Falam language
| Falam | |
|---|---|
| Halam | |
| Laiṭawng | |
| Native to | Burma, India |
Native speakers | (107,000 cited 1983–2001)[1] |
Sino-Tibetan
| |
| Dialects |
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | cfm |
| Glottolog | fala1243 |
| ELP | Falam Chin |
Falam (Falam Chin), also known as Baro Halam, is a Kukish language in Falam township, Chin State, Burma, and also in India.
Falam Chin is closely related to most Central Chin languages, especially Hakha (Lai) Chin which has been studied more in depth than Falam Chin.[2]
The Falam people are primarily Christian, and have translated the Bible into Falam Chin.
Dialects
Ethnologue lists the following dialects of Falam.
- Zanniat (Zahnyiet, Zanniet, Zangiat)
- Taisun (Shunkla, Sunkhla, Taishon, Tashom, Tashon)
- Laizo (Laiso, Laizao, Laizo-Shimhrin)
- Zahao (Lyen-Lyem, Yahow, Zahau, Zahau-Shimhrin, Za-How)
- Khualsim (Khualshim, Kwelshin)
- Lente (Gunte, Lyente)
- Sim
- Tapong
- Hualngo
The Chorei dialect (spoken in India) and Zanniat may be separate languages, while speakers of other dialects reportedly have difficulty understanding Tapong.
Rupini and Koloi are also reported to be quite different.[1] Dialects once misleadingly called Southern Luhupa are actually Northern Kukish, and evidently Falam.[3]
Ethnologue reports the following speaker populations of Falam dialects as of 1983: 9,000 Taisun, 16,000 Zanniat, 7,000 Khualsim, 4,000 Lente, 14,400 Zahau, 18,600 Laizo.
Written/Spoken Falam Chin
This is a sample of written Falam Chin:
A hmaisabik ah Pathian in lei van a seemsuah. Lei cu pianhmang le hmuithlam zianghman a rak nei lo. Which translates to In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water.[4]
Falam Chin is written in romanized form, or in the English alphabets. But Q,Y,J and X are not included. However, consonant ṭ (t with dot) and ng (Guttural sound) and aw vowel are frequently used in Chin both literature and speaking.
Falam Chin Characters
Consonants b c d f g h j k l m n p r s t ṭ v z Vowels a .... as in amphibious aw.... as in omega (Long vowel) e .... as in example i .... as in interesting o .... as in son (Short vowel) u .... as in due
The Falam language has five spoken vowels, but in writing, six are used. Of the five spoken, three of them, /u/, /a/, and /ɔ/ are spoke from the back of the mouth, /i/ is spoken from the top of the mouth, and /e/ is spoken from the middle. /ɔ/ can be pronounced as aw or o.[5] |
References
- ^ a b Falam at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ King, Deborah (2010). VOICE AND VALENCE-ALTERING OPERATIONS IN FALAM CHIN: A ROLE AND REFERENCE GRAMMAR APPROACH. Arlington, Texas: The University of Texas at Arlington.
- ^ Linguasphere code 73-DDD-bp
- ^ "Chin (Falam) Language". LM Languages.
- ^ Chin Writers' Handbook. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: Bibles International. 2011.
- Bibles International. 2009. Falam primer. Bibles International: The Bible Society of Baptist Mid-Missions. ISBN 1-59645-107-6
- Bibles International. 2008. Falam writers' handbook. Bibles International: The Bible Society of Baptist Mid-Missions. ISBN 1-59645-107-6
- Bibles International. 2009. Chin Cangantui Kutkaih / Chin Writers' Handbook - Falam. Bibles International: The Bible Society of Baptist Mid-Missions. ISBN 1-59645-127-0
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