Falam language

Falam
Lai
Lai ṭong
Native to	Burma, India
Region	West Burma, Northeast India
Ethnicity	Chin
Native speakers	(107,000 cited 1983–2001)
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Central Tibeto-Burman (?) Kuki-Chin-Naga Kuki-Chin Central Falam
Dialects	Zanniat Laizo Zahau Tlaisun Khualsim Lente Tapong Sim Torr Chorei Ngawn
Writing system	Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Variously: cfm – Falam Chin cbl – Bualkhaw Chin cnw – Ngawn Chin
Glottolog	fala1243
ELP	Falam Chin
	Chorei

Falam Chin (also known as Lai) is a Kuki-Chin language in Falam Township, Chin State, Myanmar, and also in Mizoram, India.

Falam Chin is closely related to most Central Chin languages, especially Hakha Chin. The Falam people are primarily Christian and have translated the Bible into Falam Chin.

Dialects

Ethnologue lists the following dialects of Falam:

• Tlaisun (Shunkla, Sunkhla, Taishon, Tashom, Tashon)
• Laizo (Laiso, Laizao, Laizo-Shimhrin)
• Zahao (Lyen-Lyem, JaHau Yahow, Zahau, Zahau-Shimhrin, Za-How)
• Sim

Falam was a village name founded by the Tlaisun tribe (also known as Tashon in English) and Tashon was the original language spoken in Falam. Falam's population grew from the surrounding tribes from Sunthla (also recorded as Sunkhla), Sim and Zahau (also recorded as Zahao) that created a new language based on these three tribes, different from the Tlaisun language, which then later became known as Laizo. Laizo was recorded as the first language used in the official radio broadcasting dialect of Chin in Myanmar. In order to be inclusive in the language it was later changed to Falam, although its official name recorded in the government is still Laizo.

Rupini and Koloi are also reported to be quite different. The Chorei and Zanniat dialects (collectively known as Baro Halam) may be considered separate languages. Tapong has lower intelligibility with other Falam Chin dialects, having 75% lexical similarity with Zanniat. Dialects once misleadingly called Southern Luhupa are actually Northern Kuki-Chin, and evidently Falam.

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.

Phonology

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.

Writing system

Falam Chin is written using the Latin script, with the exception of the letters Q, Y, J and X. The consonants ṭ (t with dot), ng (guttural sound), and aw vowel (IPA [ɔː] or [ɑː]) are frequently used in both Chin literature and speaking.

This is a sample of written Falam Chin:

A hmaisabik ah Pathian in lei le van a seemsuah. Lei cu pianhmang le hmuithlam zianghman a rak nei lo.

In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water.

—"Chin (Falam) Language". LM Languages.

Further reading

• Dum, James Qial; Van Kyi; S Hrang Kap Hnin (eds). 2009. Mirang—Lai (Falam) dictionary / Mirang Ca Zirpawl hrang. Lailun Foundation.
• 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