Tanchangya language

Tanchangya
𑄖𑄧𑄐𑄴𑄌𑄧𑄁𑄉𑄴𑄡
'Tanchangya' in Tanchangya/Chakma script
Pronunciation[ˈtɒntĘƒÉ’Å‹É›]
Native toBangladesh
RegionChittagong Hill Tracts (Bangladesh)
Mizoram and Tripura (India)
Rakhine State (Myanmar)
EthnicityTanchangya
Native speakers
46,000 (2022)
Tanchangya alphabet
Language codes
ISO 639-3tnv
Glottologtang1330
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The Tanchangya language is one of the eleven indigenous languages spoken in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Mizoram, Tripura, and Rakhine State. Despite the common belief that it is a Tibeto-Burman language, it is categorized as a Indo-Aryan language. It is closely related to Chakma, Chittagonian, Noakhali and Rohingya languages. It is primarily spoken by the Tanchangyas people.

Vocabulary

Tanchangya has many words from Indo-Aryan languages. It also maintains some Burmanised words, particularly in Buddhist terminologies.

Ancient Tanchangya

The original words of Tanchangya are believed to be from ancient Tanchangya.

Tanchangya English
Awga (āĻ…āĻ—āĻž) Uneducated, uncivilised
Awnsur (āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āĻ¸ā§āĻ°ā§) Regularly, always
Awnawpinaw (āĻ…āĻ¨-āĻĒāĻŋāĻ¨); Awnaw-sawnaw (āĻ…āĻ¨- āĻ¸āĻ¨āĻ…) Insane, foolish
Awrawk (āĻ…āĻ°āĻ•ā§) Nest
Hawla (āĻšāĻ˛āĻž) Fry, thick shrub bushes
Awsangya (āĻ…āĻ¸āĻžāĻ™ā§āĻ¯āĻž); Besangya (āĻŦā§‡āĻ¸āĻžāĻ™ā§āĻ¯āĻž) An unmarriageable relation
A-uk/Aruk (āĻ†-āĻ‰āĻ•ā§, āĻ†āĻ°ā§āĻ•ā§) Picture; Sketch

Tibeto-Burman

Although it does not belong to the Tibeto-Burman language family, many Buddhist terms can be found in Tanchangya.

Foreign words

In Tanchangya, words derived from Arabic, Portuguese, and English can be found.

Tanchangya Arabic/Portuguese English
Awktaw (āĻ…āĻ•ā§āĻ¤) Owakta (Arabic) Time
Gawrba (āĻ—āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻž) Gorba(Arabic) Guest
Gamala/Gabala (āĻ—āĻžāĻŦāĻžāĻ˛āĻž, āĻ—āĻžāĻŽāĻžāĻ˛āĻž) Gamela (Portuguese) Bucket
Balti (āĻŦāĻžāĻ˛ā§āĻ¤āĻŋ) Balde (Portuguese) Bucket

Chakma

Outside of the Tanchangya tribe, there is a common belief that there is no difference between Tanchangya and the Chakma language.

Tanchangya Chakma English
Bitsyawl Bijol Smooth
Pawd, Jangal Pawt Road
Awna sawna Awnaw sawnaw Half-brain
Diri, Bilawng Dighol Long time

References

  1. ↑ Tanchangya at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
  2. ↑ Debnath, Rupak (2008). Ethnographic Study of Tanchangya of CHT, CADC, Sittwe, and South Tripura. Kolkata: Kreativmind, India. p. 167.
  3. ↑ Debnath, Rupak (2008). Ethnographic Study of Tanchangya of CHT, CADC, Sittwe, and South Tripura. Kolkata: Kreativmind, India. p. 71.
  4. ↑ Roti Kanta Tanchangya (2000): 62-65
  5. ↑ Debnath, Rupak (2008). Ethnographic Study of Tanchangya of CHT, CADC, Sittwe, and South Tripura. Kolkata: Kreativmind, India. p. 88.
  6. ↑ "An Analysis of the Ethno-Linguistic Roots and Connections of the Chakma-Tanchangya People" (PDF). Dr Satyakam Phukan's Webpages. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2019.