Deori language

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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 la Tibeto-Burman languages family spoken by the Deori people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.[2] Deori are also a part of Bodo–Kachari people. 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, Sivasagar and Jorhat districts of Assam. The primary literary body of Deori is known as "deori chucheba chengcha" (Deori sahitya sabha).

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] Modern scholarship do not associate the Deori language with the Chutia community.[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
Mihiti Mihi Smooth
On On Yes
Numoi/Numoli Horu suwali Little girl
Norani Nora Straw
Dong Dong Irrigation Channel
Meera/Dekagu Deka Young man
Sujen haaz Rice beer
Karisa/yuwa simu Kharisa Bamboo Shoot
Bisu Bihu Folk Festival of Assam
Anali Anali Helpless
Tangan Tangan Beating Stick
Botar Batar Weather
Hoja Hoja Simple
Mirasi Jiyori Girl
Uyung Uyi Termite
Dokhar Dokhar Piece of cut off
Mena Mena Crooked
Habang Hebang Silly
midige Bonda Male cat
Ingkori Ingkori An insect
Seu Seu Habit
Meli Meli Unfold
Lopa Lapha A type of green-leafy be
dulapi Ufi Dandruff
bang/baba/Chipa Aapa Father
Medali Madoli A type of Assamese Jewelry
soki Jakoi Fishing tool
kubi Khaloi Basket
Dao Daok A type of bird
Dolong Dolong Bridge
Ketenga Ketenga Thin/Feeble
Chutuga Chuti Short
Huchori Huchori Bihu Carol
Hata Heta Spatula
Hajia Hajia Labor
Agu Athu Knee
Goi/Gogoi Bhaiti Younger Brother
Kai/kakai Dada Elder Brother
Jikuba ga dhuwa bath
Gila Ghila Knee cap
Eri Eri Eri silk
Gadu Garu 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
Magur Magur Cat fish
Kamu Kami Bamboo twig
Pikiti Horu Small
Tema 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
Uha Ukha Breath
Amoto Amothu Heart
Guin Tamul Areca nut
Hereka Hereka Tasteless
Kuduna Khundona Grinding pot
Takun Takun Stick
Jubura Jobura Vegetable curry
Tupere 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
Ro ju Robo/Roba Wait
Ayoi Ayoi Painful sensation
Bega japiowa Jump
Dep Depia Dhep Dhepia Plumb
San higaba Shurjudoy Sunrise
Dogia Dhokia Beat
Heleng-jeleng Heleng-jeleng Weakness
Kunga Kunga Crippled
Dai Dodai Paternal Uncle
Dati Dati Border area
Roina Roina Cleaning instrument
Pilinga Pelenga Boy
Kubi Khaloi A type of Basket
Dun Dun Small basket
Dokora Dokora Wooden hammer
Hujeduba Hesa mora Press
Hiju Hiju A plant
Keng keng Kengkengoni Yap
Isa sal 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). "The linguistic reconstruction of the past: The case of the Boro-Garo languages". Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area. 40 (1). Translated by van Breugel, Seino: 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.