https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Nishi_languageNishi language - Revision history2026-09-07T17:28:29ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nishi_language&diff=418410&oldid=prevAjay Kumar: Created a new article2023-08-24T18:17:05Z<p>Created a new article</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{distinguish|West Dafla language}}<br />
{{short description|Language of India}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}<br />
{{Infobox language<br />
| name = Nyishi<br />
| altname = Nyishi, Nisi, Nishing<br />
| states = [[India]]<br />
| region = [[Arunachal Pradesh]], [[Assam]]<br />
| ethnicity = [[Nyishi people]]<br />
| speakers = 999,976<br />
| date = 2011 census<br />
| ref = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language_MTs.html|title=Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues - 2011|publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|website=www.censusindia.gov.in|access-date=2018-07-07}}</ref><br />
| familycolor = Sino-Tibetan<br />
| fam2 = [[Tani languages|Tani]]<br />
| fam3 = Western Tani<br />
| dia1 = Akang, Aya, Leil, [[Hill Miri dialect|Aka, Bangni, Nishang]]<br />
| iso3 = njz<br />
| glotto = nyis1236<br />
| glottorefname = Nyishi-Hill Miri<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Nyishi''' (also known as Nishi, Nisi, Nishang, Nissi, Nyising, Leil, Aya, Akang, Bangni-Bangru, Solung) is a [[Sino-Tibetan languages|Sino-Tibetan language]] of the [[Tani languages|Tani branch]] spoken in [[Papum Pare district|Papum Pare]], [[Lower Subansiri district|Lower Subansiri]], [[Kurung Kumey district|Kurung Kumey]], [[Kra Daadi district|Kra Daadi]], [[East Kameng district|East Kameng]], [[Pakke-Kessang district|Pakke Kesang]], Kamle districts of [[Arunachal Pradesh]] and [[Darrang district|Darrang District]] of [[Assam]] in [[India]]. According to the 2011 [[census of India]], the population of the Nishi speakers is approximately 900,000. Though there are plenty of variations across regions, the dialects of Nishi, such as Akang, Aya, Nyishi (raga), Mishing, Tagin are easily mutually intelligible, with the exception of the rather small in population Bangni-Bangru and Solung Dialects being very different from the former. 'Nisi' is sometimes used as a cover term for western Tani languages.<br />
<br />
Nishi is a [[Subject–object–verb word order|subject–object–verb]] language.<ref name="grammarnishi">{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/South%20Asia/NEI/Tani/Nishi/Linguistics/Nyishi%20grammar%20Abraham%202005.pdf|title=A Grammar of Nyishi Language|last1=Abraham|first1=P. T.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222115712/http://www.rogerblench.info/Language/South%20Asia/NEI/Tani/Nishi/Linguistics/Nyishi%20grammar%20Abraham%202005.pdf|archive-date=22 December 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=14 December 2015}}</ref>{{rp|80}}<br />
<br />
== Origin ==<br />
The main origin of this language has been pointed out by George Abraham Grierson as ‘Dafla’.<ref>Linguistic Survey Of India, Vol. III part I (Tibeto Burman Family) first published almost a century ago</ref> He included different varieties under a common name which is known as North Assam group. The varieties are Dafla, Miri and Abor according to him. Daflas used to denote them as ‘Nyi-Shi’. these tribes inhabited between the Assam Valley and Tibet. Then they started to spread in [[Lakhimpur district|Lakhimpur]], [[Sivasagar|Sibsagar]] and [[Darrang district|Darrang Districts]] of [[Assam]]. Mr. William Robinson in his notes mentioned that Daflas were spread over a region from 92°50’ to 94° north latitude.<br />
<br />
The word ''nyishi'' itself means "upland man", and is a [[Compound (linguistics)|compound]] of ''nyi'' ("man") and ''shi'' ("highland").<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lahiri|first1=Bornini|title=Noun Cases in Nyishi|url=http://www.jseals.org/seals23/lahiri2013nounp.pdf|access-date=14 December 2015|location=New Delhi|date=2013}}</ref>{{rp|4}}<br />
<br />
They are probably descendants of peoples who separated from [[Khasi people|Khasi]] 4,200 years ago.<br />
<br />
==Phonology==<br />
<br />
Nishi is a [[tonal language]] that utilizes three tones: rising, neutral, and falling.<ref name="grammarnishi" />{{rp|16}} These can be applied to all of its [[vowel]]s, and often can change the word's meaning:<br />
<br />
: ''bénam'' – "to hold"<br />
: ''benam'' – "to deliver"<br />
: ''bènam'' – "to vomit"<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|+Vowels<br />
! <br />
! [[Front vowel|Front]]<br />
! [[Central vowel|Central]]<br />
! [[Back vowel|Back]]<br />
|-<br />
! [[High vowel|High]]<br />
| {{IPA link|i}}<br />
| {{IPA link|ɨ}}<br />
| {{IPA link|u}}<br />
|-<br />
! [[Mid vowel|Mid]]<br />
| {{IPA link|e}}<br />
| {{IPA link|ə}}<br />
| {{IPA link|o}}<br />
|-<br />
! [[Low vowel|Low]]<br />
|<br />
| {{IPA link|a}}<br />
| <br />
|}<br />
<br />
These are the consonants of Nyishi. Where the orthography differs from the IPA, the orthography is bolded.<ref name="grammarnishi" /><br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"<br />
|+<br />
! colspan="2" |<br />
![[Bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]<br />
![[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]<br />
![[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]<br />
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]<br />
![[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]<br />
| {{IPA link|m}}<br />
| {{IPA link|n}}<br />
| {{IPA link|ɲ}} {{angbr|ny}}<br />
| {{IPA link|ŋ}} {{angbr|ng}}<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
! rowspan="2" |[[Stop consonant|Stop]]<br />
!<small>voiceless</small><br />
| {{IPA link|p}}<br />
| {{IPA link|t}}<br />
| {{IPA link|c}}<br />
| {{IPA link|k}}<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
![[Voice (phonetics)|<small>voiced</small>]]<br />
| {{IPA link|b}}<br />
| {{IPA link|d}}<br />
| {{IPA link|ɟ}} {{angbr|j}}<br />
| {{IPA link|g}}<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="2" |[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]<br />
|<br />
| {{IPA link|s}}<br />
|<br />
| {{IPA link|x}} {{angbr|kh}}<br />
| {{IPA link|h}}<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="2" |[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]<br />
|<br />
| {{IPA link|l}}<br />
| {{IPA link|j}} {{angbr|y}}<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
! colspan="2" |[[Tap consonant|Tap]]<br />
|<br />
| {{IPA link|ɾ}} {{angbr|r}}<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Grammar==<br />
Nyishi distinguishes between [[grammatical number|number]], [[grammatical person|person]], and [[grammatical case|case]]. It does not have a gender system, but special affixes can be added to nouns to denote gender.<br />
<br />
=== Pronouns ===<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable"<br />
|-<br />
|+ Personal Pronouns<br />
! Person !! Singular !! Dual !! Plural<br />
|-<br />
| 1st || || ŋuiɲ || ŋul<br />
|-<br />
| 2nd || no || nuiɲ || nul<br />
|-<br />
| 3rd || mɨ || buiɲ || bul<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Vocabulary==<br />
<br />
=== Numerals ===<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
! English !! Romanization !! Nyishi <br />
|-<br />
| One || akin, aking || akin <br />
|-<br />
| Two || anyi, enyi || aɲiə <br />
|-<br />
| Three || om || oum <br />
|-<br />
| Four || api || <br />
|-<br />
| Five || ang, ango || aŋ(o) <br />
|}<br />
<br />
The counting system differs when referring to human vs. non-human objects.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
===Further reading===<br />
Post, Mark W. (2013). [https://www.academia.edu/4167715/Defoliating_the_Tani_Stammbaum_An_exercise_in_areal_linguistics] Paper presented at the 13th Himalayan Languages Symposium. Canberra, Australian National University, Aug 9.<br />
<br />
{{Tani languages}}<br />
{{Arunachal languages}}<br />
{{Languages of Northeast India}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Languages of Assam]]<br />
[[Category:Languages of Arunachal Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Tani languages]]<br />
[[Category:Endangered languages of India]]<br />
[[Category:Tonal languages]]<br />
[[Category:Subject–object–verb languages]]<br />
[[Category:Endangered Sino-Tibetan languages]]</div>Ajay Kumar