Koch language

Koch
Native to	India, Bangladesh
Ethnicity	Koch
Native speakers	36,434 (2011)
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Sal Boro-Garo Koch Koch
Language codes
ISO 639-3	kdq
Glottolog	koch1250
ELP	Koch
	Pani Koch (= Banai, Wanang)

Koch is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Koch people of India and Bangladesh. It is primarily spoken in the Indian states of Meghalaya, West Bengal, and Lower Assam and in the parts of the country Bangladesh, where it serves as a major means of communication among the Koches (including Koch-Rajbongshi) and other ethnic groups in the region. Koch language is written with Assamese, Bengali, Roman scripts.

There is an organization Koch Krorang Mathop in Tura, Meghalaya which publishes Koch materials, such as books, an annual Koch magazine. Koch Development Forum is also working on the promotion of the Koch language among the Koch people who have now switched their language to Indo-Aryan languages.

The state and traditional song of Assam in Koch :

Kocho koro	Assamese
O' ani apani hadam O' ani pelemsa hadam Edeghenek kanchikni edeghenek thaini edeghenek nasini hadam. O' ani kanchikni hurang Asameni thaoni hurang Eh haye lami mung bongni Oten liya jhuchai mung. O' ani bongni thane O' ani nasini ame Chai lana ang Nani mahango Hapaka fungchanane.	অ' মোৰ আপোনাৰ দেশ অ' মোৰ চিকুণী দেশ এনেখন শুৱলা, এনেখন সুফলা এনেখন মৰমৰ দেশ। অ' মোৰ সুৰীয়া মাত অসমৰ সুৱদী মাত পৃথিৱীৰ ক'তো বিচাৰি জনমটো নোপোৱা কৰিলেও পাত। অ' মোৰ ওপজা ঠাই অ' মোৰ অসমী আই চাই লওঁ এবাৰ মুখনি তোমাৰ হেঁপাহ মোৰ পলোৱা নাই।

Sample text: ^{Article 4 of the human rights Act}

English	koch In Latin script	koch In Bengali-Assamese script
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.	Habongni hisape bebak morota rasong aro adhikar wai soman aro jokni. Orongni prengni aro chotta towa. Orong sopan sopanna ada-ajong ghenek bebohar hawni se usit dowa.	হাবঙনি হিছাপে বেবাক মৰতা ৰাছঙ আৰ' আধিকাৰ ৱাই ছমান আৰ' জক্নি।অৰঙনি প্ৰেঙনি আৰ' চত্তা তৱা।অৰঙ ছপান ছপান্না আদা-আজঙ ঘেনেক বেবহাৰ হাৱনি ছে উছিত দৱা।

Dialects

The Koch language is currently represented by six surviving dialects, which are as follows:

1. Harigaya,
2. Tintikiya,
3. Wanang/Swmbri,
4. Chapra,
5. Margan, and
6. Kocha. (Kocha/Koch - Rabha)

Short representation of the various dialects:

Sample question and answer:

English	Koch Harigaya	Koch Tintikiya	Koch Wanang	Koch Kocha
What is your name?	Nani ata mung?	Nani bita mung?	Nani atõ mung?	Nini mung utung?
My name is xyz.	Ani mung Xyz.	Ani mung Xyz.	Ani mung Xyz.	Ani mung Xyz.

Numbers:

English	Koch Harigaya	Koch Wanang
Zero	Era	Riyaa
One	Sa	Saa
Two	Ning	Ning
Three	Tam	Tam
Four	Bri	Bri
Five	Bõng	Bãng
Six	Krõp	Krob
Seven	Sin	Sin
Eight	Gin	Bin
Nine	Gis	Gin
Ten	Cha

Geographical distribution

Koch is spoken in:

• Assam:
  • Baksa district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
  • Bongaigaon district - Madaci Koch, Koch
  • Darrang district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
  • Dhemaji district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
  • Dhubri district - Madaci Koch, Koch
  • Goalpara district - Madaci koch, kocha Rabha, Kocho koro, Hodi or Koch Mandai
  • Kokrajhar district - Madaci Koch, Koch
  • Lakhimpur district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
  • Nagaon district - Hodi or Koch Mandai, Kocho koro
  • Udalguri district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
  • Sonitpur district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
  • South Salmara district - Hodi or Koch Mandai, Koch
• Bangladesh: Hodi or Koch Mandai and Kocho koro
• Bihar: Rajbongshi koch
• Meghalaya:
  • East Khasi hills - Hodi alias Koch Mandai
  • West Garo Hills district - Kocha rabha or Koch
• Tripura: Hodi or Koch Mandai or koch
• West Bengal: Rajbongshi koch, Kocha Rabha

References

• Kondakov, Alexander (2020). "Outline of Harigaya Koch Grammar" (PDF). Language and Culture Documentation and Description. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
• Dialects "Different Dialects"

• Koch language report by UNESCO World Atlas of Languages

• Koch Dictionary