Bantawa language


The Bantawa language is a Kiranti language spoken in the eastern Himalayan hills of eastern Nepal by Kirati Bantawa ethnic groups. They use a syllabic alphabet system known as Kirat Rai. Among the Khambu or Rai people of Koshi Province in Nepal, Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalimpong in India, Bantawa is the most extensively spoken language. According to the 2001 National Census, at least 1.63% of the Nepal's total population speaks Bantawa. About 370,000 speak Bantawa language mostly in eastern hilly regions of Nepal. Although Bantawa is among the more widely used variety of the Bantawa language, it falls in the below-100,000 category of endangered languages. It is experiencing language shift to Nepali, especially in the northern region.
Bantawa is spoken in subject–object–verb order, and has no noun classes or genders.

Dialects

Most of the Bantawa clan are now settled in Bhojpur, Dharan, Illam, and Dhankuta. Recent figures show most of them are settled in Dharan. Bantawa is spoken in the following districts of Nepal.
Dialects are as follows .
  • Northern Bantawa
  • Southern Bantawa
  • Eastern Bantawa
  • Western Bantawa
  • Wana Bantawa, spoken by the Bantawa subcaste. The Amchoke dialect is spoken in the Limbu area, especially in Ilam district.
Bantawa is also considered as a superior clan in the Kiranti family. Bantawa is also reportedly in use as a lingua franca among Rai minorities in Himalayan Sikkim, Darjeeling Kalimpong In India and Bhutan. Meanwhile, the language is just being introduced in a few schools at the primary level using Devanagari script.
The extinct Waling language attested from the late 19th century may have been a variety of Bantawa, or a closely related language, if not the Hatuwali dialect the Waling people speak today.

Phonology

Vowels

  • vowel comes in Bantawa due to influence of Nepali language and it is rarely used like in other Tibetan Burmese language.
  • nowadays some dialect or in region may pronounce // as , , or .
Example: pronounce as, as.

Consonants

  • Glotta stop is one of the consonants of Bantawa language which is represent by using.
  • Dental consonant and Apico-alveolar does not make any difference while speaking.
  • To write Bantawa language Kirat Sirijunga lipi and Devanagari lipi is being used in Nepal.

    Vocabulary

BantawaIPANepaliEnglish
Sewa सेवाsewäनमस्तेGood Morning/Afternoon/Evening,
Kok कोकkokभातFood, Rice
Khan खानkʰänतरकारीCurry
Münachi मनाचिmɨnätsiमानिसहरूPeople
Diwa दिवाdiwäबाजेGrandfather
Dima दिमाdimäबजूGrandmother
Papa पापाpäpäबुबाFather
Mama मामाmämäआमाMother
Nana नानाnänäदिदीElder-sister
Nichhama निछामाnitsʰmäबहिनीLittle-Sister
Dewa देवाdewäठूलो बुबाUncle elder to dad
Dema देमाdemäबडी आमाAunt Elder to Dad/ Dad's elder sister-in-law
Baŋa बाङाbäŋäकाकाUncle younger to Dad
Chhɨna छ़नाtsʰɨnäकाकीYounger uncle wife
Büwa ब़वाbɨwäदाजुElder Brother
Nichha निछाnit͡sʰäभाइYounger Brother
Nichha'o Chhachi निछा:ओ छाचीnitsʰäʔo tsʰätsiभाइबहिनीका छोराछोरीBrothers' or sisters' children
Aachhuwa, chhuwa आछुवा, छुवाätsʰuwa tsʰuwaमामाMother's younger Brother
Phekwa फेकवाpek-waपैसाMoney
Teet तितtitलुगाCloths
Cha'wa चा:वाt͡säʔwäपानीWater
Mi मिmiआगोFire
Thuli थुलिtʰuliपिठोFlour
Sampicha साम्पिचाsämpit͡säकोदोMillet
Khabat, Wachhon खाबात, वाछोनkʰäwät wät͡sʰonजाडLocally brew wine
Hengmawa हेङमावाheŋmäwäरक्सीRum/Whisky/Brandy
Sa साsäमासुMeat
Chhüna छ़नाt͡sʰɨnäफुपुAunt
Diwa, Dima दिवा, दिमाdiwä dimäहजुरबुवा, हजुरआमाGrandfather, Grandmother
Oyatni ओयात्नीohyätniयहाँ तिरHere
Moyatni मोयात्नीmoyätniत्यहाँ तिरThere
Khada खादाkʰädäकहाँWhere
Demni देम्नीdemniकतिHow
Unni उन्नीunniयति मात्रThis much
Chama चामाt͡sämäखानुto Eat
Tücha त़चाtɨ t͡säखाने हो?Do you want to eat?
Kok Tücha? कोक त़चा ?kok tɨ t͡säखाना खाने हो ?Do you eat rice?
Küngkɨŋदातteeth
Ütloɨt-loनराम्रो, खराबbad
Munima मुनिमाmunimäबिरालोCat