Mising Language
Mising–Padam–Minyong
Plains Miri
RegionAssam
EthnicityMising, Padam, Minyong
Native speakers
629,954 (2011)[1]
Sino-Tibetan
  • Tani
    • East Tani (Adi)
      • Mising Language
Dialects
  • Padam
  • Minyong
  • Mising (Plains Miri)
Language codes
ISO 639-3mrg
Glottologmisi1242
ELP

Mising is a Tani language spoken by the Mising people. There are 629,954 speakers (as per Census of India, 2011), who inhabit mostly the Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Jorhat, Majuli, Golaghat, Tinsukia districts of Assam and also some parts of Arunachal Pradesh. The primary literary body of Mising is known as 'Mising Agom Kébang (Mising Language Society)'.

The Mising, Padam and Minyong speak dialects of the same language.

One year recognition by the Sahitya Akademi

For the year 2011, for the first time, Sahitya Akademi, India’s highest literary body, recognised Mising eligible for receiving one of the six Bhasha Samman awards, for the category of the non-recognised languages, “that have developed sufficiently to merit the award”.[2]

“Mising is one such language which has a rich literary tradition though it does not have its own script but has adapted the Roman script. Through this convention, we will come to know who has worked in developing the language and literature, and the Bhasa Samman, which carries Rs 1 lakh prize money, will be a recognition of this effort.”
“After selecting the communities for the award for one year, the system is to move on to other communities in the next year so that all such languages are given a chance to come up.”

— Agrahar Krishna Murthy, Secretary of Sahitya Akademi, Delhi[3]

Phonology

Consonants

Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Plosive/
Affricate		 voiceless p t (tʃ)[lower-alpha 1] k
voiced b d (dʒ)[lower-alpha 1] ɡ
Fricative voiceless s (h)[lower-alpha 2]
voiced z
Tap ɾ
Approximant (w)[lower-alpha 3] l j
  1. 1 2 [tʃ] and [dʒ] are typically rare, and mainly occur as allophones of /t d/ when after fricatives /s z/.[4]
  2. ↑ [h] is heard in place of /s/ within variations of a local dialect.
  3. ↑ [w] is heard phonetically in different environments if a front or central vowel precedes a back vowel (i.e. /aɔ/ ~ [awɔ]).

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i iː ɨ ɨː u uː
Mid ɛ ɛː ɜ ɜː ɔ ɔː
Open a aː

Geographical distribution

A traditional Mishing house is stilted.

Ethnologue gives the following locations for Mising speakers. The Hill Miri live in Arunachal Pradesh, while the Plains Miri live in Assam.

  • Assam: North Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Jorhat, Majuli,Charaideu,Bishwanath,Golaghat, and Tinsukia districts
  • Arunachal Pradesh
    • Districts of East Siang, Lower Dibang valley and Lohit. Also on both sides of Kamla river in Ziro subdivision, Lower Subansiri district
    • Daporizo subdivision, Upper Subansiri district

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mising Language at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ↑ "Mising in language award list - Sahitya Akademi to recognise contribution from community for first time". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  3. ↑ "Mising in language award list - Sahitya Akademi to recognise contribution from community for first time". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  4. ↑ Doley, Basanta K. A Sociolinguistic Profile of the Mising Language.
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