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{{Short description|Language cluster}}
{{Distinguish|Miju language}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Miji
| altname = Sajolang
| nativename = Dhammai
| region = [[Arunachal Pradesh]], [[India]] and [[Shannan Prefecture]], [[China]]
| states = [[India]]
| ethnicity = [[Miji people]]
| speakers = 28,000
| date = 2007
| ref = e18
| familycolor = Sino-Tibetan
| fam1 = possibly [[Sino-Tibetan languages|Sino-Tibetan]] ([[Hruso languages|Hruso]]), or a [[language isolate]]
| fam2 = [[Hrusish languages|Hrusish]]?
| fam3 = [[Mijiic languages|Mijiic]]
| dia1 = East Miji (Namrai)
| dia2 = West Miji (Sajolang)
| iso3 = sjl
| glotto = saja1240
| glottorefname = Sajolang
}}

'''Miji''', also given the dialect names '''Sajolang''' and '''Dhammai''', is a dialect cluster traditionally counted as one of the [[Sino-Tibetan languages]] that is spoken in [[Arunachal Pradesh]], northeastern India. The varieties are not particularly close, with only half of the vocabulary in common between the languages of [[East Kameng District]] and [[West Kameng District]]. Long assumed to be Sino-Tibetan languages, Miji and the recently discovered [[Bangru language]] may instead form a small independent language family.<ref name=":0">{{citation|first1=Roger |last1=Blench |first2=Mark |last2=Post |title=(De)classifying Arunachal languages: Reconstructing the evidence |url=http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/South%20Asia/NEI/General/Lingres/Declassifying%20Arunachal.pdf |year=2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130526230734/http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/South%20Asia/NEI/General/Lingres/Declassifying%20Arunachal.pdf |archivedate=2013-05-26 }}</ref>

==Varieties==
There are two divergent varieties of Miji:<ref name=":0" />
*'''Western Miji''': spoken in and around Nafra and Thrizino circles, [[West Kameng District]]. Western Miji speakers refer to themselves as the '''Sajalang''' (''sadʑalaŋ'') or '''Dhəmmai''' (''ðəmmai'') (Bodt & Lieberherr 2015:70).<ref name="Bodt-Lieberherr">{{cite journal | surname1 = Bodt | given1 = Timotheus Adrianus | surname2 = Lieberherr | given2 = Ismael | year = 2015 | title = First notes on the phonology and classification of the Bangru language of India | journal = Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area | volume = 38 | issue = 1 | pages = 66–123 | doi = 10.1075/ltba.38.1.03bod | doi-access = free }}</ref>
*'''Eastern Miji''': spoken in Lada Circle,<ref name="Blench2015">Blench, Roger. 2015. [https://www.academia.edu/12657496/The_Mijiic_languages_distribution_dialects_wordlist_and_classification ''The Mijiic languages: distribution, dialects, wordlist and classification'']. m.s.</ref> [[East Kameng District]]. Eastern Miji speakers refer to themselves as the '''Nəmrai''' (''nəmrai'') (Bodt & Lieberherr 2015:70).<ref name="Bodt-Lieberherr"/>

[[Bangru language|Bangru]] (treated in a separate article), sometimes called "Northern Miji", is more divergent.

==Distribution==
According to ''Ethnologue'', Miji is spoken in the following areas of [[Arunachal Pradesh]].

*[[West Kameng District]], Nafra circle, Bichom and Pakesa river valley – 25 villages including Debbing, Ditchik, Rurang, Nachinghom, Upper Dzang, Naku, Khellong, Dibrick, Nizong, Najang, Zangnaching, Chalang, Nafra, and Lower Dzang
*[[East Kameng District]]: Bameng and Lada circles – Wakke, Nabolong, Kojo, Rojo, Sekong, Panker, Zarkam, Drackchi, Besai, Naschgzang, Sachung, Gerangzing, Kampaa, Salang, Pego, and Dongko villages

I.M. Simon (1979:iii)<ref>Simon, I. M. 1979. ''Miji Language Guide''. Shillong: Directorate of Research, Government of Arunachal Pradesh.</ref> lists the following Miji villages from the Census of 1971.
*1. Chalang [Cinlang]
*2. Díbín [Díbín]
*3. Ditchik [Dícik]
*4. Dzang [Dzang]
*5. Jangnachin [Zanachin]
*6. Khazolang
*7. Khelong
*8. Laphozu
*9. Mathow
*10. Nakhu
*11. Nachibun
*12. Nizung
*13. Rurang

Smaller hamlets include Dishin [Dícin], Devrik [Dívih], Diyung [Diyong], Nazang [Natsang], Nanthalang, and Otung [Uthung]. Some Mijis have also live in Aka villages such as Dijungania, Buragaon, Tulu, Sarkingonia, and Yayung.

==Phonology==

===Consonants===
In all Miji varieties the "p" "t" and "k" sounds are always aspirated.<ref name="Blench2015"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Weedall |first=Christopher S. |title=A grammar of West Kameng Sajolang (Miji) (Upper Dzang and Khellong villages) |publisher=Australian National University |year=2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Consonant phonemes
|-
! colspan="2" |
! [[Labial consonant|Labial]]
! [[Dental consonant|Dental]]
! [[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
! [[Palato-alveolar consonant|Palato- alveolar]]
! [[Retroflex consonant|Retroflex]]
! [[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
! [[Velar consonant|Velar]]
! [[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
| {{IPAlink|m}}
|
| {{IPAlink|n}}
|
| {{IPAlink|ɳ}}
| {{IPAlink|ɲ}}
| {{IPAlink|ŋ}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Plosive]]
! voiceless
| {{IPAlink|pʰ}}
|
| {{IPAlink|tʰ}}
|
| {{IPA link|ʈʰ}}
|
| {{IPAlink|kʰ}}
| {{IPAlink|ʔ}}
|-
! voiced
| {{IPAlink|b}}
|
| {{IPAlink|d}}
|
| {{IPA link|ɖ}}
|
| {{IPAlink|ɡ}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Affricate]]
! voiceless
|
|
| {{IPAlink|ts}}
| {{IPAlink|tʃ}}
|
| {{IPAlink|tɕ}}
|
|
|-
! voiced
|
|
| {{IPA link|dz}}
| {{IPAlink|dʒ}}
|
|
|
|
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Fricative]]
! voiceless
| {{IPAlink|f}}
| {{IPAlink|θ}}
| {{IPAlink|s}}
| {{IPAlink|ʃ}}
| {{IPA link|ʂ}}
|
| {{IPAlink|x}}
| {{IPAlink|h}}
|-
! voiced
| {{IPAlink|v}}
| {{IPAlink|ð}}
| {{IPAlink|z}}
| {{IPAlink|ʒ}}
| {{IPA link|ʐ}}
| {{IPAlink|ʑ}}
|
| {{IPAlink|ɦ}}
|-
! rowspan="2" | [[Lateral fricative|Lateral fricative]]
! voiceless
|
|
| {{IPAlink|ɬ}}
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! voiced
|
|
| {{IPAlink|ɮ}}
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Rhotic consonant|Rhotic]]
|
|
| {{IPAlink|r}}
|
| {{IPAlink|ɽ}}
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" | [[Approximant]]
| {{IPAlink|ʋ}}
|
| {{IPAlink|l}}, {{IPA link|ɫ}}
|
| {{IPAlink|ɭ}}
| {{IPAlink|j}}
| {{IPAlink|w}}
|
|}

===Vowels===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''[[Monophthong]] phonemes'''
!  
! [[Front vowel|Front]]
! [[Central vowel|Central]]
! [[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
| {{IPA|i}}
| rowspan="2" | {{IPA|ə ~ ɨ}}
| {{IPA|u}}
|-
! [[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
| {{IPA|e}}
| {{IPA|o}}
|-
! [[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
| {{IPA|ɛ}}
|  
| {{IPA|ʌ}} • {{IPA|ɔ}}
|-
! [[Open vowel|Open]]
|  
| colspan="2" | {{IPA|a ~ ɑ}}
|}

===Tones===
The Miji languages have a relatively simple tonal system with only two tones: high and low. There is a third rising tone but it is so scarcely used that in some of the languages it is disregarded completely.<ref name="Blench2015"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Hrusish languages]]
[[Category:Languages of India]]
[[Category:Endangered languages of India]]
[[Category:Tonal languages]]

Miji languages - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article