Sino-Tibetan language spoken in India
Mao, also known as Sopvoma, is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Angami–Pochuri linguistic sub-branch.[2] It is spoken primarily in Senapati district, northwestern Manipur and in Nagaland, India. It is similar to Angami.[3]The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.[4]
Phonology
Consonants
- /t͡ʃʰ/ and /w/ only rarely occur, and with /t͡ʃʰ/ only occurring in word-initial position.
- The pre-aspirated voiceless /ʰr̥/, may have a word-initial allophone of [ʂ], [ʂ] rarely occurs phonemically.
- [ɡ] only occurs marginally from loanwords.
- /t̪, p͡f/ in word-initial position may be heard as [t̪ʰ, p͡fʰ] in free variation, rarely as phonemic.
- /h/ may have an allophone of [x] word-initially, word medially in free variation. [x] rarely occurs as a phoneme.
- /m/ before a central vowel /ɨ/ can have an allophone of a labiodental [ɱ].
- /n/ before high vowel sounds can have an allophone of a palatalized [nʲ].
Vowels
- [ə] only occurs inter-morphemically.
- /ɨ/ can be heard as rounded [ʉ] in free variation.
- In word-initial position, /i, u/ can be lowered to [ɪ, ʊ].
- /e, o/ can be lowered to [ɛ, ɔ] in word-final position.[5]
References
- ^ "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues – 2011". censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
- ^ "Mao (Naga) language and alphabet". omniglot.com. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
- ^ "Mao (Naga) language and alphabet". omniglot.com. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
- ^ "Meitei | Ethnologue". Ethnologue. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ Giridhar, P. P. (1994). Mao Naga Grammar. Mysore: Central Institute of Indian Languages.
