Sangtam language

Sangtam
Thukumi, Sangtam Naga
Lophomi
Native toNagaland, India
RegionEast-central Nagaland, Tuensang and Khiphire districts
EthnicitySangtam
Native speakers
76,000 (2011 census)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3nsa
Glottologsang1321

Sangtam, also called Thukumi, Isachanure, or Lophomi, is a Naga language spoken in northeast India. It is spoken in Kiphire District and in the Longkhim-Chare circle in Tuensang district, Nagaland, India.

Dialects

Ethnologue lists the following dialects of Sangtam.

  • Kizare
  • Pirr (Northern Sangtam)
  • Phelongre
  • Thukumi (Central Sangtam)
  • Photsimi
  • Purr (Southern Sangtam)

The standardized dialect of Sangtam is based on the Tsadanger village speech variety.

Phonology

Sangtam is unusual in having two stops with bilabial trilled release, /t̪͡ʙ, t̪͡ʙ̥ʰ/.[2]

Consonants[2]
Labial Dental Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n ɲ ŋ
Plosive plain p t̪ ʈ c k ʔ
aspirated pʰ t̪ʰ ʈʰ cʰ kʰ
Affricate plain t͡ʙ t͡s t͡ʃ
aspirated t͡ʙ̥ʰ t͡sʰ t͡ʃʰ
Fricative voiceless (f) s ʃ x h
voiced (v) (z)
Approximant l ɹ j
  • All phonemes with /t/ are dental.
  • /ʈ/ is realised like [ʈʵ].
Vowels[2]
Front Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open/
Open-mid 		a ʌ

All vowels can have high, mid, or low tone

References

  1. ^ "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues - 2011". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Coupe, Alexander (2015). "Prestopped bilabial trills in Sangtam". Proceedings of the 18th International Congress of Phonetic Sciences, Glasgow, 10–14 August 2015. Glasgow: University of Glasgow. ISBN 978-0-85261-941-4. Paper no. 0734.1–5.