The Tanchangya language is one of the eleven indigenous languages spoken in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Mizoram, Tripura, and Rakhine State. Despite the common belief that it is a Tibeto-Burman language, it is categorized as a Indo-Aryan language.[2] It is closely related to Chakma, Chittagonian, Noakhali and Rohingya languages. It is primarily spoken by the Tanchangyas people.[3]

Tanchangya
𑄖𑄧𑄐𑄴𑄌𑄧𑄁𑄉𑄴𑄡
'Tanchangya' in Tanchangya/Chakma script
Pronunciation[ˈtɒntĘƒÉ’Å‹É›]
Native toBangladesh
RegionChittagong Hill Tracts (Bangladesh)
Mizoram and Tripura (India)
Rakhine State (Myanmar)
EthnicityTanchangya
Native speakers
46,000 (2022)[1]
Tanchangya alphabet
Language codes
ISO 639-3tnv
Glottologtang1330
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Vocabulary

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Tanchangya has many words from Indo-Aryan languages. It also maintains some Burmanised words, particularly in Buddhist terminologies.

Ancient Tanchangya

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The original words of Tanchangya are believed to be from ancient Tanchangya.[4]

Tanchangya English
Awga (āĻ…āĻ—āĻž) Uneducated, uncivilised
Awnsur (āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϏ⧁āĻ°ā§) Regularly, always
Awnawpinaw (āĻ…āύ-āĻĒāĻŋāύ); Awnaw-sawnaw (āĻ…āύ- āϏāύāĻ…) Insane, foolish
Awrawk (āĻ…āϰāĻ•ā§) Nest
Hawla (āĻšāϞāĻž) Fry, thick shrub bushes
Awsangya (āĻ…āϏāĻžāĻ™ā§āϝāĻž); Besangya (āĻŦ⧇āϏāĻžāĻ™ā§āϝāĻž) An unmarriageable relation
A-uk/Aruk (āφ-āωāĻ•ā§, āφāϰ⧁āĻ•ā§) Picture; Sketch

Tibeto-Burman

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Although it does not belong to the Tibeto-Burman language family, many Buddhist terms can be found in Tanchangya.[5]

Foreign words

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In Tanchangya, words derived from Arabic, Portuguese, and English can be found.

Tanchangya Arabic/Portuguese English
Awktaw (āĻ…āĻ•ā§āϤ) Owakta (Arabic) Time
Gawrba (āĻ—āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻž) Gorba(Arabic) Guest
Gamala/Gabala (āĻ—āĻžāĻŦāĻžāϞāĻž, āĻ—āĻžāĻŽāĻžāϞāĻž) Gamela (Portuguese) Bucket
Balti (āĻŦāĻžāĻ˛ā§āϤāĻŋ) Balde (Portuguese) Bucket

Chakma

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Outside of the Tanchangya tribe, there is a common belief that there is no difference between Tanchangya and the Chakma language.[6]

Tanchangya Chakma English
Bitsyawl Bijol Smooth
Pawd, Jangal Pawt Road
Awna sawna Awnaw sawnaw Half-brain
Diri, Bilawng Dighol Long time

References

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  1. ↑ Tanchangya at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
  2. ↑ Debnath, Rupak (2008). Ethnographic Study of Tanchangya of CHT, CADC, Sittwe, and South Tripura. Kolkata: Kreativmind, India. p. 167.
  3. ↑ Debnath, Rupak (2008). Ethnographic Study of Tanchangya of CHT, CADC, Sittwe, and South Tripura. Kolkata: Kreativmind, India. p. 71.
  4. ↑ Roti Kanta Tanchangya (2000): 62-65
  5. ↑ Debnath, Rupak (2008). Ethnographic Study of Tanchangya of CHT, CADC, Sittwe, and South Tripura. Kolkata: Kreativmind, India. p. 88.
  6. ↑ "An Analysis of the Ethno-Linguistic Roots and Connections of the Chakma-Tanchangya People" (PDF). Dr Satyakam Phukan's Webpages. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
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