Larong language
Larong or Zlarong is a recently documented Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Zogang and Markam counties of southeastern Chamdo, Tibet. It was recently documented by Zhao and Suzuki & Nyima. Zhao tentatively classifies Zlarong as a Qiangic language.
Names
Larong is referred to by the Changdu Gazetteer as Rumei 如美话, as it is spoken in Rumei Township 如美乡, Markam County.Zhao reports the autonym ' and the Tibetan exonym ' for the speakers. Their language is referred to as ' by speakers, and by Tibetans as '.
Nyina & Suzuki report the autonym m̥a55, which is identical to the Drag-yab autonym also reported by them.
Jiang refers to the language as Laronghua.
Locations
- Renguo Township 仁果乡, Mdzo sgang County 左贡县, including the village of Phagpa 坝巴村
- Cuowa Township 措瓦乡, Markam County 芒康县
- Rumei Township 如美镇, Markam County 芒康县, including the village of Tangre Chaya 达日村
- Qudeng Township 曲登乡, Markam County 芒康县
| Township, County | Villages |
| Renguo Township 仁果乡, Dzogang | Dongba 东坝村, Deqinggang, Zuoke 左科村, Xindi 新德村, Shalong 沙龙村, Paba 坝巴村, Jiaka 加卡村, Languo 兰果村, Woba, etc. |
| Cuowa Township 措瓦乡, Markham | Tongsha 通沙村, Wuba, Zhongri 仲日村, Kuzi 库孜村, Taya 它亚村, Dangreqiaya, etc. |
| Rumei Town 如美镇, Markham | Rumei 如美村, Zhuka 竹卡村, Lawu 拉乌村, and Dari 达日村 |
| Qudeng Township 曲登乡, Markham | Qudeng 曲登村 and Dengba 登巴村 |
A computational phylogenetic analysis by Jiang shows that Rumei to be the most divergent Chamdo, and is not closely related to the Larong dialect of Zogang County.
Dialects
Larong is spoken in four townships in the Larong valley, along the Lancang River. The four townships are:- Ringo
- Tshonga : Larong villages are Tshonga, Rushul, Thosa, Thaya, Drori, and Kuze
- Rongsmad : Larong speakers in entire town
- Choedan : Dempa and Choedan village clusters, both Larong-speaking
Classification
Suzuki & Nyima note that Zlarong is closely related to two other recently documented Sino-Tibetan languages of Chamdo, eastern Tibet, namely Lamo and Drag-yab.Phonology
Suzuki & Nyima report the following phonemes from the Tangre Chaya dialect of Larong.Prenasalisation and preaspiration appear as a preinitial.
Suzuki & Nyima report that each vowel has a creaky and nasalized counterpart.
Syllable structure: cCGV
Tones are high and rising. The first two syllables of each word act as the tone bearing unit. The second syllable is occasionally out of the tone bearing unit.
Vocabulary
Zhao lists the following Zlarong words.| Gloss | Zlarong |
| name | mɛ˥ |
| medicine | rɛ˥˧ |
| cloth | rɛ˩˧ |
| ice | ndza˥ |
| you | ȵo˥˧ |
| horse | rɛ˥˧ |
| road | rə˩˧ |
| blood | sɛ˥˧ |
| meat | tɕʰi˩˧ |
| urine | pi˩˧ |
| snow | wi˩˧ |
| water | tɕi˥ |
| smoke | mu˥kʰu˥ |
| wind | ma˧˩mi˥ |
| cloud | ndə˥rə˥ |
| belly | wu˩˧ |
| white | tʂʰɔ̃˧˩tʂʰɔ̃˥˧ |
| black | ȵi˧˩ȵi˥˧ |
| red | nɛ˥nɛ˥˧ |
| yellow | nɛ˥nɛ˥˧ |
| short | wɛ˧˩wɛ˥˧ |
| wide | pʰa˥pʰa˥˧ |
| thick | mbo˧˩mbo˥ |
| fish | ȵɛ˩˧ |
| sand | tɕy˧˩mɛ˥˧ |
| doctor | mɛ̃˥pɛ˥˧ |
| ground | sɛ˥˧ |
| zero | lɛ˥kɔ˥ |
| one | ti˩˧kʰi˥ |
| two | nɛ˧˩ji˥˧ |
| three | sɔ̃˩˧ |
| four | ɣə˩˧ |
| five | ŋa˩˧ |
| six | tɕʰu˩˧ |
| seven | ȵɛ˩˧ |
| eight | ɕɛ˩˧ |
| nine | ŋgo˩˧ |
| ten | a˥kõ˥ |