Sylheti language
Encyclopedia
Sylheti is the language of Sylhet
, which is also known as the Surma Valley and is located in the north-eastern region of Bangladesh
, and also spoken in parts of the Northeast Indian states of Assam
(the Barak Valley
) and Tripura
(the North Tripura district
). It is also spoken by a significant population in the other north-eastern states of India
and amongst the large expatriate communities in the United Kingdom
, United States
, and countries of the Gulf States
.
Sylheti is often either considered a dialect of Bengali
as well as a separate language due to significant differences between them all and lack of mutual intelligibility
. On its own right, it is accepted as a separate language, however it has not been given an official status
by the Government of Bangladesh. There is much debate to whether it should be recognized, for example there is greater differences of Sylheti to Bengali, than Assamese
to Bengali, which is recognised as separate. Most Sylhetis are at least bilingual to some degree, as they are taught Bengali at all levels of education in Bangladesh. Sylhet was part of the ancient kingdom of Kamarupa, and has many common features with Assamese
, including the existence of a larger set of fricatives than other East Indo-Aryan languages
. According to George Abraham Grierson
, "The inflections also differ from those of regular Bengali, and in one or two instances assimilate to those of Assamese". Indeed it was formerly written in its own script, Sylheti Nagari
, similar in style to Kaithi
but with differences, though nowadays it is almost invariably written in Bengali script
.
-Nagri
script, which is not widely known. Sylhet has a rich heritage of literature in the Sylheti Nagari script going back at least 200 years. The Sylheti Nagari script includes 5 independent vowels, 5 dependent vowels attached to a consonant letter and 27 consonants. The Sylheti Nagari alphasyllabary
differs from the Bengali alphbets as it is a form of Kaithi, a script (or family of scripts) which belongs to the main group of North Indian scripts of Bihar. The writing system's main use was to record religious poetry, described as a rich language and easy to learn. In the 1860s, a Sylheti by the name of Moulvi Abdul Karim spent several years in Europe and learnt the printing trade. After returning home, he designed a woodblock type for the Syloti-Nagri alphabet and founded the Islamia Press in Sylhet Town in about 1870. Other Sylheti presses were established in Sunamgonj, Shillong and Calcutta
. These presses fell out of use during the early 1970s. Since then the Syloti-Nagri alphabet has been used mainly by linguists and academics. During the 1971 Liberation War, when all Sylheti Nagari printing presses were destroyed, the writing system came to a halt. After Bangladesh gained independence, the government of the newly formed Bangladesh mandated Bangla
studies and the use of the Bengali alphabets as a curriculum to be taught at all levels of education. Efforts to establish Sylheti as a modern language were vigorously opposed by political and cultural forces allied to successive Bangladeshi governments.
Campaigns started to rise in London
during the mid 1970s to mid 1980s to recognise Sylheti as a language on its own right. During the mid 1970s, when the first mother-tongue classes were established for Bangladeshis by a non-Sylheti, Nurul Islam
, the classes were given in Bengali rather than Sylheti which triggered the campaign. During the 1980s, a recognition
campaign for Sylheti took place in the area of Spitalfields
, East End of London
. One of the main organisation was the Bangladeshis' Educational Needs in Tower Hamlets (BENTH). However this organisation collapesed in 1985 and ended the pro-Sylheti campaign in the borough. Nonetheless Sylheti remained dominant and the domestic
language within the hamlet. This fact is being recognised by Tower Hamlets Council
in the provision of local services in the community.
region bordering what are today the nations of Bangladesh and India and spoken throughout Sylhet Division in Bangladesh (comprising the districts of Sylhet
, Habiganj, Maulvi Bazar and Sunamganj). It is also spoken across the border in the Barak Valley
region of Assam in India, in districts such as Cachar
, Karimganj
, and Hailakandi
all located to the east from Sylhet. There are over 10,000,000 speakers of the language throughout the globe, including 8,000,000 speakers in Bangladesh .
Outside Bangladesh or India, the largest country in which Sylheti is spoken widely is in the United Kingdom
, based on studies, over 95 percent of the British Bangladeshi
community speak Sylheti mostly concentrated in the east London boroughs, and a few in Oldham
and many other cities. Many of these Sylhetis arrived in the UK since the 1960-70s. Today many services provided for the Bengali community in the UK are translated in Sylheti for better understanding, for example in the Royal London Hospital
, translation services (i.e. talking sign) are given in Sylheti. There are also Bangladeshi American
s who speak Sylheti, however it is not much recognized considering that the Sylheti speakers in the United States are spread around the vast country. There are many Bangladeshis that speak Sylheti in Jackson Heights
, New York, Detroit & Hamtramck, Michigan and anywhere around that area .
stops in closely related languages such as Bengali
; a lack of the breathy voice
d stops seen in many other Indic languages; word-final stress; and a relatively large set of loanword
s from Arabic
, Persian
, Bengali
and Assamese
. Sylheti is spoken by about 10 percent of Bangladeshis, but has affected the course of standard Bengali
in the rest of the state.
A notable characteristic of spoken Sylheti is the correspondence of the /x/, pronounced between [k] and [h] from x like the "ch" in Scottish
"Loch" or the "j" in Latin American Spanish "Jalapeño", to the ʃ, or "sh", of Bengali, e.g.
Bengali: Somosto manuṣo svadhīnbhabe somano morjyada ebong odhikaro niye jonmogrohoṇo kore. Tnadero bibeko ebong buddhi ache; sutorang sokoleroi' eke oporer proti bhratṛtvosulabho monôbhabo niye acoroṇo kora uchit.
Sylheti: Xoxol maincor zonmo (h)ōe shwadhin ar xoman babe - izzot ar adhixar loia. Tara hush ar gian uli taxae arox zonor loge ruhani-bhai-itta zanu bebo(h)ār taxe.
Sylheti Transliteration: Hokhol mainchor zonmo oe shadin ar homan babe - izzot ar adikhar loia. Tara hush ar gian uli takhae arokh zonor loge ruhani-bai-itta zanu beboaar takhe.
Meaning: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Sylhet
Sylhet , is a major city in north-eastern Bangladesh. It is the main city of Sylhet Division and Sylhet District, and was granted metropolitan city status in March 2009. Sylhet is located on the banks of the Surma Valley and is surrounded by the Jaintia, Khasi and Tripura hills...
, which is also known as the Surma Valley and is located in the north-eastern region of 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...
, and also spoken in parts of the Northeast Indian states 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...
(the Barak Valley
Barak Valley
Barak Valley is situated in the southern part of the Indian state of Assam.It's another name is East Bengal or Northeast Bengal The main city of the valley is Silchar. The place is named after the Barak river. Barak valley mainly consists of three districts namely Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi...
) and Tripura
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
(the North Tripura district
North Tripura district
North Tripura is an administrative district in the state of Tripura in India. The district headquarters are located at Kailasahar. The district occupies an area of 2821 km² and has a population of 590,655 .-History:...
). It is also spoken by a significant population in the other north-eastern states of 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...
and amongst the large expatriate communities in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and countries of the Gulf States
Arab states of the Persian Gulf
"Arab states of the Persian Gulf" or "Arab Persian Gulf states" or "Persian Gulf Arab states" or "Arabic Persian Gulf states" or "Arab States of The Gulf", are terms that refer to the six Arab states of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, bordering the Persian Gulf....
.
Sylheti is often either considered a dialect of Bengali
Bengali dialects
The dialects of the Bengali language are part of the Eastern Indo-Aryan language group of the Indo-European language family. Borishali , Noakhali , Rongpore , Khulna and Mymonshingh are major spoken dialects in Bangladesh...
as well as a separate language due to significant differences between them all and lack of mutual intelligibility
Mutual intelligibility
In linguistics, mutual intelligibility is recognized as a relationship between languages or dialects in which speakers of different but related languages can readily understand each other without intentional study or extraordinary effort...
. On its own right, it is accepted as a separate language, however it has not been given an official status
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
by the Government of Bangladesh. There is much debate to whether it should be recognized, for example there is greater differences of Sylheti to Bengali, than Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
to Bengali, which is recognised as separate. Most Sylhetis are at least bilingual to some degree, as they are taught Bengali at all levels of education in Bangladesh. Sylhet was part of the ancient kingdom of Kamarupa, and has many common features with Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
, including the existence of a larger set of fricatives than other East Indo-Aryan languages
Indo-Aryan languages
The Indo-Aryan languages constitutes a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages, itself a branch of the Indo-European language family...
. According to George Abraham Grierson
George Abraham Grierson
Sir George Abraham Grierson OM KCIE was born to a prominent Dublin family in 1851. His father and grandfather, both also named George, were well-known printers and publishers.-Biography:Educated at St...
, "The inflections also differ from those of regular Bengali, and in one or two instances assimilate to those of Assamese". Indeed it was formerly written in its own script, Sylheti Nagari
Sylheti Nagari
Sylheti Nagari or Syloti Nagri is the original script used for writing the Sylheti language. It is an almost extinct script, this is because the Sylheti Language itself was reduced to only dialect status after Bangladesh gained independence and because it did not make sense for a dialect to have...
, similar in style to Kaithi
Kaithi
Kaithi , also called "Kayathi" or "Kayasthi", is the name of a historical script used widely in parts of North India, primarily in the former North-Western Provinces, Oudh and Bihar...
but with differences, though nowadays it is almost invariably written in Bengali script
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...
.
History
In the 19th century, the British tea-planters in the area referred to the Sylheti language as Sylhettia. In Assam, the language is still referred to as Srihattiya, the name used in ancient literature. The Sylheti language was written in the SylotiSylheti Nagari
Sylheti Nagari or Syloti Nagri is the original script used for writing the Sylheti language. It is an almost extinct script, this is because the Sylheti Language itself was reduced to only dialect status after Bangladesh gained independence and because it did not make sense for a dialect to have...
-Nagri
Nagri
Nagri is a town and a nagar panchayat in Dhamtari district in the Indian state of Chhattishgarh.-Demographics: India census, Nagri had a population of 6565. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Nagri has an average literacy rate of 67%, higher than the national average of 59.5%:...
script, which is not widely known. Sylhet has a rich heritage of literature in the Sylheti Nagari script going back at least 200 years. The Sylheti Nagari script includes 5 independent vowels, 5 dependent vowels attached to a consonant letter and 27 consonants. The Sylheti Nagari alphasyllabary
Abugida
An abugida , also called an alphasyllabary, is a segmental writing system in which consonant–vowel sequences are written as a unit: each unit is based on a consonant letter, and vowel notation is obligatory but secondary...
differs from the Bengali alphbets as it is a form of Kaithi, a script (or family of scripts) which belongs to the main group of North Indian scripts of Bihar. The writing system's main use was to record religious poetry, described as a rich language and easy to learn. In the 1860s, a Sylheti by the name of Moulvi Abdul Karim spent several years in Europe and learnt the printing trade. After returning home, he designed a woodblock type for the Syloti-Nagri alphabet and founded the Islamia Press in Sylhet Town in about 1870. Other Sylheti presses were established in Sunamgonj, Shillong and Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. These presses fell out of use during the early 1970s. Since then the Syloti-Nagri alphabet has been used mainly by linguists and academics. During the 1971 Liberation War, when all Sylheti Nagari printing presses were destroyed, the writing system came to a halt. After Bangladesh gained independence, the government of the newly formed Bangladesh mandated Bangla
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
studies and the use of the Bengali alphabets as a curriculum to be taught at all levels of education. Efforts to establish Sylheti as a modern language were vigorously opposed by political and cultural forces allied to successive Bangladeshi governments.
Campaigns started to rise in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
during the mid 1970s to mid 1980s to recognise Sylheti as a language on its own right. During the mid 1970s, when the first mother-tongue classes were established for Bangladeshis by a non-Sylheti, Nurul Islam
Nurul Islam (broadcaster)
Nurul Islam was a broadcast journalist, producer and presenter, best known for his work with the World Service at the BBC.-Biography:Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Initially trained as a photographer and an actor...
, the classes were given in Bengali rather than Sylheti which triggered the campaign. During the 1980s, a recognition
Recognition (sociology)
Recognition in sociology is public acknowledgement of person's status or merits .When some person is recognized, he or she is accorded some special status, such as a name, title, or classification...
campaign for Sylheti took place in the area of Spitalfields
Spitalfields
Spitalfields is a former parish in the borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London, near to Liverpool Street station and Brick Lane. The area straddles Commercial Street and is home to many markets, including the historic Old Spitalfields Market, founded in the 17th century, Sunday...
, East End of London
East End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
. One of the main organisation was the Bangladeshis' Educational Needs in Tower Hamlets (BENTH). However this organisation collapesed in 1985 and ended the pro-Sylheti campaign in the borough. Nonetheless Sylheti remained dominant and the domestic
Home
A home is a place of residence or refuge. When it refers to a building, it is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. Animals have their own homes as well, either...
language within the hamlet. This fact is being recognised by Tower Hamlets Council
Tower Hamlets London Borough Council
Tower Hamlets London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in Greater London, England. The council is unusual in that its executive function is controlled by a directly elected mayor of Tower Hamlets, currently Lutfur Rahman.Following the May 2010 election,...
in the provision of local services in the community.
Geographical distribution
Sylheti is the language of the Surma ValleySurma River
The Surma River is a major river in Bangladesh, part of the Surma-Meghna River System. It starts when the Barak River from northeast India divides at the Bangladesh border into the Surma and the Kushiyara rivers. It ends in Kishoreganj District, above Bhairab Bazar, where the two rivers rejoin to...
region bordering what are today the nations of Bangladesh and India and spoken throughout Sylhet Division in Bangladesh (comprising the districts of Sylhet
Sylhet District
The district of Sylhet consists 6754 mosques, 453 temples, 96 churches and four Buddhist temples.-Places of Interests:-Historical:#The Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal#The Shrine of Hazrat Shah Paran#Shahi Eidgah#Gour Govinda Fort#Kean Bridge...
, Habiganj, Maulvi Bazar and Sunamganj). It is also spoken across the border in the Barak Valley
Barak Valley
Barak Valley is situated in the southern part of the Indian state of Assam.It's another name is East Bengal or Northeast Bengal The main city of the valley is Silchar. The place is named after the Barak river. Barak valley mainly consists of three districts namely Cachar, Karimganj, and Hailakandi...
region of Assam in India, in districts such as Cachar
Cachar District
Cachar is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India.-Etymology:The name "Cachar" has derived from the words 'kacha' & 'har'.The district headquarters are located at Silchar...
, Karimganj
Karimganj district
Karimganj District is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located at Karimganj.-Early period:...
, and Hailakandi
Hailakandi district
Hailakandi district was one of the 27 districts of Assam state in north-eastern India. It was constituted as a civil subdivision on 1 June 1869. Subsequently, it was upgraded to district in 1989, when it was split from Cachar district...
all located to the east from Sylhet. There are over 10,000,000 speakers of the language throughout the globe, including 8,000,000 speakers in Bangladesh .
Outside Bangladesh or India, the largest country in which Sylheti is spoken widely is in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, based on studies, over 95 percent of the British Bangladeshi
British Bangladeshi
A British Bangladeshi is a person of Bangladeshi origin who resides in the United Kingdom having emigrated to the UK and attained citizenship through naturalisation or whose parents did so; they are also known as British Bengalis...
community speak Sylheti mostly concentrated in the east London boroughs, and a few in Oldham
Oldham
Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amid the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock, south-southeast of Rochdale, and northeast of the city of Manchester...
and many other cities. Many of these Sylhetis arrived in the UK since the 1960-70s. Today many services provided for the Bengali community in the UK are translated in Sylheti for better understanding, for example in the Royal London Hospital
Royal London Hospital
The Royal London Hospital was founded in September 1740 and was originally named The London Infirmary. The name changed to The London Hospital in 1748 and then to The Royal London Hospital on its 250th anniversary in 1990. The first patients were treated at a house in Featherstone Street,...
, translation services (i.e. talking sign) are given in Sylheti. There are also Bangladeshi American
Bangladeshi American
Bangladeshi Americans are Americans of Bangladeshi descent. The overwhelming majority of Bangladeshi Americans are Bengalis. Most of them have immigrated from Sylhet region with a long trading history. Bangladeshi immigrants arrived in the United States especially since the early 1990s to become...
s who speak Sylheti, however it is not much recognized considering that the Sylheti speakers in the United States are spread around the vast country. There are many Bangladeshis that speak Sylheti in Jackson Heights
Jackson Heights
Jackson Heights may refer to:*Jackson Heights, Queens, an area within the Queens section of New York City*Jackson Heights , a residential neighborhood within the East Tampa district of the City of Tampa, Florida, United States...
, New York, Detroit & Hamtramck, Michigan and anywhere around that area .
Phonology
Sylheti is distinguished by a wide range of fricative sounds, which correspond to aspiratedAspiration (phonetics)
In phonetics, aspiration is the strong burst of air that accompanies either the release or, in the case of preaspiration, the closure of some obstruents. To feel or see the difference between aspirated and unaspirated sounds, one can put a hand or a lit candle in front of one's mouth, and say pin ...
stops in closely related languages such as Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
; a lack of the breathy voice
Breathy voice
Breathy voice is a phonation in which the vocal cords vibrate, as they do in normal voicing, but are held further apart, so that a larger volume of air escapes between them. This produces an audible noise...
d stops seen in many other Indic languages; word-final stress; and a relatively large set of loanword
Loanword
A loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language. By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept where the meaning or idiom is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself. The word loanword is itself a calque of the German Lehnwort,...
s from Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
and Assamese
Assamese language
Assamese is the easternmost Indo-Aryan language. It is used mainly in the state of Assam in North-East India. It is also the official language of Assam. It is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states. Nagamese, an Assamese-based Creole language is widely used in...
. Sylheti is spoken by about 10 percent of Bangladeshis, but has affected the course of standard Bengali
Bengali language
Bengali or Bangla is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script...
in the rest of the state.
A notable characteristic of spoken Sylheti is the correspondence of the /x/, pronounced between [k] and [h] from x like the "ch" in Scottish
Scottish English
Scottish English refers to the varieties of English spoken in Scotland. It may or may not be considered distinct from the Scots language. It is always considered distinct from Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic language....
"Loch" or the "j" in Latin American Spanish "Jalapeño", to the ʃ, or "sh", of Bengali, e.g.
| Bangla | Sylheti | Sylheti Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aslamalikum | Acclamalilxum | Asslamalikhum | Hello (Peace be upon you) |
| Biday nicchi | Allah hafiz | Allaa hafiz | Goodbye (Sylheti: God is your Keeper) |
| Balika; meye | Furi | Furi | Girl |
| Balok; chele | Phua | Fua | Boy |
| Coroṇ sporsho | Xodom boci | Khodom bosi | "Touch the feet" (A welcome/farewell ritual Ritual A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers.... ) |
| Dhaka | Dhaxa | Dhakha | Dacca; Dhaka Dhaka Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city... |
| Dhaka nogor-bhashī | Dhaxaia | Dhakhaia | People of Dhaka region |
| Ek lōk | Egxu maince | Egkhu mainche | A person |
| Ek jon | Ex zone | Ekh zone | Someone |
| Eisomoy | Ebuil | Ebuil | This time |
| Ekon | Ongxu | Ongkhu | Now |
| Haor Haor A haor is a wetland ecosystem in the north eastern part of Bangladesh which physically is a bowl or saucer shaped shallow depression, also known as a backswamp... |
Hāor | Aaor | Shallow wetland Wetland A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions.... |
| Hat | Hāt | Aat | Hand |
| Hindu | Hīndu | Indu | Hinduism Hinduism Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions... |
| Hindustani; Bharotiya Names of India The name India may refer to either the region of Greater India , or to the contemporary Republic of India contained therein.... |
Hīndia | India | People of Hind Hindustan Hindustan or Indostan, literal translation "Land of River Sindhu ", is one of the popular names of South Asia. It can also mean "the land of the Hindus"... (Indian Indian people Indian people or Indisians constitute the Asian nation and pan-ethnic group native to India, which forms the south of Asia, containing 17.31% of the world's population. The Indian nationality is in essence made up of regional nationalities, reflecting the rich and complex history of India... ) |
| Hn̐ush | Hush | Hush | Conscious |
| Jamai | Furir-zamai; damand | Damand | Son-in-law |
| Kiser: kīser | Xixor | Khihor | What (implying in no respect) |
| Konya; meye | Xonia | Khonia | Daughter |
| Manob Jatiyo | Maincor zat | Mainchor zat | Human-kind |
| Osomīya | Axomia | Ahomia | People of Assam (Assamese Assamese people The Assamese people are a well-defined subgroup of People of Assam. Though sometimes they are defined as the Assamese-speaking Indo-Aryans of the Brahmaputra valley,, this definition is not legally binding... ) |
| Onguli; ongul | Anguil | Anguil | Finger; toe |
| Onguri | Anguti; angti | Angti | Finger-ring |
| Ognipokko | Agniphura | Agnifura | Baked; grilled |
| Osidharī | Axaidri | Ahaidri | Swordsman |
| Osur; Osuro Asura -In Hinduism:In Hinduism, the Asuras constitute a group of power-seeking deities, sometimes considered sinful and materialistic. The Daityas and Danavas were combinedly known as Asuras. The Asura were opposed to the Devas. Both groups are children of Kasyapa... |
Axur Ahura Ahura is an Avestan language designation for a particular class of Zoroastrian divinities.-Etymology:Avestan ahura derives from Indo-Iranian *asura, also attested in an Indian context as RigVedic asura... ; Axuria |
Ahura; Ahuria | People of Assyria Assyria Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur... (Assyrian Assyrian people The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia... ) |
| Pakira | Phaixia | Faikhia | Plural of bird; All kinds of Bird species |
| Paki | Phaxi | Fakhi | A (singular) bird |
| Prīti | Phiriti | Firiti | Love |
| Por | Phore; bade | Fore; bade | Later |
| Putrobodhū; bouma | Phuar-bow; bow | Fuar-bow; bow | Daughter-in-law |
| Putro | Phut | Fut | Son |
| Sokol; somosto | Xoxol | Hokhol | All |
| Sara (kon) | Xara (buil) | Hara (buil) | Every (time) |
| Sato Beel Beel A beel or a bheel is a term for a pond with static water , in the Ganges - Brahmaputra flood plains of the Eastern Indian states of West Bengal, and Assam and in the country of Bangladesh... |
Xat Bila | Hat Bila | Seven wetlands |
| Sat Kora | Xat Xora | Hat Khora | Seven Bitters (Sunamganji Citrus Citrus Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China... fruit) |
| Sat bar | Xat-bar | Hat-bar | Seven-times (Sylheti term for lots of time) |
| Sileṭī (স Abugida An abugida , also called an alphasyllabary, is a segmental writing system in which consonant–vowel sequences are written as a unit: each unit is based on a consonant letter, and vowel notation is obligatory but secondary... ) |
Ciloṭia (ছ Abugida An abugida , also called an alphasyllabary, is a segmental writing system in which consonant–vowel sequences are written as a unit: each unit is based on a consonant letter, and vowel notation is obligatory but secondary... ) |
Siloṭia | People of Sylhet |
| Su bhagyo | Allahr Haola | Allaar Aaola | Good luck (Sylheti: With God's Authority) |
| Su tripti; bhalo ruchi | Bexuda bhux | Behuda bhukh | Bon appétit (Sylheti: Excessive apetite) |
| Strī | Bow | Bow | Wife |
| Svamī | Zamai; beṭa | Zamai; beṭa | Husband |
| Svagotom | Marhaba | Marhaba | Welcome |
| Shvoshur | Xoxur | Hohur | Father-in-law |
| Shashuṛī | Xoṛi | Hoṛi | Mother-in-law |
| Shala | Xala | Hala | Brother-in-law |
| Shalī | Xali | Hali | Sister-in-law |
| Shikśa kora | Xixa | Hikha | Learn |
| Shoriṣha | Xoirox | Hoiroh | Mustard |
| Shīẏal | Xial | Hial | Jackal |
| Shunṭki | Xuṭki; xukṭi | Huṭki: hukṭi | Sundried Fish |
| Riksha | Rishka | Rishka | Rickshaw Auto rickshaw An auto rickshaw or three-wheeler is a usually three-wheeled cabin cycle for private use and as a vehicle for hire. It is a motorized version of the traditional pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw... |
| Apnar nam ki? | Aphnar nam xita? | Afnar nam Khita? | What's your name? |
| Daktar asar purbe rugi mara gelo | Daxtor awar ageu bemari mori gece | Dakhtor awar ageu bemari mori gese | Before the doctor came, the patient had died |
| Bohu din dekhi ni | Oto buile na dexlam | Oto buile na dekhlam | Long time no see |
| Kemon achho? | Bhala acoen ni? | Bala asoin ni? | How are you? |
| Bhalo acchi | Shuxur Allahr | Shukhur Allaar | I'm fine (Sylheti: Thanks be to God) |
| Ami tōmake bhalobasi | Ami tumare bhalaphai | Ami tumare balafai | I love you |
| Amar bhalō legeche tōmake | Tumare amar bhala lage | Tumare amar bala lage | I like you |
| Mangser torokariṭa ami bes bhalopeyechi | Ami ghustor calonṭa bhalaphaici | Ami gustor salonṭa balafaisi | I loved the meat curry |
| Mangser torokariṭa amar bhalō legeche | Ghustor calonṭa amar bhala lagce | Gustor salonṭa amar bala lagse | I liked the meat curry |
| Shilchor kon dike pore? | Xilcor xun baidi phorce? | Hilsor khun baidi forse? | Which way to Silchar Silchar Silchar is the headquarters of Cachar district in the state of Assam in India. It is the economic gateway to the state of Mizoram and part of Manipur. It is south east of Guwahati. The city of Silchar has tremendous commercial importance and is the second largest city in the state of Assam... ? |
| Shōwchagar kōthay? | Xocailoe (or leftin) xun xano? | Hosailoe ba liftin khun hano? | Where is the toilet? |
| Eiṭa ki? | Oxṭa xita? | Okhṭa khita? | What is this? |
Bengali: Somosto manuṣo svadhīnbhabe somano morjyada ebong odhikaro niye jonmogrohoṇo kore. Tnadero bibeko ebong buddhi ache; sutorang sokoleroi' eke oporer proti bhratṛtvosulabho monôbhabo niye acoroṇo kora uchit.
Sylheti: Xoxol maincor zonmo (h)ōe shwadhin ar xoman babe - izzot ar adhixar loia. Tara hush ar gian uli taxae arox zonor loge ruhani-bhai-itta zanu bebo(h)ār taxe.
Sylheti Transliteration: Hokhol mainchor zonmo oe shadin ar homan babe - izzot ar adikhar loia. Tara hush ar gian uli takhae arokh zonor loge ruhani-bai-itta zanu beboaar takhe.
Meaning: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.