Tangkhul
Luhupa
Tangkhul written in Meitei script
Native toIndia
RegionManipur, Nagaland
EthnicityTangkhul people
Native speakers
140,000 (2001)[1]
Dialects
  • Ukhrul
  • Kupome (Luhupa)
  • Phadang
Language codes
ISO 639-3nmf
Glottologtang1336
ELPTangkhul Naga

Tangkhul is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Tangkhulic branch, spoken in different villages of Ukhrul district, Manipur, India. The term "Tangkhul" is derived from the Meitei language terms, "Tang" (Meitei: ꯇꯥꯡ, romanized: /tāng/) meaning "scarce" and "Khul" (Meitei: ꯈꯨꯜ, romanized: /khūl/) meaning "village" respectively.[2] According to another theory, the term "Tangkhul" is derived from "Thankhul", meaning "Than village" in Meitei language.[3][4][5]

Tangkhul became a written language for the first time in the year 1897, when William Pettigrew compiled "Tangkhul Primer and Catechism", during his Christian missionary activities.[6]

The Department of Language Planning and Implementation of the Government of Manipur offers a sum of ₹5,000 (equivalent to ₹8,500 or US$110 in 2023), to every individual who learns Tangkhul language, under certain terms and conditions.[7]

Tangkhul shares 93%–94% lexical similarity with the Somra variety of Tangkhul, 31% with Tangkhul Naga spoken in India, 51%–52% with Akyaung Ari Naga, and 29%–32% with Koki Naga.[8]

Phonology

Consonants

Bilabial Labio-
dental		 Dental/
Alveolar		 Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive voiceless p t k ʔ
aspirated pʰ tʰ kʰ
Affricate tʃ
Fricative voiceless f s h
nasalized s̃
voiced z
Nasal m n ŋ
Rhotic r
Lateral l
Approximant w ʋ j
  • Stop sounds /p t tʃ k/ may have voiced allophones [b d dʒ ɡ] in free variation.
  • /m/ may be heard as [ɱ] when preceding /f/ or /ʋ/.
  • /r/ can be heard as [r] or [ɾ] in free variation.

Vowels

Front Central Back
Close i ɨ u
Mid e ə o
Open a
  • /i e a u/ can have allophone sounds of [ɪ ɛ ɐ ɯ] in free variation.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Tangkhul at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Sanyu, Visier (1996). A History of Nagas and Nagaland: Dynamics of Oral Tradition in Village Formation. University of Michigan. Commonwealth Publishers. p. 25. ISBN 978-81-7169-369-6. ... a sparse nature of settlement that the Tangkhul tribe got its name. In Meitei language-literally, Tang means scarce and khul means village.
  3. ↑ Shimray, A. S. W. (2001). History of the Tangkhul Nagas. Akansha Publishing House. p. 43. ISBN 978-81-87606-04-8. ... the village which they lived was known by the name ' THANKHUL ' meaning Than - Village in Meitei language . Therefore , the name ' TANGKHUL ' is derived from Than - Khul ...
  4. ↑ Lisam, Khomdan Singh (2011). Encyclopaedia Of Manipur (3 Vol.). Gyan Publishing House. p. 516. ISBN 978-81-7835-864-2. The name Tangkhul was given to them by the Meiteis. There are many legends regarding the origin of the word Tangkhul.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ↑ "History | Ukhrul District, Government of Manipur | India". National Informatics Centre (in English and Manipuri). Government of India. The name Tangkhul was given to them by their neighbours, the Meiteis. The northern Tangkhuls were also called the Luhupas.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  6. ↑ S, Vangamla Salle K. (26 November 2023). "Manipur: Literature festival strives to promote Tangkhul language". EastMojo. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "Applications invited for local language training programme". Imphal Free Press.
  8. ↑ "Myanmar". Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 2016. Archived from the original on 10 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Ahum, Victor (1997). Tangkhul-Naga grammar: a study of word formation. New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University.
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