Mara language
Mara | |
---|---|
Mara (Lakher) | |
Pronunciation | [m̥ara] |
Native to | Mizoram, India; Burma |
Ethnicity | Mara people |
Native speakers | ca. 55,000 (1994–2001)[1] |
Sino-Tibetan
| |
Dialects |
Tlosaih (lingua franca)
Chapi-Ngephe
Hawthai-Lochei
Zyhno-Lelai
Vytu-Zyphei
|
Latin | |
Official status | |
Recognised minority language in |
Mizoram |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 |
mrh |
Glottolog |
mara1382 [2] |
Mara is a language spoken by Mara people living in 60 villages of Chhimtuipui district, southern Mizoram, India and the adjacent people living in Burma.
The Mara language belongs to the Kukish branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. The speakers of the language are also known as Mara.
Mara is a recognised language in the School curriculum of Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC). Mara is a compulsory subject for all schools up to Class VII (Middle School) under Board of School Education, MADC.
Statistics
- Population: 47,000 in India (2007), 37,000 in Burma (2007).
- Region: Lushai Hills (India), Chin Hills (Burma)
- Alternate names: Lakher, Mara, Maram, Mira, Zao, Shendu
- Dialects: Tlôsaih, Chapi, Zyhno, Hawthai,lôchei, Saby, Lialai, Vytu, etc.
Mara Alphabet
Mara Alphabet (capital letters) A, AW, Y, B, CH, D, E, F, H, I, K, L, M, N, NG, O, Ô, P, R, S, T, U, V, Z
Mara Alphabet (small letters): a, aw, y, b, ch, d, e, f, h, i, k, l, m, n, ng, o, ô, p, r, s, t, u, v, z
Mara diphthongs: ao, yu, ai, ei, ia, ie, ua
Grammar
Plurals
The plural form of a noun is formed by affixing one of the following terms to the end of the noun:
- zy(zeu)
- zydua(zeu-dua)
- naw
- sahlao(sha-hlawh)
Words inside bracket were how a foreign author N.E. Parry (1937) wrote according to his understanding of the sound. But now the Maras have their own alphabet and the correct usages are put up there.
Interrogative words in Mara
What : Khâpa, Khâpa-e, Khâpamaw
Where : Khataih la, Khataih liata
How : kheihta, kheihawhta, Khatluta, Kheihta rai maw
How much? : Khazie?
How long? : Khachâ e, Khachâ maw?
When : Khatita, khatita-e, Khapa nota, nota, tita, nahta, pata, Conj. thlaita, khati nota
Why : Khazia, Khazia-e, Khazia maw, Khapa vata
Why not : Khazia a châ vei chheih aw
Whose : Kheihawpa, Kheihawpa he, Kheihawhpa-e, Kheihawhpa maw, ahy he maw
Which : Kheihawpa, Kheihawpa he, Kheihawhpa-e, Kheihawhpa maw, ahy he maw
Friend : Viasa
Male Friend : Viasa Paw
Female Friend : Viasa Nô
Walk/Go : Sie (Pheita Sie)
Run : Ârâ
Sleep : Âmô, Âzia, Âpazawh
See : Mo, hmô
Sit : Âtyuh
Stand : Âduah
Jump : Âzaw
Hit : Âchô
Eat : Nie
Drink : Doh
Adjectives
Adjectives are placed before the word they qualify. e.g., A good man) When an adjective is used to complete the predicate of a sentence, a pronominal particle agreeing with the subject is placed before the adjective.
Pronouns
Singular:
- 1st person-keima or kei I
- 2nd person-nama or na You
- 3rd person-ano or a or ama' He,She,It
Plural:
- 1st person-eima We
- 2nd person-namo, nama You
- 3rd person-amo They
Possessive Pronouns
- Singular
- Keima, ei - my.
- keima ha, kei ei - mine.
- Nama, na - Thy(You)
- Nama ha, na ei - Thine(Yours)
- Ama, Ana - Him, Her, It.
- Ama ei, a ei - His, Hers, Its.
*Plural.
- Keimo - Our.
- Keimo ei, Keimo ha - Ours.
- Namo - Your.
- Namo ei, namo ha - Yours.
- Amo, a-mei - Their.
- Amo ei, amo ha - Theirs.
The demonstrative pronouns are the same as the double forms of the demonstrative adjectives. There are many indefinite pronouns, e.g.:-
- Khapamatavei - Nothing.
- Khaparai - Anything.
- Ato - Everything.
- Khapaleipa - Something.
- Khapama - Something or other.
- Aheumatavei - Nobody.
- Aheurai/ ahyrai - Any one.
- Aheu-tleuma - Some one, a certain one.
- Atlapi - Some . . . others.
- Ahrangpa - Another, others.
- Ama Zyduata - All.
References
http://www.marasaw.com/english-mara.html
- ↑ Mara at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
- ↑ Nordhoff, Sebastian; Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2013). "Mara (Lakher)". Glottolog. Leipzig: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
External links
- Marasaw.com To make Mara Language accessible to everyone!
- Maraland.NET Home of Mara language speaking people
- Maraland.org MITCS website
- A grammar and dictionary of the Lakher language (1908) (Scanned book at the Internet Archive)
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