsɑɦoʔsɑhukko
give piʔsɑpiʔsɑpisɑpiʔsɑpiccʰɑpigo
burn cieʔsɑjousɑjyoksɑjoʔsɑjyʌusɑcimakko
die sisɑsisɑsisɑsisɑsisɑsigo
kill sɑtcʰɑsɑtcʰɑsɑtcʰɑsʌtcʰɑsɑccʰɑsat ko
fly persɑpersɑpersɑpersɑpersɑublego
walk cɑwɑsɑcɑwɑsɑcɑwɑsɑcɑwɑsɑcɑwɑsɑdzjogo
run droʔsɑdroʔsɑdroksɑdroʔsɑdorʌsɑgəbango
go ɦensɑɦensɑɦensɑɦensɑɦensɑjago
come rɑʔsɑrɑʔsɑrɑsɑrɑʔsɑrɑʔsɑtəigo
speak cijyɑŋsɑcijyɑŋsɑcijyɑŋsɑcijyɑŋsɑcijɑŋsɑkhəlago
hear/listen nɑsɑisɑnɑsɑisɑnɑsɑisɑnɑsɑisɑnɑsɑisɑnago
look yoʔsɑyoʔsɑyosɑjyɑpsɑjyɑpsɑni go
I ɡɑiɡɑiɡɑiɡʌiɡɑiŋa
you (informal) nɑŋnɑŋnɑŋnʌŋnɑŋnuŋ
you (formal) nɑŋtʰenɑŋtʰenɑŋkʰenʌŋnɑŋnuŋ
he tototototou (IA loan)
she tototototou
we (inclusive) ninininitʰeniru
we (exclusive) ninininitʰeniru
you (plural) niŋpɑliniŋpɑliniŋnʌŋpɑliŋnʌŋpɑlitibaŋ
they tobɑŋtobɑŋtobɑŋtopɑliŋtopɑliŋubaŋ

References
  1. Thangmi at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Turin, Mark (1998). "The Thangmi Verbal Agreement System and the Kiranti Connection". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 61 (3): 476–491. doi:10.1017/s0041977x00019303.
  3. "Script Devanagari (Nagari)".
  4. Regmi, Dan Raj, Gopal Thakur, and Shobha Kumari Mahato. 2014. A sociolinguistic survey of Thami. Linguistic Survey of Nepal (LinSuN), Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
  5. Kansakar, Tej Ratna. 2010. Baram wordlist. (unpublished ms. contributed to STEDT).

Further reading
  • Saxena, A. (Ed.). (2004). Himalayan languages: past and present (Vol. 149). Walter de Gruyter.
  • Turin, Mark (1998). "The Thangmi Verbal Agreement System and the Kiranti Connection". Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. 61 (3): 476–491. doi:10.1017/s0041977x00019303.
  • Turin, M. (2012). "Voices of vanishing worlds: Endangered languages, orality, and cognition". Análise Social. 47 (205): 846–869.
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