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Chamling
Rodong
चाम्लिङ
The word "Chamling" written in Devanagari script
Native to	Nepal India (Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong) Bhutan (southern areas)
Ethnicity	Rodung Chamling
Native speakers	77,000 in Nepal (2011)
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Mahakiranti (?) Kiranti Central Kiranti Southern Chamling
Writing system	Devanagari
Language codes
ISO 639-3	rab
Glottolog	caml1239
ELP	Camling
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Chamling is one of the Kirati languages spoken by the Chamling(Rodung) one of the Rai subgroup (Dikhalichha, Mulihachha, Ditumachha, Mansungcha, Lipuhochha, Malekungchha, Maidhung, Kherasung, Rakhomi,Horosungchha Hodorichha etc) of Nepal, India and Bhutan. Alternate renderings and names include Chamling, Chamlinge and Rodong. It is closely related to the Bantawa (some Bantawa-speaking communities call their language "Camling") and Puma languages of the Kiranti language family in eastern Nepal, and it belongs to the broader Sino-Tibetan language family. Chamling has SOV word order.

History

The Chamling language is one of the languages of the ancient Kiranti culture, which existed well before vedic period 3500–5000 in South Asia. Important versions of the Mundum — the main religious text forming the religious foundation of the Kirant Mundum religion and the cultural heritage of the various Kirati people — are composed in Camling; such versions are distinctive to the Camling-speaking tribes and a guide to their distinctive religious practices and cultural identity.

Distribution

The Chamling language is used by small communities in eastern Sagarmatha Zone, in central Khotang District, Bhojpur District and scattered areas in northern Udayapur District and a few more districts of eastern Nepal, the southeastern neighbour Indian state of Sikkim, the hill city of Darjeeling, Kalimpong in the Indian state of West Bengal and the kingdom of Bhutan.

Demographics

Despite its geographic prevalence, the actual number of Chamling speakers is estimated to be 10,000, spread across small tribes and villages. Many members of the Chamling ethnic and tribal communities are no longer fluent in the Chamling language, which is taught only in remote areas in the Udayapur District. Like Bantawa, Chamling is an endangered language. Many people in these areas speak a variety of Chamling that is mixed with the Nepali language, which is the official language of Nepal. Most Chamling-speaking people are Hindus or practitioners of Kiranti Mundum.

Phonology

Consonants

Vowels

• Voice

1. Phuima = pluck
2. Toma = see, experience
3. Ityu = brought from above
4. Dhotyu-cyu' = assembled them
5. Bhuima = pound
6. Doma = close
7. Idyu = gave him
8. Dhodyu-cyu = stabbed them

Bound Morphemes

Chamling uses many bound morphemes, many of which denote possession or the change of possession of something.

Phrase Structure Rules

NP —> (D) N

VP —> (NP) (A) (Adv) V (Adv)

CP —> C S

S —> NP {VP, NP, CP}

anga

my

D

a-khim

my house

N

hinge

be

V

anga a-khim hinge

my {my house} be

D N V

"I have a house"

This is 3. an example of a sentence that is formed by an NP and a VP. The NP contains a determiner and a noun, and the VP contains a verb.

a-challa-ci

my brothers

N

oda

here

V

paina

not

Adverb

a-challa-ci oda paina

{my brothers} here not

N V Adverb

"my brothers are not here"

This is an example of a sentence that is formed by a NP and a VP. The NP contains a noun and a VP contains a verb and an adverb.

khamo

your

D

nung

name

N

de?

what

N

khamo nung de?

your name what

D N N

"what is your name?"

This is an example of two NP's forming a sentence. One NP contains "khamo nung" ("your name") and the second NP contains "de" ("what").

See also

• Languages of Nepal
• Languages of Bhutan

References

1. ^ Chamling at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
2. "Chamling". Ethnologue. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
3. ^ Ethnologue report on Camling
4. Cemjoṅga, Īmāna Siṃha (2003). History and Culture of the Kirat People. Kirat Yakthung Chumlung. ISBN 99933-809-1-1.
5. Monika Bock, Aparna Rao. Culture, Creation, and Procreation: Concepts of Kinship in South Asian Practice. Page 65. 2000, Berghahn Books.
6. ^ Ebert, Karen (1997). Camling (Chamling). Mulnchen: LINCOM Europa.
7. Phonology - The Rosetta Project Archived 23 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine

8.Rai, Tara Mani and Sizar Tamang (2014) A sociolinguistic survey of Chamling: A Tibeto-Burman language.https://cdltu.edu.np

External links

• Global Recordings - Camling language recordings

v t e Sino-Tibetan branches
Western Himalayas (Himachal, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim)	West Himalayish Tamangic Newaric Newar Baram–Thangmi Kiranti Dhimalish Dhimal Toto Lhokpu Lepcha Greater Magaric Magaric Magar Kham Chepangic Chepang Bhujel Raji–Raute Dura–Tandrange
Eastern Himalayas (Tibet, Bhutan, Arunachal)	Bodish Tibetic East Bodish Tshangla Basum Nam? Gongduk ʼOle Tani Chamdo
Myanmar and Indo- Burmese border	Karbi Kuki-Chin Mruic Mru Hkongso Pyu Taman "Naga" Ao Angami–Pochuri Meitei Tangkhulic Zeme Sal Boro–Garo Konyak Jingpho–Luish
East and Southeast Asia	Sinitic Bai Tujia Nungish Karenic Gong Kathu Cai–Long Caijia Longjia Luren Burmo-Qiangic Qiangic Gyalrongic Ersuic Naic Lolo-Burmese Mondzish Burmish Loloish
Dubious (possible isolates) (Arunachal)	Hrusish Hruso Mijiic Kho-Bwa Puroik Miju–Meyor Songlin Greater Siangic Siangic Koro Milang Idu–Taraon
Proposed groupings	Central Tibeto-Burman Kuki-Chin–Naga Macro-Bai Mahakiranti Rung Tibeto-Burman Tibeto-Kanauri
Proto-languages	Proto-Sino-Tibetan Proto-Tibeto-Burman Proto-Loloish Proto-Karenic Proto-Min Proto-Hakka
Italics indicates single languages that are also considered to be separate branches.

• Kiranti languages
• Languages of Nepal
• Languages of India
• Languages of Bhutan
• Endangered Sino-Tibetan languages
• Languages of Koshi Province
• Languages written in Devanagari