Raji–Raute languages


Raji–Raute is a branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family that includes the three closely related languages, namely Raji, Raute, and Rawat. They are spoken by small hunter-gatherer communities in the Terai region of Nepal and in neighboring Uttarakhand, India.
Like some other Tibeto-Burman languages, Raji–Raute languages have voiceless sonorants.

Classification

Raute and Rawat are closely related; Raji is more distantly related. Fortier classifies the Raji–Raute languages as follows. Note that language varieties that classify within the Rawat subgroup are known by various names; Raute of Dadeldhura/Darchula is taxonomically a Rawat language, and is not to be confused with Raute proper.
;Raji–Raute
  • Raute–Rawat
  • *Raute
  • *Rawat
  • **Rajwar
  • **Rawat
  • ***Rawat
  • ***Raute of Dadeldhura/Darchula
  • Raji
  • *Naukule
  • *Bandale, Purbia

    Schorer (2016)

Schorer classifies Raji–Raute as part of his newly proposed Magaric languages|Greater Magaric] group.
;Greater Magaric
A database of 700 words for items from households of Raute and Ban Rawat speakers indicates a largely Sino-Tibetan language ancestry. Deep Root items include 58 words of Sino-Tibetan origin and 7 of Austroasiatic origin. Proto-family items include 281 morphemes of Proto-Tibeto-Burman origin. Meso-root, or subfamily items include 34 words of Proto-Kuki-Chin origin, 23 of Proto-Tani origin, 6 of Proto-Tangkulic origin, and 1 of Northern Chin origin. The database omits most loans of Indo-Aryan origin although 43 items were of Sanskrit origin. Work remains on identifying etymologies of the remaining 247 items in the Raute–Rawat database.

Distribution

Raji-Raute varieties are spoken in the following areas of Nepal and India.
The comparative vocabulary lists of Raji and Raute below are from Rastogi & Fortier. Rastogi & Fortier also provide Purbia Raji and Janggali Raute forms.

Swadesh list

The following is a 100-word Swadesh list from Rastogi & Fortier.
No.English glossRawati Khamci
1Inaangaa
2you, thounangnaa, nhhang
3wenaani jammaangaa, na, nani
4thisaiii
5thataiyaahe
6whochuin'se; tse, nhhamʔ
7whathuhai, hang
8nothaanai, nā
9alljammaa ~ jammalmwalyae
10manyjikkalbo-kani, bo, buoh
11onedaa, gadaa
12twonii ~ nhiinhi
13bigbai-inaaghaare
14longlang
15smallʈuhaa, chui-celhhaʔ
16womanmaʈhialaaumaakhala, umaa
17manmanjhaba, s'ye; s'yela, māukyaa
18personmancami: mur; murka, mukala
19fishboraagaah, gap
20birdgidhaabwaah, buaʔ
21dogkuiikwui
22lousesirashuhroh
23treeshiings'iu; tsiu, shing
24seedbiye
25leafhuwaah, huwaa-aa, khuaahwaah, waʔ
26rootjadaogoy, nyuri, dz'ra
27barksiing khallawthaapa, thakpa
28skinkhallyaikiri; kriakaa, kirikyae
29flesh syas'yaa, yaa, pyaa, s'iu, shiaeʔ
30bloodkhuis'ui, ks'ap
31bonehaɖanghaare, haar'm
32greasege; gela
33egganɖaabhi; bhibhiya, bhiya
34hornsioangsikk'm
35tailpucheraamuahta, mukyae
36featherpakhaaphakaa, pwohx
37hairhaamuurung
38headgaɽaagaraah, g'rhha
39earghunaa, hunaagunaah
40eyemhiike, niikemikaah; mhiiga
41noseshinaa'sinaah, shinga
42mouthkhaaberchyu, mu
43toothdaaɽos'wāah, tshwa
44tonguejibaiɽolaale, muuhm, mhhwOm
45fingernailnhiangleehm, lhhel
46footbhaa, panjaabhaah
47kneepuhaiphukh, gaʈho
48handhakaiaakhaa
49belly laadoguduu, gudong, photo
50neckgardhanmanto, m'nthu, ghaature
51breastcuccasusi
52heartpaatii, mutu
53livermulyaakharabdaah, bara
54drinktungjhum, jaaya, hum, ti-I, tì
55eatjaako, jale, jaa-aajaa; jaaku; jaaya, ka; kaare
56bitekaika; kaiyaa, k'I
57seeguhebigaap, bighhae
58hearhuung-yeguno, gunaare
59knowdahau
60sleepiishes'ii; s'iyaah, she, kwih
61dieshiiyas'i; s'iya
62killhaate-koath-oh
63swimraa pekha-buwa, bou-kha-buwa, bowti
64flybobwaah, pharaei
65walkhwaa-I, khwa
66comebiir/hi-irbi; biye, bi-e, pi-ye
67liejhuʈi-haa-syaalat
68sitkhuung yaasweh, sweh guni; aysapha, dzuye
69standyekiphuyo; phayaah, phuyu
70givebai-y, baikonyaa; bayaa, khaalu
71saynekokhaama ; thi-i, shi dhaami
72sundiihobel, berh, dhāmu
73moondunnaajhyunna, bair, berh
74startaaraatui-tui
75watertii, chitsi
76rainbarkhaas'gyae, tii-i
77stone
78sandballyaabolyaa
79earthdexadesha , samsar
80clouddiihodewaah, dewaʔ
81smokedhukaāh, dhuma
82firebhåoy / mhaimhe:h, muhèi
83ashdhulikuhli, duhri, dhulo
84burnlung
85pathyongyaun-khyaa-nu, yung
86mountainbiʈʈaa; dhaɽe manam ; malam, kheɖ'
87redʈulhariyaatui, sha
88greenhariyo / hariyahwaa, kamaiyo, k'm'iu
89yellowpero, piilèbyaalo, hwi-byelo, p'rhho
90whitedhauryadhyaulyaa, dhyaurya, dhauɽia, ghouraya
91blacktuknahaatokaanye, namaro
92nightgairegadhir
93hotgamma chunu, ghohnohw
94coldʈhanɖa jungha, dzung
95fullbharatajimai, bwohb
96newnongniu, nhu; n'u
97goodnhikahnamar, lagalo
98roundbaʈulo
99drykaarau we karaao
100namenaammiĩhga

Body parts

Rastogi & Fortier list the following body part terms.
No.English glossRawati Khamci
1armpa:ti arkha:, wa:u
2bellyla:do 1. photo ; 2. gudu ~ gudong;
3bloodkhui1. s'ui:; 2. kshap
4breastcuccisusi
5earghuna ~ hunaguna:
6eyeni:hkemi:hka
7fingeraguliyahubela
8fingernailnihanglem ~ le:hng ~ li:hm
9footbhaabhaa
10hairhaamu ~ hamo ~ ha ngo
11handhaake a:khaa, la:ku
12headgaraagaraa
13hip, buttockss'yi-li
14goiterkok
15knee, jointpuhei ~ puhai ~ puherphuk
16legbhaa
17lipautha cyure; cyura
18mouthkhaaber1. cyure; 2. mu ~ mu:hm: ~ mum
19neckgardhan 1. manto; mani; 2. ghaature
20nipple, breastchuchu
21noses'innatsinaa ~ sinaa
22nostrilsdhodo
23shoulderskadhang kum
24skinkhallyaikiriki ~ kiliki ~ kikaa
25teeth, toothswaaswaåh; chuwaa; miu
26thighsjangaa1. kare, 2. bhaa
27vulvapi