Phom is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Phom Nagas of Nagaland, Northeast India. Its speakers are primarily found in Longleng District and in few parts of bordering districts. The Phom language is written in Latin script and consists of 27 letters.
Alternate names for Phom language includes Phom, Phom shah. "Shah" is the Phom word for language. A Morung is called Pang and log drums, popular in Phom tradition are referred to as Shem.
Phonology
All phonological charts are from Burling (1998).
| Bilabial | Alveolar | Postalveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop | aspirated | pʰ | tʰ | ʈ͡ʂʰ | kʰ | ||
| unaspirated | p | t | ʈ͡ʂ | k | |||
| Fricative | voiceless | ʂ | h | ||||
| voiced | ʐ | ||||||
| Nasal | m | n | ɲ | ŋ | |||
| Approximant | w | l | j | ||||
Vocabulary
A large part of the vocabulary of Phom is inherited from proto-Sino-Tibetan.
| Meaning | Old Chinese | Written Tibetan | Written Burmese | Phom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "I" | 吾 *ŋa | nga | ŋa | ngei |
| "you" | 汝 *njaʔ | – | naŋ | nüng |
| "not" | 無 *mja | ma | ma' | nüvai |
| "two" | 二 *njijs | gnyis | hnac < *hnit | nyi |
| "three" | 三 *sum | gsum | sûm | jem |
| "five" | 五 *ŋaʔ | lnga | ŋâ | nga |
| "six" | 六 *C-rjuk | drug | khrok < *khruk | vok |
| "sun", "day" | 日 *njit | nyi-ma | ne < *niy | nyih |
| "name" | 名 *mjeŋ | ming | ə-mañ < *ə-miŋ | men |
| "eye" | 目 *mjuk | mig | myak | mük |
| "fish" | 魚 *ŋja | nya | ŋâ | nyah |
| "dog" | 犬 *kʷʰenʔ | khyi | khwe < *khuy | shi |
References
- ^ "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues - 2011". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 July 2018.