Sunwar language
Sunwar | |
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सुनुवार, कोँइच, किराँती-कोँइच, मुखिया | |
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Region | Nepal, India |
Ethnicity | Sunuwar |
Native speakers | 37,898 (2011)[1] |
Sino-Tibetan
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Dialects |
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Writing system | Devanagari |
Official status | |
Official language in | ![]()
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Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | suz |
Glottolog | sunw1242 |
ELP |
Sunwar, Sunuwar, or Kõinch (कोँइच; kõich; other spellings are Koinch and Koincha), is a Kiranti language spoken in Nepal and India by the Sunuwar people. It was first comprehensively attested by the Himalayan Languages Project. It is also known as Kõits Lo (कोँइच लो ; kõica lo), Kiranti-Kõits (किराँती-कोँइच ; kirā̃tī-kõich), Mukhiya (मुखिया ; mukhiyā).[2][3]
The Sunwar language is one of the smaller members of the Tibeto-Burman language family. About 40,000 speakers are residing in eastern Nepal.
Names[]
The language is commonly known as Koic, for many ethnic Sunwar and Sunwar speakers also refer to the language as “Sunuwar, Kõinch[4] , Koinch or Koincha (कोँइच); Kõits Lo (कोँइच लो), Kiranti-Kõits (किराँती-कोँइच) or Mukhiya (मुखिया).”
Moreover, most Sunwar speakers have the surname (सुनुवार), Sunuvār in Latin script.[5] Many affiliated Sunwar with Sunar; they share the initial syllable, sun, “gold,” in Nepali, similar to the Sunar community of India, who are goldsmiths. However, the ethnonym Sunuvār is believed to be connected with Sunkosi, a river nearby the Sunwar villages.
Geographic distribution[]
- District Rāmechāp and Okhaldhū۠ngā
- Kũbhu Kãsthālī, Rāmechāp
- Pahare, Rāmechāp and Vacul, Okhaldhū۠ngā
A cluster of Sunwars villages are located around the region of the core spoken language. In the northern area, the village of Kũbhu Kãsthālī in Rāmechāp where a small group are speakers of Sunwar. Whereas the southern border, villages Pahare in Ramechap and Vacpu in Okhaldhū۠ngā the majority of the Sunwar speakers live in this region. According to Borchers, there are other villages located outside of the core region. The Surel are claimed to be Sunwar speakers however there are no certainties that it is true.
The Sunwar language is commonly spoken in the districts of Rāmechāp and Okhaldhū۠ngā distant from the Nepalese road system.[5] Therefore, many Sunwar households are farmers, own a small lot of land and livestock. Moreover, each village often visits their neighboring village markets to purchase inaccessible goods such as spices, sugar, tea, and salt.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Nepal-ethnic-groups-map.jpg/317px-Nepal-ethnic-groups-map.jpg)
The Sunwar villages are scattered alongside the river banks of Likhu river. Located 1,800 meters above sea level, their fields aren’t all fallow from year round cultivation.[5] (Borchers, 2008) In the winter, they experience no snow but freezing temperatures. In warmer weather, they experience a lot of rainfall, in the summer, monsoon rainfall. Especially between June and August, it is when they experience the most rain, more so monsoon rainfall.
Written Language[]
Although Sunwar has no traditional written language, most literate speakers use the Devanagari alphabet, scripture used for writing Nepali.[5] Sunuwar speakers from Sikkim, northeastern India, use the Jenticha alphabet for printed materials such as newspapers and literature. In 2005, another script was invented for Sunuwar; it is known as Tikamuli.[4]
Jenticha Script[]
जेँःतिच ब्रेःसे (jẽtica brese)
Vowels[]
अ | आ | इ | उ | ए | ओ |
a | ā | i | u | e | o |
[ə] | [aː] | [i] | [u] | [e] | [o] |
Diphthongs[]
ऐ | औ | एउ | उइ | ओइ |
ai | au | eu | ui | oi |
[ai] | [au] | [eu] | [ui] | [oi] |
Consonants[]
क | ख | ग | ङ | अ् | च | ज | ट | ठ |
ka | kha | ga | nga | ’ | ca | ja | ṭa | ṭha |
[kə] | [kʰə] | [ɡə] | [ŋə] | [ʔ] | [t͡ʃə] | [d͡ʒə] | [ʈə] | [ʈʰə] |
त | थ | द/ड | न/ण | प | फ | ब | म | य |
ta | tha | da | na | pa | pha | ba | ma | ya |
[tə] | [tʰə] | [də] | [nə] | [pə] | [pʰə] | [bə] | [mə] | [jə] |
र | ल | व | श/ष | स | ह | व्ही/ह्व | ् | ँ |
ra | la | va | sha | sa | ha | hha | ||
[rə] | [lə] | [və] | [ʃə] | [sə] | [hə] | [ɦə] | Jenticha sign, virama- halant sangmilu*
mutes inherent vowel |
taslathenk
indicates nasalization |
The trill mark ् represents, Jenticha sign virama- sangmilu, halant. It is used to silent the vowel after the consonant.[6] The trill mark ँ, is known as taslathenk, it corresponds to the diacritic ँ candravindu in devanagari.[6]
Phonology[]
Sunwar phonology is significantly influenced by the language of Nepali.
Consonants[]
The Sunwar language has a mid-sized arrangement of twenty-two consonantal phonemes:
Labial | Dental | Alveolar | Retroflex | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m ⟨m⟩ | n ⟨n⟩ | ŋ ⟨ṅ⟩ | |||||
Plosive | voiceless | p ⟨p⟩ | t̪ ⟨t⟩ | ʈ ⟨ṭ⟩ | t͡ʃ ⟨c⟩ | k ⟨k⟩ | ||
aspirated | pʰ ⟨ph⟩ | t̪ʰ ⟨th⟩ | ʈʰ ⟨ṭh⟩ | kʰ ⟨kh⟩ | ||||
voiced | b ⟨b⟩ | d̪ ⟨d⟩ | d͡ʒ ⟨j⟩ | ɡ ⟨g⟩ | ||||
implosive | w~b ⟨ɓ⟩ | |||||||
Fricative | s ⟨s⟩ | ʃ ⟨ʃ⟩ | h ⟨h⟩ | |||||
Approximant | w~wʱ ⟨w⟩ | l̪ ⟨l⟩ | j ⟨y⟩ | |||||
Tap | ɾ ⟨r⟩ |
Vowels[]
According to Borchers,[5] there are eleven vowel phonemes in Sunwar:
<a> [a~ɑ], /ā / [aː], /e/ [e~ɛ], /i/ [i], /o/ [o], /u/ [u], / ū/ [uː~y], /ã/ [ã~ɑ̃], /ã̄/ [ãː], /ẽ/ [ẽ~ɛ̃], /ĩ/ [ĩ]
Front | Central | Back | |
---|---|---|---|
High | /i/ [i], /ĩ/ [ĩ] /ū/ [y] | /u/ [u] /ū/ [uː~y] | |
Mid | /ẽ/ [ẽ~ɛ̃], /e/ [e~ɛ] | /o/ [o] | |
Low | /a/ [a~ɑ], /ā / [aː] |
- Vowels with bar - Represents long vowels
- Vowels with tilde - Represents short nasalized vowels
- Vowels with bar and tilda - Represents long and nasalized vowels
Diphthongs[]
There are a total of eight diphthongs in Sunwar: /ai/ [aɪ], /aĩ/ [aɪ̃], /au/ [au], /eu/ [eu], /oi/ [oi], /oĩ/ [oĩ], /ui/ [ui], /uĩ/ [uĩ]
According to Borchers,[5] a principled way to distinguish diphthongs from a sequence of two monophthongs does not exist in the Sunwar language.
As exemplified by Borchers,[5] this table consists of examples of contrasts between diphthongs:
/joi/ | [d͡ʒoi] | ‘tiger’ |
/joĩ/ | [d͡ʒoĩ] | ‘younger sister’s husband’ |
/muicā/ | [muit͡ʃaː] | ‘wear shoes’ |
/puĩcā/ | [puĩt͡ʃaː] | ‘ask for, beg’ |
/goi/ | [ɡoi] | ‘you’ |
/gui/ | [ɡui] | ‘hand’ |
/reu/ | [ɾeu] | ‘rain’ |
/roi/ | [ɾoi] | ‘ill’ |
Syllable Structure[]
Syllable Structure of Sunwar: C₁(C₂)V₁(V₂)(C₃)(C₄)
Morphology[]
Markers[]
Case Marking Suffixes[]
According to Borchers,[5] “all case markers in the Sunwar language are suffixes.”
As exemplified by Borchers,[5] this table consists of the noun case markers.
Morpheme: | Gloss: | Marks: | Occurs suffixed to denotions of: |
---|---|---|---|
-mī ~
-amī ~-ī m ~ -m |
INS/L
OC |
agents, instruments, locations | persons,
things, locations |
-kali ~
-kal |
OBJ | patients | persons,
animals |
-ke | POSS | possessions of animate beings | persons,
animals |
-ṅā | GEN | belongings of inanimate items | things,
locations |
-lā/-le | FROM | place of departure of persons or items that changed places (ABL); time of begin of action | locations,
time |
-re | FROM | place of departure of persons or items that changed places (ABL); time of begin of action | locations,
time |
-au | VOC | name of person called | persons |
Dual Marker[]
A dual marker can be associated with dual/pair or the cardinal number ‘two’. [5]
Morpheme: | <-niʃi> |
Gloss: | Dual (DU) |
Example of dual marker by Borchers:[5]
iciṅā
Now
āl.niʃi
child.DU
chan
exist-NPT.3p
Now I have two children.
Plural Marker[]
In the Sunwar language, both nouns and pronouns can be marked as dual or plural.
In addition items in a group can be marked plural. [5]
Morpheme: | <-paki ~ -puki ~ -piki> |
Gloss: | Plural (PL) |
Examples of the plural marker used to point at items in a group by Borchers: [5]
pujā
worship
dum
happen
pachi
after
rãga
buffalo
po.paki
pig.PL
sai.ni.mī
kill.NPT-23d/-p3.p/Svi
After worship, they kill the buffalo, pig and so on.
sāg.paki
sāg.PL
acā.paki
pickle.PL
ho.ʃa.ṅāmin
keep.PF.then
ʃam
beer
cai
SNG
thupro
much
dum.ba
happen.NPT+3s
thupro
much
tu.ni.miิ
drink.NPT-23d/-p.3p/Svi
Having stored away sāg (green leafy vegetable) and so on and pickle and so on and, there has to be much beer, they drink a lot. Unknown glossing abbreviation(s) (help);
Absent Marker[]
According to Borchers,[5] the Sunwar language does not have a zero morpheme, but it can still indicate the number amount of something through verbal agreement markers or numerals.
Example of the absent marker by Borchers:[5]
go
I
khame
rice
jāʔi.na.sku
eat.NPT-1d.1d
Wed eat rice.
Suffixes[]
Possessive Suffix: <-ke> (Animate Agent)[]
According to Borchers,[5] the possessive suffix <-ke> is attached to a human or animate agent to indicate a possessive relationship.
Morpheme: | <-ke> |
Gloss: | Possessive (POSS) |
Examples of the possessive <-ke> by Borchers:[5]
nāso.ke
priest.POSS
dui.ta
two.piece
dhol
drum
bā.ba
stay.NPT+3s
dhanu.kan
bow.arrow
nāso.ke
priest.POSS
bā.ba
stay.NPT+3s
The priest has two drums. The priest has bow and arrow.
ne
nose
ʃo.ke
face.POSS
bhāg
part
ho
be-NPT.3s
The nose is part of the face.
Possessive Suffix: <-ke> (Inanimate Subject)[]
According to Borchers,[5] inanimate subjects are marked with the possessive suffix <-ke> to indicate what it is ‘made of’. Example of possessive <-ke> indicating what it is ‘made of’ by Borchers:[5]
jasi.ke
Jasi.POSS
bā.b
stay.NPT+3s
meko
that
jasi
Jasi
ā.kilā
its.peg
It is made of Jasi wood. This is a peg made of Jasi wood. (Jasi is the tree Bauhinia variegata)
Quantifiers[]
Quantifiers in the Sunwar language are loaned from Nepali. Quantifiers are used for amounts or masses.[5] As exemplified by Borchers,[5] this table consists of quantifiers; including some that are loaned from Nepali.
From: | Translation: | |
---|---|---|
ac | small | |
besā | very much | [<Nep. besarī ‘very much’] |
dherei | many, very, much | [<Nep. dherai] |
ekdam | very | [<Nep. ekdam] |
ici | a little | |
imci | some, a bit | |
matra, matrei | only | [<Nep. mātra] |
ʃūʃ ʃūs | much, very, expensive | |
thorei, torei | some, little | [<Nep. thorai] |
thupro, tupro | much, a lot | [<Nep. thupro] |
umcili | small |
Examples of quantifiers that indicate amounts or masses by Borchers: [5]
go
I
ʃūʃ
much
ma.jai.nu.ṅ
NEG.eat.NPT+1s.1s
I don’t eat much.
disā
tomorrow
matrei
only
tui.nu.ṅ
know.NPT+1s.1s
I won’t know until tomorrow.
Syntax/Grammar[]
Adjectives: <-ʃo>[]
According to Borchers,[5] adjectives can belong to the verbal noun form, with an attached <-ʃo>. In the Sunwar language, some adjectives are borrowed from Nepali.
Adjectives: Color Form/Terms[]
Borchers also notes that adjectives can belong to the form/term color. [5] As exemplified by Borchers, this table consists of the color form/terms.[5]
Form: | Translation: |
---|---|
jirjir | colorful |
giิk | light green, light blue |
nilo | dark blue [<Nep. nilo] |
buʃ | white |
kher | black |
lal | red |
ojela | brilliant |
Adjectives: Non Verbal Nouns Without <-ʃo> Attached[]
The Sunwar language has a category for adjectives under the form ‘others’, that are not verbal nouns. In addition, some adjectives may be interchangeable as an adverb. [5] As exemplified by Borchers, this table consists of the adjectives that are not verbal nouns ending in <-ʃo> form/terms.[5]
Form: | Translation: |
---|---|
umcili/ici | small, little |
ʃūʃ | much, many, very, expensive |
theb | big, great (idea, thing) |
wan | far |
netha | near |
Examples of adjectives that are not verbal nouns ending in <-ʃo> by Borchers: [5]
ɓak
water
besā.n
very-much.REIN
wan
far
cha
exist-NPT.3s
Water is far away. Unknown glossing abbreviation(s) (help);
go
I
umcili
small
thiẽ
exist-PT1s
bara
twelve
bars.ṅā
year.GEN
I was small, twelve years old.
nepāli.puki
Nepali.PL
ʃūʃ
very
choto
small
bā.ni.m
stay.NPT-23d/-p.3p/Svi
Nepalese people are very small.
Particles[]
As exemplified by Borchers, this table consists of particles in correlation to various relationships. [5]
Conjunction: | Translation: |
---|---|
de | or |
hana | if |
ṅana | if |
dopā | that |
meklāpāṅāmin | and then |
pāṅāmin | and then |
minu <-nu> | and then |
mapatke | because of |
Postpositional Particles[]
According to Borchers, the Sunwar language borrows particles from Nepali that indicate the relationship between clauses.[5] Examples of postpositional particles by Borchers:[5]
Postpotion: | Gloss: |
---|---|
<lā> | ‘only’ |
<-bhandā>: A comparison. | ‘than’ |
<cai>: Singling out or can be seen as “exactly this one”. | SNG |
<yo>: Inclusive focus. | ‘also’ |
<kõ>: A tag on questions asking for affirmation or negation of a statement. | OR |
<da ~ ta>: Sunwar focus marker | IFOC |
My stomach v.s. Your stomach[]
Example by Borchers: [5]
iิ
your
koʔj
stomach
your stomach
ā
my
koʔj
stomach
my stomach
Order: Subject/ Object/ Verb[]
Examples of order: Subject/Object/Verb by Borchers[5]
kuṣulanoʔbam.mī
shoemaker.INS/LOC
(Subject) Shoemakers
pani
shoes
(Object) Shoes
pher.ni.m
sew.NPT-23d/-p.3p
(Verb) Sew
Shoemakers make shoes.
Kocombo.mī
mongoose.INS/LOC
(Subject) Mongoose
buʔs
snake
(Object) Snake
sāʔī.b
kill.NPT+3s
(Verb) kill
The mongoose kills a snake.
Vocabulary[]
Seu+wa+la (Sewala)
Sunwar | hideEnglish |
---|---|
Namsewal | Hello / Good Bye |
Sew | (Respect) / (Greeting) / I bow to you |
Maahr | What |
Dohpachaa | How to |
Dohshow | How much |
Dohmoh | How big |
Go | I |
Gopuki | We are |
Ge | You (informal) |
Gepukhi | You are (informal) |
Goi | we (formal) |
GoiPuki | we are (formal) |
Daarshow | Beautiful |
Rimso | Good |
MaDarshow | Ugly |
Language Structure[]
In linguistic typology, a subject+object+verb (SOV) language is one in which the subject, object, and verb of a sentence always or usually appear in that order. If English were SOV, "Sam oranges ate" would be an ordinary sentence, as opposed to the actual Standard English "Sam ate oranges". (A Grammar of Sunwar) [7]
Language | S | O | V |
---|---|---|---|
Sunwar | Go | Khamay | Jainu |
English | I | Rice | Eat |
Sunwar people called "Khangsa" sign language with voice and direct action, for foreign people who don't understand a sunuwar language.[citation needed][3]
Numerals (Devanagari)[]
Numerals[]
1 | ichi/kaa |
---|---|
2 | ni/nishi |
3 | sa/saam |
4 | le |
5 | nga |
6 | ruku/roku |
7 | chani |
8 | sasi |
9 | van |
10 | gau |
References[]
- ^ 2011 Nepal Census, Social Characteristics Tables
- ^ Ager, Simon. "Jenticha alphabet, and the Sunuwar language". Omniglot. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Borchers, Dörte (2008). A grammar of Sunwar: descriptive grammar, paradigms, texts and glossary ([Online-Ausg.]. ed.). Leiden: Brill. pp. 1–2. ISBN 9789004167094.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Sunwar Language and Alphabet". Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Borchers, Dörte (2008). A Grammar of Sunwar: Descriptive Grammar, Paradigms, Texts and Glossary. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-04-16709-4.
- ^ Jump up to: a b https://unicode.org/L2/L2011/11218-n4028-jenticha.pdf
- ^ "A Grammar of Sunwar". Dörte Borchers. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ^ Pandey, Anshuman (31 May 2011). "Proposal to Encode the Jenticha Script in ISO/IEC 10646" (PDF). Retrieved 18 December 2019.
External links[]
- Languages of Nepal
- Kiranti languages
- Languages of Sikkim
- Brahmic scripts
- Sino-Tibetan language stubs