Rade language


Rade is an Austronesian language of southern Vietnam. There may be some speakers in Cambodia. It is a member of the Chamic subgroup, and is closely related to the Cham language of central Vietnam.

Classification

Đoàn Văn Phúc provides the following classification for the Rade dialects. Đoàn also provides a 1,000-word vocabulary list for all of the nine Rade dialects.
  • Area 1
  • *Area 1.1: Krung, Kpă, Adham
  • *Area 1.2: Drao. Êpan, Ktul
  • *Blô
  • Area 2
  • *Mdhur
  • *Bih
Đoàn Văn Phúc assigns the following cognacy percentages for comparisons between Kpă and the other eight dialects of Rade, with Bih as the most divergent dialect.
  • Kpă – Krung: 85.5%
  • Kpă – Adham: 82%
  • Kpă – Ktul: 82%
  • Kpă – Mdhur: 80%
  • Kpă – Blô: 82%
  • Kpă – Êpan: 85%
  • Kpă – Drao: 81%
  • Kpă – Bih: 73%

    Dialects

Đoàn Văn Phúc lists nine dialects of Rade. They are spoken mostly in Đắk Lắk Province in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam.
Bih, which has about 1,000 speakers, may be a separate language. Tam Nguyen reported that there are only 10 speakers of Bih out of an ethnic population of about 400 people.
A patrilineal Rade subgroup known as the Hmok or Hmok Pai is found in the Buôn Ma Thuột area.

Phonology

The spelling is shown in italics.

Consonants

  • The voiced implosives are also described as "preglottalized stops".
  • * has slight friction.
  • *There is an optional schwa between the bilabial plosives and. Thus pra "scaffold" is pronounced.
  • * is weakened before most consonants, except before the liquids where there may be a schwa. Compare mčah "broken" and mla "tusk".
  • When other consonants is followed by, there may be a schwa or coarticulation. Compare trah "to fish", tlao "to laugh", dlao "to scold", dhan "branch", jhat "bad", ghang "to roast".
  • can also be heard as a more bilabial.
  • Glottalized final consonant sounds are heard only in final position.

    Vowels

  • are central.

    Vocabulary

  • Khoa sang – the most senior in age and authority
  • Dega – Protestant of Christian
  • Ih – you
  • Ung – husband
  • Ñu – her/him
  • Diñu – they
  • Drei – we
  • Khăp – love
  • Bi êmut – hate
  • idai – younger sibling
  • amĭ – mom/mother
  • yah – grandma/grandmother
  • aê – grandma/grandfather
  • Ama – father, dad daddy
  • Jhat – ugly, bad
  • Siam – pretty
  • Siam mniê – beautiful girl
  • Jăk – good
  • Khăp – love
  • Brei – give
  • Djŏ – true
  • Nao – go
  • Kâo – I/me
  • anăn – name
  • Čar – country
  • Čiăng – want/like
  • Aê Diê – God
  • Blŭ – speak
  • Klei blŭ – language
  • Bur – rice porridge
  • Êmŏng – fat
  • Êwang – skinny
  • Jŭ – black
  • Hriê/hrê – to be from
  • Mơ̆ng – from
  • Sa, dua, tlâo, pă, êma – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
  • Năm, kjuh, sa-băn, dua-păn, pluh: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
  • Čar Mi/čar amêrik – America
  • Čar Kŭr – Cambodia
  • Anak – person
  • Hriăm – learn
  • Roă/ruă – sound of displeasure/pain
  • Ƀuôn Ama Y'Thuôt – Buôn Ma Thuột
  • Čih – type/write
  • Klei Mi – English
  • Klei Êđê – Rade/Ede
  • loo – A lot
  • klei Prăng-xê – French
  • mluk-crazy