Garo language
Encyclopedia
Garo is the language of the majority of the people of the Garo Hills
in the Indian state of Meghalaya
. Garo is also used in Kamrup
, Dhubri
, Goalpara
and the Darrang district
s of Assam
, India
as well as in neighboring Bangladesh
. Garo uses the Latin alphabet
and has a close affinity to Bodo
, the language of one of the dominant communities of the neighbouring state of Assam
.
Dialects include A’beng (A'bengya, Am'beng), A’chick (A'chik), A’we, Chisak, Dacca, Ganching, Kamrup, Matchi. The Achik dialect predominates among several inherently intelligible dialects. The Abeng dialect in Bangladesh is not mutually intelligible.
The Department of Garo, the only one of its kind in the world, was established by popular demand in 1996 at the inception of North Eastern Hill University
. The Department documented in audio and videotapes parts of A’chick (Garo) epic poetry of "Katta Agana", the legend of "Dikki & Bandi", some folktales, folksongs, and traditional oral poetry.
The language is written in Bengali
as well as in the Latin
alphabet.
Garo Hills
The Garo Hills are part of the Garo-Khasi range in Meghalaya, India. They are inhabited mainly by tribal dwellers. Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, is located in this range. It is one of the wettest places in the world. The range is part of the Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion.Garo Hills...
in the Indian state of Meghalaya
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
. Garo is also used in Kamrup
Kamrup
Kamrup district is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India, named after Kamarupa, a name by which Assam was previously known in ancient times. The district, however, is now a small western part of Assam, with a distinctive native Kamrupi culture and dialect . The distinctive...
, Dhubri
Dhubri
Dhubri is the headquarters of Dhubri district India. It is a small old town on the bank of the Brahmaputra and Gadadhar Rivers. In 1883, the town was first constituted as a Municipal Board and is situated about west from Guwahati, the state capital.Dhubri was an important commercial centre and...
, Goalpara
Goalpara
Goalpara is the district headquarter of Goalpara district, Assam, India. It is situated west of Guwahati.-Etymology:The name of Goalpara is said to have originally derived from `Gwaltippika` meaning `Guwali village` or the village of the milk men. In the local dialect "para" means...
and the Darrang district
Darrang District
Darrang is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located at Mangaldai. The district occupies an area of 3481 km².-History:In 1983 Sonitpur district was formed from part of Darrang...
s of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, 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...
as well as in neighboring Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. Garo uses the Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
and has a close affinity to Bodo
Bodo language
Bodo is a language that belongs to the branch of Barish section under Baric division of the Tibeto-Burman languages and spoken by the Bodo people of north-eastern India and Nepal...
, the language of one of the dominant communities of the neighbouring state of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
.
Dialects include A’beng (A'bengya, Am'beng), A’chick (A'chik), A’we, Chisak, Dacca, Ganching, Kamrup, Matchi. The Achik dialect predominates among several inherently intelligible dialects. The Abeng dialect in Bangladesh is not mutually intelligible.
The Department of Garo, the only one of its kind in the world, was established by popular demand in 1996 at the inception of North Eastern Hill University
North Eastern Hill University
North Eastern Hill University is a Central University established on 19 July 1973 by an Act of Indian Parliament. The University is located in the suburb of Shillong, the state capital of Meghalaya within the union of India...
. The Department documented in audio and videotapes parts of A’chick (Garo) epic poetry of "Katta Agana", the legend of "Dikki & Bandi", some folktales, folksongs, and traditional oral poetry.
The language is written in Bengali
Bengali script
The Bengali alphabet is the writing system for the Bengali language. The script with variations is used for Assamese and is basis for Meitei, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Kokborok, Garo and Mundari alphabets. All these languages are spoken in the eastern region of South Asia. Historically, the script has...
as well as in the Latin
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
alphabet.