Rabha is a Sino-Tibetan language of Northeast India. The two dialects, Maituri and Rongdani, are divergent enough to cause problems in communication. According to U.V. Joseph,[2] there are three dialects, viz. Róngdani or Róngdania, Maituri or Maituria and Kocha (page ix). Joseph writes that "the Kocha dialect, spoken along the northern bank of the Brahmaputra, is highly divergent and is not intelligible to a Róngdani or Maituri speaker" (page ix). Joseph also writes that "[t]he dialect variations between Róngdani and Maituri, both of which are spoken on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra, in the Goalpara district of Assam and belong to the northern slopes of Meghalaya, are minimal" (pages ix-x). He concludes the paragraph on dialectal variation with: "The Róngdani-Maituri dialectal differences become gradually more marked as one moves further west" (page x).
| Rabha | |
|---|---|
| Rabha khurang/krou | |
| ৰাভা | |
| Native to | India |
| Region | Assam, West Bengal,Meghalaya |
Native speakers | 139,986 (2011 census)[1] |
| Dialects |
|
| Assamese script, Bengali script, english | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | rah |
| Glottolog | rabh1238 |
| ELP | Rabha |
 Map of where Rabha is spoken | |
In 2007, U.V. Joseph published a grammar of Rabha with Brill in their series Languages of the Greater Himalayan Region.[3]
A representation of different Rabha dialects
edit| English | Rangdani | Kocha | Maitori |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hello | Srirasong | Seolawu | Urgirasong |
| What is your name ? | Nangi ata mung ? | Nini mung utung ? | Nangi mung ato ? |
| My name is Rasan. | Angi mung Rasan. | Áni/Ini mung Rasan. | Angi mung Rasan. |
| I | Ame/ Ang | Ang | Ang |
| You | Name/Nang | Náng | Nang |
| What | Ata | Utung | Ato |
| Why | Atana | Atanga/Atangna | Ana |
| When | Bedo | Bisomoi/Biba | Bedo |
| Where | Bisi/Bisina | Bibai | Bo/Benga |
| Speak | Kani | Brak | Tep |
| Body | Kan-ganjhi | Kan | Kan |
| Hair | Khoro | Háwár | Khorok |
| Eye | Neken | Mákár | Muken |
| Arm | Baha | Cási | Tasi |
| Sun | Rangsang | Rasan | Rangsang |
| Moon | Langgre | Rangret/Naret | Rangri |
| Morning | Fung | Mánou | Fungi |
| Evening | Rangsri | Rasanlái | Langgri |
| Noon | Dipor | Sandupur | Rangsangdupur |
| Night | Far | Far | Fari |
| Day | San | San | Sani |
| Tomorrow | Gafung | Ganapo | Rebakaisani |
| Week | Satpaksa | Sopta | Sopta |
| House | Nok | Nok/No | Nok |
| Door | Nok | Nakab | Noko |
| Village | Song | Song | Paham |
| Husband | Umba | Mi | Miba |
| Wife | Micik | Micik/Jág | Michik |
| Rice | Mairung | Mairong | Mairun |
| Milk | Nu | Nono/Nuno | Nui |
| Oil | Thuchi | Tel | Thocha |
| Meat | Kaka | Kan | Makan |
| Sand | Hangceng | Hanceng | Hancheng |
| River | Tambrong | Chikajhora | Cikajhora |
| Goat | Prán | Purun | Prun |
| Cow | Masu | Másu/Musu | Masu |
| Spider | Bibur | Barcek | Bhubur |
A representation of Rabha numbers
edit| English | Rongdani | Kocha | Maitori | Standard Rabha |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zero | Tha | Riya | Slo | Slong |
| One | Sa | Sa | Sa | Sa |
| Two | Ning | Ning | Ning | Ning |
| Three | Tham | Tam | Tham | Tham |
| Four | Cesa | Bri | Ari | Bri |
| Five | Tola | Báng/Bánga | Campa | Báng |
| Six | Krob | Do/Krop | Hes | Krob/Krop |
| Seven | Siya | Sin | Sorta | Sin |
| Eight | Gin | Gin | Parta | Gin |
| Nine | Bing | Gis/Bin | Pindas | Suku |
| Ten | Satha | Cha | Goda | Hasi |
| Eleven | Sasa | Chasa | Godasa | sisa |
| Twelve | Saning | Chaning | Godaning | sining |
| Thirteen | Satham | Chataam | Godatham | sitham |
| Fourteen | Sacesa | Chabri | Godaari | sibri |
| Fifteen | Satola | Chabáng | Godacampa | sibáng |
| Sixteen | Sakrob | Chakrob | Godahes | sikrop |
| Seventeen | Sasiya | Chasin | Godasorta | sisin |
| Eighteen | Sagin | Chagin | Godaparta | sigin |
| Ninteen | Sabing | Chagis | Godapindas | sisuku |
| Twenty | Ningtha | Chak | Rikha | Ningsi |
| Twentyone | Ningsa | Chaksa | Rikhasa | Ningsisa |
| Twentytwo | Ningning | Chakning | Rikhaning | Ningsining |
| Twentythree | Ningtham | Chaktam | Rikhatham | Ningsitham |
| Twentyfour | Ningcesa | Chakbri | Rikhaari | Ningsibri |
| Twentyfive | Ningtola | Chakbáng | Rikhacampa | Ningsibáng |
| Twentysix | Ningkrob | Chakkrob | Rikhahes | Ningsikrop |
| Twentyseven | Ningsiya | Chaksin | Rikhasorta | Ningsisin |
| Twentyeight | Ninggin | Chakgin | Rikhaparta | Ningsigin |
| Twentynine | Ningbing | Chakgis | Rikhapindas | Ningsisuku |
| Thirty | Thamtha | Chat | Siri | Thamsi |
| Forty | Cesatha | Chab | Arli | Brisi |
| Fifty | Tolatha | Chaba | Phala | Bángsi |
| Sixty | Krobtha | Chakor | Hesti | Kropsi |
| Seventy | Siyatha | Chasi | Sorto | Sinsi |
| Eighty | Gintha | Chagi | Arsi | Ginsi |
| Ninety | Bingtha | Bingta | Pinsip | Sukusi |
| Hundred | sathatha | Chu | Gota | So |
| Onehundred | sathatha | Sachu | Gotasa | Sosa |
| Twohundred | Ningthatha | Ningchu | Gotaning | Soning |
| Threehundred | Thamthatha | Tamchu | Gotatham | Sotham |
| Fourhundred | Cesathatha | Brichu | Gotaari | Sobri |
| Fivehundred | Tolathatha | Bángchu | Gotaphala | Sobáng |
| Sixhundred | Krobthatha | Krobchu | Gotahesti | Sokrop |
| Sevenhundred | Siyathatha | Sinchu | Gotasorto | Sosin |
| Eighthundred | Ginthatha | Ginchu | Gotaarsi | Sogin |
| Ninehundred | Bingthatha | Gischu | Gotapinsip | Sosuku |
| Thousand | Satha³ | Cachu | Hajar | Sohasi |
Geographical distribution
editAccording to the Ethnologue, Rabha is spoken in the following areas of India.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Rabha at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
- ^ Joseph, U.V. 2000. Rabha–English dictionary khúrangnala. Guwahati: Don Boco Publications.
- ^ Joseph, U.V. 2007. Rabha. Leiden: Brill.
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