Zangskari language


Zangskari is an endangered Tibetic language. It is a dialect of the Ladakhi language. It is mostly spoken in the Zanskar region of the Kargil district of Ladakh, India and also by Buddhists in the upper reaches of Lahaul, Himachal Pradesh, and Paddar, Jammu and Kashmir. It is written using the Tibetan script.
Zangskari is divided into four homogeneous groups, namely Oot or Upper Zanskari spoken along the Doda River, Zhung or Central Zanskari mostly spoken in Padum valley, Sham or Lower Zanskari spoken along the lower portions of Zanskar River and lastly Lungnak along the upper Zanskar River region. A seminar on the documentation and revitalization of the Zanskari language was once held at GMDC Zanskar.

Phonology

Zangskari shows compensatory lengthening and nasalization of vowels, unlike conservative Western Tibetic languages.

Consonants

Vowels

The diphthongs are /ai/, /ao/, /ui/, /oe/, /oa/, /ea/, /iu/, /ũã/, /õã/, /ũĩ/, and /ĩũ/.