Camling language
Encyclopedia
The Camling or Chamling language is one of the Kiranti languages
spoken by the Kiranti and Rai
peoples of eastern Nepal
. Alternate names include Chamling, Chamlinge Rai and Rodong (which means "Kiranti"). It is closely related to the Bantawa
(some Bantawa-speaking communities call their language "Camling") and Puma
languages of the Kiranti language family in eastern Nepal, and it belongs to the broader Sino-Tibetan language family.
. Important versions of the Mundhum
— the main scripture forming the religious foundation of the Kiranti Mundhum religion and the cultural heritage of the various Kiranti tribes — are composed in Camling; such versions are distinctive to the Camling-speaking tribes and a guide to their distinctive religious practices and cultural identity.
, Khotang District
, Bhojpur District and scattered areas in Udayapur District
and a few more districts of eastern Nepal, the southeastern neighbour India
n state of Sikkim
, the hill city of Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal
and the kingdom of Bhutan
. Despite its geographic prevalence, the actual number of Camling speakers is estimated to be 10,000, spread across small tribes and villages. Many members of the Camling ethnic and tribal communities are no longer fluent in the Camling language, which is taught only in remote areas in the Udayapur District. Like Bantawa, Camling is an endangered language. Many people in these areas speak a variety of Camling that is mixed with the Nepali language
, which is the official language of Nepal. Most Camling-speaking people are Hindus or practitioners of the ancient Kiranti Mundhum religion.
Kiranti languages
The Mahakiranti or Maha-Kiranti languages are a proposed intermediate level of classification of the Tibeto-Burman languages. They are the languages most closely related to the Kiranti languages proper, which are spoken by the ethnic Kirat...
spoken by the Kiranti and Rai
Rai (ethnic group)
The Rai are one of Nepal's most ancient indigenous ethnolinguistic groups. They were Raya meaning king. Once someone was recognized as a ruler then Hindus awarded the title Raja, Rai, Raya, Malla etc. When the king Pritivi Narayan Shah couldn't defeat Kirant king , he somehow took them in...
peoples of eastern Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
. Alternate names include Chamling, Chamlinge Rai and Rodong (which means "Kiranti"). It is closely related to the Bantawa
Bantawa language
The Bantawa language is an endangered language group. It is a Tibeto-Burman language, Eastern Kiranti languages family, spoken in the eastern Himalayan hills of eastern Nepal by Rai ethnic groups. Bantawa speaking Population estimates vary between 20,000-60,000, though 35,000 speakers may be a...
(some Bantawa-speaking communities call their language "Camling") and Puma
Puma language
Puma is a Kiranti language spoken by about 4,310 people in Diplung, Mauwabote, Devisthan, Pauwasera and Chisapani Village Development Committees of Khotang district and in some areas of Udayapur district, Nepal.The Himalayan Languages Project has produced the first grammatical sketch of Puma...
languages of the Kiranti language family in eastern Nepal, and it belongs to the broader Sino-Tibetan language family.
History
The Chamling language is one of the languages of the ancient Kiranti culture, which existed well before the arrival of Vedic civilisation in South AsiaSouth Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
. Important versions of the Mundhum
Mundhum
Mundhum is the ancient religious scripture and folk literature of the Kirat people of Nepal, central to Kirat Mundhum, the ancient, indigenous religion of Nepal. Mundhum means "the power of great strength" in the Kiranti languages...
— the main scripture forming the religious foundation of the Kiranti Mundhum religion and the cultural heritage of the various Kiranti tribes — are composed in Camling; such versions are distinctive to the Camling-speaking tribes and a guide to their distinctive religious practices and cultural identity.
Prevalence
The Camling language is used by small communities in the Sagarmatha ZoneSagarmatha Zone
Sagarmāthā zone in the north, hill districts in the center, and valley districts of the Terai in the south. The borders of this zone are China to the north, India to the south, the Koshi Zone to the east and the Janakpur Zone to the west....
, Khotang District
Khotang District
Khotang District, a part of Sagarmatha Zone, is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district, with Diktel as its district headquarters, covers an area of 1,591 km² and has a population of 231,385. Khotang is part of the area traditionally called...
, Bhojpur District and scattered areas in Udayapur District
Udayapur District
-Village Development Committees :*Aaptar*Balamta*Baraha*Barre*Basabote*Bashasa*Beltar*Bhumarashuwa*Bhuttar*Chaudandi*Dumre*Gaighat*Hadiya*Hardeni*Iname*Jalpachilaune*Jante*Jogidaha*Katari*Katunjebawala*Khanbu*Laphagaun*Lekhani*Lekhgaun...
and a few more districts of eastern Nepal, the southeastern neighbour India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
, the hill city of Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
and the kingdom of Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
. Despite its geographic prevalence, the actual number of Camling speakers is estimated to be 10,000, spread across small tribes and villages. Many members of the Camling ethnic and tribal communities are no longer fluent in the Camling language, which is taught only in remote areas in the Udayapur District. Like Bantawa, Camling is an endangered language. Many people in these areas speak a variety of Camling that is mixed with the Nepali language
Nepali language
Nepali or Nepalese is a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.It is the official language and de facto lingua franca of Nepal and is also spoken in Bhutan, parts of India and parts of Myanmar...
, which is the official language of Nepal. Most Camling-speaking people are Hindus or practitioners of the ancient Kiranti Mundhum religion.
Phonology and voice
- Phonology
Bilabial Bilabial consonantIn phonetics, a bilabial consonant is a consonant articulated with both lips. The bilabial consonants identified by the International Phonetic Alphabet are:...Labio-
dentalLabiodental consonantIn phonetics, labiodentals are consonants articulated with the lower lip and the upper teeth.-Labiodental consonant in IPA:The labiodental consonants identified by the International Phonetic Alphabet are:...Dental/
AlveolarAlveolar consonantAlveolar consonants are articulated with the tongue against or close to the superior alveolar ridge, which is called that because it contains the alveoli of the superior teeth...Velar Velar consonantVelars are consonants articulated with the back part of the tongue against the soft palate, the back part of the roof of the mouth, known also as the velum)....Glottal Glottal consonantGlottal consonants, also called laryngeal consonants, are consonants articulated with the glottis. Many phoneticians consider them, or at least the so-called fricative, to be transitional states of the glottis without a point of articulation as other consonants have; in fact, some do not consider...Nasal Nasal consonantA nasal consonant is a type of consonant produced with a lowered velum in the mouth, allowing air to escape freely through the nose. Examples of nasal consonants in English are and , in words such as nose and mouth.- Definition :...m n (ɳ) Fricative f ʃ ɦ
- Voice
- Phuima = pluck
- Toma = see, experience
- Ityu = brought from above
- Dhotyu-cyu' = assembled them
- Bhuima = pound
- Doma = close
- Idyu = gave him
- Dhodyu-cyu = stabbed them