In this article, the topic of Dhimalish languages will be addressed from a multidisciplinary approach, with the purpose of providing a broad and complete vision of this topic. Different perspectives and recent studies will be analyzed to offer the reader a deep and up-to-date understanding of Dhimalish languages. In addition, possible implications and practical applications of this topic in various areas will be explored, in order to highlight its relevance in contemporary society. Through this article, we seek to generate reflection and debate around Dhimalish languages, thus contributing to the enrichment of knowledge and the promotion of critical thinking.
Dhimalish | |
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Geographic distribution | India, Nepal |
Linguistic classification | Sino-Tibetan
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Subdivisions | |
Glottolog | dhim1245 |
The Dhimalish languages, Dhimal and Toto, are a small group of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, and the Jalpaiguri division of West Bengal, India.
Hammarström, et al. note in Glottolog that Dhimalish is best considered to be a separate Sino-Tibetan branch rather than as a subgroup of Brahmaputran (Sal), and consider Dhimalish as failing to show sufficient Brahmaputran diagnostic vocabulary. Sotrug (2015) considers Dhimalish to be particularly closely related to the Kiranti languages rather than to the Sal languages.
Grollmann & Gerber (2017) consider Lhokpu to have a particularly close relationship with Dhimal and Toto.
Gerber & Grollmann (2018) group Dhimal, Toto, and Lhokpu within Central-Eastern Kiranti.
Sanyal (1973:77–81) provides a comparative word list of Toto from Sunder (1895) and George Abraham Grierson's Linguistic Survey of India, and Dhimal from Brian Houghton Hodgson.
English gloss | Toto (Sunder) | Toto (Grierson) | Dhimal (Hodgson) | Page no. |
---|---|---|---|---|
air | bingah | – | – | 77 |
ass | – | pangbu | – | 77 |
brother | eh | apu; e | yolla | 77 |
belly | – | pa-ma | hemang | 77 |
back | – | ju-ma | gandi | 77 |
brinjal | bengini | – | – | 77 |
bird | – | bakhi | jiha | 77 |
behind | – | no | – | 77 |
blood | viti | – | – | 77 |
beat | – | sapu | – | 77 |
before | – | dongangta | – | 77 |
bullock | pekah-dambe | – | – | 77 |
cat | minki | minki | dankha-menko | 77 |
cock | odangpa | keka | dhangai-kai | 77 |
come quickly | to-to-wa-wang | le-le | dhi-dhi | 77 |
cow | – | pika | mahani-pia | 77 |
daughter | memi-cheng | chai-me | chamdi | 77 |
devil | – | jishang | – | 77 |
duck | hangsa | hangsa | hangs | 77 |
die | – | sipuna | sili | 77 |
dog | kia | kia | khia | 77 |
down | – | lijuing | – | 77 |
door | lafoong | – | duar | 77 |
eat | – | char | chabi | 77 |
eye | michu | – | mi | 77 |
eyebrow | mimu | – | – | 77 |
elephant | hati | – | – | 77 |
elder sister | anna | – | – | 77 |
evening | jilong | – | – | 78 |
ear | nanoong | – | naha-thong | 78 |
far | – | hinda-mina | – | 78 |
fire | meh | megue | mau | 78 |
forehead | ting-ang | – | – | 78 |
foot | tang-ba | – | kokoi | 78 |
father | appa | apa | aba | 78 |
of father | – | apak | – | 78 |
two fathers | – | apa-nisa | – | 78 |
fish | ngya | – | – | 78 |
fever | haina | – | – | 78 |
good | – | entana | – | 78 |
give | – | picha | – | 78 |
girl | chame | – | – | 78 |
god | – | iswal | – | 78 |
go north | enta-vatu | – | – | 78 |
go east | nuta-vatu | – | – | 78 |
go south | leta-vatu | – | – | 78 |
go west | dita-vatu | – | – | 78 |
go | vatu; hatu | chhapur | hadeli | 78 |
hair | puring | puring | poshom | 78 |
he | – | – | wa | 78 |
he-goat | edang | – | – | 78 |
horse | onyah | aia | – | 78 |
high | – | hinda-nina | – | 78 |
hand | kooe | kui | khur | 78 |
his | uko | – | oko, wang | 78 |
head | pudung | pudang | purin | 78 |
house | – | sa | sa | 78 |
I | kug-ve | kate | ka | 78 |
iron | – | chaka | chir | 78 |
jackfruit | dangse | – | – | 79 |
jungle bamboo | – | – | – | 79 |
lips | megoe | – | – | 79 |
leg | kok-koi | – | khokoi | 79 |
lime | churai | – | – | 79 |
man | – | deya | waved | 79 |
mother | aeu | aio | amma | 79 |
mouth | noohgung | – | – | 79 |
monkey | nokka | – | – | 79 |
milk | yoti | – | – | 79 |
moon | tari | tari | tali | 79 |
morning | habkong | – | – | 79 |
nose | nabboh | – | – | 79 |
nails | kushing | – | – | 79 |
near | – | abeto | – | 79 |
night | lishong | – | – | 79 |
no | – | ma-koe | – | 79 |
orange | santra | – | – | 79 |
our | kongo | – | king | 79 |
pig | pakka | – | – | 79 |
pan leaf | parai | – | – | 79 |
plantain | eungpi | – | – | 79 |
plantain tree | eungpi | – | – | 79 |
paddy | mabe | – | – | 79 |
river | tihana | – | – | 79 |
rain | vathi | – | – | 79 |
rice | unku | – | – | 79 |
rice-beer | eu | – | – | 79 |
run | – | tui | – | 79 |
rupee | tanka | – | – | 79 |
sister | – | ing | rima | 79 |
sun | sani | chhani | bela | 79 |
son | chung | chao, chaoa | chau | 79 |
stand | – | lo-lo | – | 79 |
star | puima | – | – | 79 |
salt | ngi | – | – | 80 |
sit | – | iyung | yongli | 80 |
tiger | koogah | – | – | 80 |
thigh | vybe | – | – | 80 |
thou | – | na-ga | – | 80 |
tree | singe | – | – | 80 |
tooth | shitang | – | sitong | 80 |
tongue | lebek | – | detong | 80 |
up | – | jujuntaye | – | 80 |
water | ti | ti | chi | 80 |
we | – | na-te | kyel | 80 |
woman | – | mem-bi | beval | 80 |
wife | – | me | be | 80 |
who | – | ha | jeti-siti | 80 |
why | – | ha-ranga | haipali | 80 |
younger sister | ing | – | – | 80 |
yes | – | ke | he | 80 |
you | naga | – | nye | 80 |
1 | eoo | che | e-long | 80 |
2 | nih-hu | ne | gne-long | 80 |
3 | soongu | sung | sum-long | 80 |
4 | diu | ji | dia-long | 80 |
5 | ngyu | nga | na-long | 80 |
6 | tuu | tu | tu-long | 80 |
7 | niu | dun | nhu-long | 80 |
8 | yau | ge, ne | ye-long | 80 |
9 | kuu | gu | kuha-long | 80 |
10 | thau | chu-tamba | te-long | 80 |
20 | chuniso | nisa | e-long-bisha | 81 |
100 | nakai | nga-kai | na-long-bisha | 81 |