Kangri language: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Language of northern India}}
{{Short description|Western Pahari language of north India}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox language
{{Infobox language
| name            = Kangri
| name            = Kangri
| nativename      = 𑚊𑚭𑚫𑚌𑚪𑚯, कांगड़ी
| nativename      = कांगड़ी
| states          = [[India]]
| states          = [[India]]
| region          = [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[Punjab, India|Punjab]]
| region          = [[Himachal Pradesh]]
| speakers        = 1.7 million
| speakers        = {{sigfig|1.120000|2}} million
| date            = 1996
| date            = 2011
| ref              =  
| ref              = e25
| speakers2        =  
| speakers2        =  
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| familycolor      = Indo-European
Line 16: Line 17:
| fam4            = [[North-Western Indo-Aryan languages|North-Western]] or [[Northern Indo-Aryan languages|Northern]]
| fam4            = [[North-Western Indo-Aryan languages|North-Western]] or [[Northern Indo-Aryan languages|Northern]]
| fam5            = [[Western Pahari]]
| fam5            = [[Western Pahari]]
| script          = [[Takri]], <br />[[Devanagari]]
| script          = [[Takri]], [[Devanagari]]
| nation          =  
| nation          =  
| iso3            = xnr
| iso3            = xnr
Line 22: Line 23:
| glottorefname    = Kangri
| glottorefname    = Kangri
| notice          = Indic
| notice          = Indic
| image            = kangr.png
| image            = File:Kangri language.png
| imagecaption    = Kangri written in Takri
| imagecaption    = Kangri written in Takri and Devanagari
}} {{Contains special characters|Indic}}{{wtc|Kangri language}}'''Kangri''' ([[Takri script|Takri]]: {{Lang|xnr|𑚊𑚭𑚫𑚌𑚪𑚯}}) is an [[Indo-Aryan language]] variety spoken in northern [[India]], predominantly in the [[Kangra district|Kangra]], [[Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh|Hamirpur]] and [[Una district|Una]] districts of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and in the [[Gurdaspur district|Gurdaspur]] and [[Hoshiarpur district|Hoshiarpur]] districts of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].<ref name="e20" /> Some people in Pakistani Punjab are also speak Kangri. It is associated with the people of the [[Kangra Valley]]. The total number of speakers has been estimated at 1.7 million (as of 1996),<ref name="e20">{{e20}}</ref> while those who reported their first language as Kangri in the 2011 census were 1.17 million<ref>{{cite web|title = 2011 Census tables: C-16, population by mother tongue|website = Census of India Website|url = http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16.html|access-date = 4 November 2018}} The precise figure is 1,117,342</ref> (compared with 1.12 million in 2001).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/Statement1.aspx|title=Census of India: Abstract of speakers’ strength of languages and mother tongues –2001|work=censusindia.gov.in}} The precise number is 1,122,843.</ref>
}}
{{Contains special characters|Indic}}
{{wiktionary category 2|Kangri language}}
'''Kangri''' ([[Takri script|Takri]]: {{Lang|xnr|𑚊𑚭𑚫𑚌𑚪𑚯}}) is a [[Western Pahari|Western Pahari language]], spoken in [[Himachal Pradesh]], predominantly in the [[Kangra district]], [[Hamirpur district, Himachal Pradesh|Hamirpur district]] and hilly parts of [[Una district]] as well as in some parts of [[Mandi district|Mandi]] and [[Chamba district|Chamba]] districts of [[Himachal Pradesh]] and in hilly parts of [[Pathankot district|Pathankot]] and [[Hoshiarpur district|Hoshiarpur]] districts of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]].<ref name="e25"/> It is also spoken in some areas of [[Jammu]] region and in a few villages of [[Pakistan]] by the people belonging to the families migrated from [[Kangra district|Kangra region]]. It is associated with the people of the [[Kangra district|Kangra]].<ref name=e25/>


Kangri Language is on International Dashboard of Current UD Languages since May 2021. Only ten Indian languages are there on this dashboard and Kangri is one of them. Google has also introduced Kangri keyboard for typing now.
Like most of [[Indo-Aryan languages]], Kangri does form a dialect continuum with its neighbouring languages. This includes the Pahari varieties spoken to the east [[Mandeali language|Mandeali]], north to [[Chambeali]], [[Gaddi language|Gaddi]] & [[Bhateali]], south-east to [[Bilaspuri|Kahluri]] and [[Hinduri language|Hinduri]], Baghliani, Baghati and Keonthali dialects of [[Mahasu Pahari|Mahasui]]. Besides it also share continuum north-west to [[Dogri language|Dogri]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kangri - The Language Of Himachal Pradesh |url=http://www.indiamapped.com/languages-in-india/himachal-pradesh-kangri-language/ |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=www.indiamapped.com |archive-date=4 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150404143437/http://www.indiamapped.com/languages-in-india/himachal-pradesh-kangri-language/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> It is classified under [[Western Pahari]].
 
Its precise position within Indo-Aryan is subject to debate. Many scholars have classified it as a dialect of the [[Dogri language]], spoken to the west, while some others have seen its affinity to be closer with the [[Western Pahari languages|Pahari varieties]] spoken to the east: [[Mandeali language|Mandeali]], [[Chambeali language|Chambeali]] and [[Kullui language|Kullui]].{{sfn|Eaton|2008|p=2}} Kangri does form a dialect continuum with Jammu Dogri and hence often referred to as '''''Prachi Dogri (Eastern Dogri)''''' while Jammu Dogri as '''''Pratichi Dogri (Western Dogri).'''''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Guptā |first=Vīṇā |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DlNIAAAAMAAJ&q=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80+ |title=Ḍogarī bhāshā, udbhava aura vikāsa |date=1986 |publisher=Je. eṇḍa Ke. Akādamī āpha Ārṭa, Kalcara, eṇḍa Laiṅgvejiza |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Nirmohī |first=Śiva |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dcpjAAAAMAAJ&q=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80+ |title=Ḍuggara kā bhāshāyī paricaya Jammū prānta ke sandarbha meṃ |date=1992 |publisher=Narendra Pabliśiṅga Hāusa |language=hi}}</ref>


== Script ==
== Script ==
The native script of the language is [[Takri script|Takri Script]] but now people write Kangri Language in Devnagri script.[[File:Kangri.png|thumb|Specimen in Kangri language|alt=|center]]
The native script of the language is [[Takri script|Takri Script]] but now people write Kangri Language in Devanagari script.[[File:Kangri.png|thumb|Specimen in Kangri language|alt=|center]]


== Phonology ==
== Phonology ==
Line 39: Line 41:
! colspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]/<br />[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Retroflex consonant|Retroflex]]
![[Retroflex consonant|Retroflex]]
![[Postalveolar consonant|Post-alv.]]/<br>[[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
![[Postalveolar consonant|Post-alv.]]/<br />[[Palatal consonant|Palatal]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
![[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
![[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
|-
! rowspan="3" |[[Stop consonant|Plosive]]/<br>[[Affricate]]
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
!<small>voiceless</small>
|{{IPA link|m}}
|p
|{{IPA link|n}}
|t
|({{IPA link|ɳ}})
|
|ʈ
|tʃ
|k
|
|-
!<small>aspriated</small>
|pʰ
|tʰ
|
|
|ʈʰ
|tʃʰ
|kʰ
|
|
|-
!<small>voiced</small>
|b
|d
|
|ɖ
|dʒ
|ɡ
|
|
|-
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
! rowspan="3" |[[Plosive]]/<br />[[Affricate]]
!<small>voiceless</small>
!<small>voiceless</small>
|{{IPA link|p}}
|{{IPA link|t}}
|{{IPA link|ʈ}}
|{{IPA link|tʃ}}
|{{IPA link|k}}
|
|
|
|-
|s
!<small>aspirated</small>
|
|{{IPA link|pʰ}}
|
|{{IPA link|tʰ}}
|
|{{IPA link|ʈʰ}}
|{{IPA link|tʃʰ}}
|{{IPA link|kʰ}}
|
|
|-
|-
!<small>voiced</small>
!<small>voiced</small>
|{{IPA link|b}}
|{{IPA link|d}}
|{{IPA link|ɖ}}
|{{IPA link|dʒ}}
|{{IPA link|ɡ}}
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|ɦ
|-
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
! colspan="2" |[[Fricative]]
|m
|
|
|n
|{{IPA link|s}}
|(ɳ)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{IPA link|ɦ}}
|-
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
! colspan="2" |[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
|
|
|
|{{IPA link|l}}
|l
|{{IPA link|ɭ}}
|ɭ
|
|
|
|
Line 113: Line 98:
! colspan="2" |[[Tap consonant|Tap]]
! colspan="2" |[[Tap consonant|Tap]]
|
|
|
|{{IPA link|ɾ}}
|ɾ
|{{IPA link|ɽ}}, {{IPA link|ɽ̃}}
|ɽ, ɽ̃
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
! colspan="2" |[[Approximant]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|({{IPA link|j}})
|(j)
|
|
|
|
Line 137: Line 120:
!
!
! [[Front vowel|Front]]
! [[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Central vowel|Central]]
! [[Central vowel|Central]]
! [[Back vowel|Back]]
! [[Back vowel|Back]]
|- align="center"
|-
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
|iː
| {{IPA link|i|iː}}
|
|
|uː
| {{IPA link|u|uː}}
|-
|-
![[Near-close vowel|Near-close]]
! [[Near-close vowel|Near-close]]
|ɪ
| {{IPA link|ɪ}}
|
|
|ʊ
| {{IPA link|ʊ}}
|-
|-
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
! [[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|e
| {{IPA link|e}}
|ə
| {{IPA link|ə}}
|o
| {{IPA link|o}}
|-
|-
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
! [[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
|
|
|
|
|ɔ
| {{IPA link|ɔ}}
|- align="center"
|-
![[Open vowel|Open]]
! [[Open vowel|Open]]
| æ
| {{IPA link|æ}}
|ɑː
| {{IPA link|ɑ|ɑː}}
|
|
|}
|}


* /e/ can also become lowered to a nasal [ɛ̃], after /ɽ̃/.
* /e/ can also become lowered to a nasal [ɛ̃], after /ɽ̃/.
=== Tone ===
Kangri is a tonal language like Punjabi and Dogri but the assignment of tones differs in Kangri when compared to them.<ref name="hdl.handle.net">{{cite journal | url=http://hdl.handle.net/10106/945 | hdl=10106/945 | title=Kangri in Context: An Areal Perspective | date=8 August 2008 | last1=Eaton | first1=Robert D. | journal=Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations }}</ref>
Most of the surrounding language varieties (including Kangri) lack voiced, aspirated obstruents (J. C. Sharma 2002, Masica 1993). The cognates of Hindi  voiced, aspirated obstruents are voiced but have no aspiration. They are distinct from the cognates of voiced unaspirated obstruents by the tone induced by the loss of aspiration. Another difference to note between Kangri and Punjabi/Dogri is that these forms surface as voiced consonants in Kangri, but voiceless consonants in Punjabi and Dogri. That is, Kangri has lost the aspiration (in gaining tone), but Punjabi and Dogri has lost both aspiration and voicing. It is likely that these are separate innovations which originated in the West (Punjab or Jammu & Kashmir) and have spread outwards. The loss of aspiration (and gaining of tone) has been fully realized in all three languages, but the loss of voicing has not yet reached Kangri.<ref name="hdl.handle.net"/>
== Grammar ==
=== Pronouns ===
The pronouns of Kangri for different persons and numbers are as follows:
{| class="wikitable"
! Person !! Number !! Kangri !! IPA
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1st || Singular || '''मैं''' || mæ̃
|-
| Plural || '''असाँ / अहाँ''' || əsãː / əhãː
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2nd || Singular || '''तू''' || t̪u
|-
| Plural || '''तुसाँ / त्वहाँ''' || t̪usãː / t̪vəhãː
|-
| 3rd || Singular & Plural || '''सै''' || sæ
|}
=== Noun Cases ===
Using the noun '''घर''' (/kʰər/, "home") as an example, the cases in Kangri are:
{| class="wikitable"
! Case !! Kangri !! Hindi Equivalent !! English Equivalent
|-
| Nominative || '''घर''' || घर || home
|-
| Accusative || '''घरे यो/जो''' || घर को || to home
|-
| Ergative || '''घरैँ''' || घर ने || (by) home
|-
| Comitative || '''घरेने''' || घर के साथ || with home
|-
| Instrumental || '''घरेते''' || घर से || through home
|-
| Dative || '''घरेताँइ''' || घर के लिए || for home
|-
| Ablative || '''घरेते''' || घर से || from home
|-
| Genitive || '''घरे दा / दे / दि / दियाँ''' || घर का / की / के || of home
|}
==== Locatives ====
{| class="wikitable"
! Case !! Kangri !! Hindi Equivalent !! English Equivalent
|-
| Inessive || '''घरेच''' || घर में || in home
|-
| Adessive || '''घरे पर''' || घर पर || on home
|}
==== Others ====
{| class="wikitable"
! Case !! Kangri !! Hindi Equivalent !! English Equivalent
|-
| Vocative || '''घर॑''' || ओ घर || O home
|-
| Semblative || '''घर देआ / दए / दइ / दीयाँ''' || घर सा / सी / से || like home
|-
| Similative || '''घरे साइ''' || घर जैसा || similar to home
|-
| Terminative || '''घरे तिक्कर''' || घर तक || up to home
|}
==== Postpositional / Oblique forms ====
{| class="wikitable"
! Noun !! Singular !! Plural
|-
| घर || '''घरे''' || '''घरेयाँ'''
|-
| घड़ा || '''घड़े''' || '''घड़ेयाँ'''
|-
| नदी || '''नदिया''' || '''नदियाँ'''
|-
| घ्यो || '''घ्यो''' || '''घ्योआँ'''
|}
=== Adverbial Pronouns ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
!|
!|
!| Interrogative
!| Relative
!| Distal
!| Proximate
|-
| rowspan="2" style="padding:14px; font-weight:bold;" | Time
| Kangri
| '''काल्लु'''
| '''जाल्लु'''
| '''ताल्लु'''
| '''हुण'''
|-
| Hindi
| कब
| जब
| तब
| अब
|-
| rowspan="2" style="padding:14px; font-weight:bold; border-top:2px solid #888;" | Place
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | Kangri
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''कुथू'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''जिथ्थु / जेथ्थु'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''ओथ्थु / तिथ्थु'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''इथ्थु / एथ्थु'''
|-
| style="border-top:0;" | Hindi
| कहाँ
| जहाँ
| वहाँ
| यहाँ
|-
| rowspan="2" style="padding:14px; font-weight:bold; border-top:2px solid #888;" | Manner
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | Kangri
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''कियाँ'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''जियाँ'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''तियाँ'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''इयाँ'''
|-
| Hindi
| कैसे
| जैसे
| वैसे
| ऐसे
|-
| rowspan="2" style="padding:14px; font-weight:bold; border-top:2px solid #888;" | Quantity
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | Kangri
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''कितना'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''जितना'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''तितना'''
| style="border-top:2px solid #888;" | '''इतना'''
|-
| Hindi
| कितना
| जितना
| उतना
| इतना
|}


== Status ==
== Status ==
The language is commonly called [[Pahari language|Pahari]] or [[Western Pahari|Himachali]]. According to the [[UNESCO|United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)]], the language is of definitely endangered category, i.e. many Kangri children are not learning Kangri as their mother tongue any longer.
[[File:Interview_of_sahil_in_kangri_language.webm|thumb|Interview of Sahil in Kangri language at Dharamshala, [[India]]]]
The language is commonly clubbed as [[Pahari language|Pahari]] or [[Western Pahari|Himachali]]. Some Dogri linguists have referred Kangri as part of their language due to similarities and decent mutual intelligibility between them.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Guptā |first=Vīṇā |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DlNIAAAAMAAJ&q=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80+ |title=Ḍogarī bhāshā, udbhava aura vikāsa |date=1986 |publisher=Je. eṇḍa Ke. Akādamī āpha Ārṭa, Kalcara, eṇḍa Laiṅgvejiza |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Nirmohī |first=Śiva |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dcpjAAAAMAAJ&q=%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A5%80+ |title=Ḍuggara kā bhāshāyī paricaya Jammū prānta ke sandarbha meṃ |date=1992 |publisher=Narendra Pabliśiṅga Hāusa |language=hi}}</ref>{{Request quotation|date=July 2022}} This is generally observed only in bordering lects due to dialect continuum present among many Indo-Aryan languages. Kangri writers & poets have been making submissions to Pahari language's cause under Himachal Pradesh Academy of Arts, Culture & Languages (HPAACL).<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/1977-katha-sarvari-part-2 |title=Katha Sarvari II |year=1977 |language=hi}}</ref> The language has no official status. According to the [[UNESCO|United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)]], the language is of definitely endangered category, i.e. many Kangri children are not learning Kangri as their mother tongue any longer.
 
The demand for the inclusion of 'Western Pahari' under the Eight Schedule of the Constitution, which is supposed to represent multiple Pahari languages of Himachal Pradesh, had been made in the year 2010 by the [[Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly|state's Vidhan Sabha]].<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pahari Inclusion|work=Zee News|url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/himachal-pradesh/hp-for-inclusion-of-pahari-language-in-eighth-schedule_615857.html}}</ref> There has been no positive progress on this matter since then, even after several small organisations demand for the preservation of the language.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pahari Inclusion|work=The Statesman|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/cities/demand-for-pahari-as-language-in-8th-schedule-of-constitution-1479046804.html}}</ref>


The demand for the inclusion of 'Western Pahari' under the Eight Schedule of the Constitution, which is supposed to represent multiple Pahari languages of Himachal Pradesh, had been made in the year 2010 by the state's Vidhan Sabha.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pahari Inclusion|work=Zee News|url=https://zeenews.india.com/news/himachal-pradesh/hp-for-inclusion-of-pahari-language-in-eighth-schedule_615857.html}}</ref> There has been no positive progress on this matter since then even when small organisations are taking it upon themselves to save the language.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Pahari Inclusion|work=The Statesman|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/cities/demand-for-pahari-as-language-in-8th-schedule-of-constitution-1479046804.html}}</ref> Due to political interest, the language is currently recorded as a dialect of Hindi, even when having a poor mutual intelligibility with it and having a higher mutual intelligibility with other recognised languages like Dogri.
[[Gautam Sharma "Vyathit"|Gautam Sharma Vyathit]] and [[Chandrarekha Dhadwal]] are noted for their contributions to the preservation of Kangri folk songs as well as their novel contributions to Kangri literature.  


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


== Bibliography ==
== Further reading ==
*{{Cite dissertation| last = Eaton| first = Robert D.| date = 2008| title = Kangri in context: An areal perspective| type = PhD| publisher = The University of Texas at Arlington| url = https://uta-ir.tdl.org/uta-ir/handle/10106/945}}
*{{Cite thesis| last = Eaton| first = Robert D.| date = 2008| title = Kangri in context: An areal perspective| type = PhD| publisher = The University of Texas at Arlington| url = https://uta-ir.tdl.org/uta-ir/handle/10106/945}}


==External links==
==External links==
Line 185: Line 317:
{{Dogri-Kangri languages}}
{{Dogri-Kangri languages}}
{{Languages of India}}
{{Languages of India}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Languages of India]]
[[Category:Languages of India]]
[[Category:Pahari languages]]
[[Category:Northern Indo-Aryan languages]]
[[Category:Languages of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Languages of Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Kangra, Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Kangra, Himachal Pradesh]]
[[Category:Dogri language]]
[[Category:Endangered languages of India]]
[[Category:Endangered languages of India]]
 
[[Category:Tonal languages in non-tonal families]]
{{IndoAryan-lang-stub}}
[[Category:Languages written in Devanagari]]
[[Category:Languages written in Takri]]
[[Category:Languages listed as Hindi dialects in latest census]]

Latest revision as of 23:01, 26 February 2026


Kangri
कांगड़ी
Kangri written in Takri and Devanagari
Native toIndia
RegionHimachal Pradesh
Native speakers
1.1 million (2011)e25
Takri, Devanagari
Language codes
ISO 639-3xnr
Glottologkang1280

Template:Wiktionary category 2 Kangri (Takri: 𑚊𑚭𑚫𑚌𑚪𑚯) is a Western Pahari language, spoken in Himachal Pradesh, predominantly in the Kangra district, Hamirpur district and hilly parts of Una district as well as in some parts of Mandi and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh and in hilly parts of Pathankot and Hoshiarpur districts of Punjab.[1] It is also spoken in some areas of Jammu region and in a few villages of Pakistan by the people belonging to the families migrated from Kangra region. It is associated with the people of the Kangra.[1]

Like most of Indo-Aryan languages, Kangri does form a dialect continuum with its neighbouring languages. This includes the Pahari varieties spoken to the east Mandeali, north to Chambeali, Gaddi & Bhateali, south-east to Kahluri and Hinduri, Baghliani, Baghati and Keonthali dialects of Mahasui. Besides it also share continuum north-west to Dogri.[2] It is classified under Western Pahari.

Script[edit | edit source]

The native script of the language is Takri Script but now people write Kangri Language in Devanagari script.

Specimen in Kangri language

Phonology[edit | edit source]

Consonants[edit | edit source]

Labial Dental/
Alveolar 		Retroflex Post-alv./
Palatal 		Velar Glottal
Nasal m n (ɳ)
Plosive/
Affricate 		voiceless p t ʈ tʃ k
aspirated pʰ tʰ ʈʰ tʃʰ kʰ
voiced b d ɖ dʒ ɡ
Fricative s ɦ
Lateral l ɭ
Tap ɾ ɽ, ɽ̃
Approximant (j)
  • It is not clear whether or not [j] is considered as a separate phoneme, but it does occur in various phonetic environments.
  • [ɳ] is heard mostly as either an allophone of /ɽ̃/, and as /n/ before a retroflex stop.[3]

Vowels[edit | edit source]

Front Central Back
Close iː uː
Near-close ɪ ʊ
Mid e ə o
Open-mid ɔ
Open æ ɑː
  • /e/ can also become lowered to a nasal [ɛ̃], after /ɽ̃/.

Tone[edit | edit source]

Kangri is a tonal language like Punjabi and Dogri but the assignment of tones differs in Kangri when compared to them.[4]

Most of the surrounding language varieties (including Kangri) lack voiced, aspirated obstruents (J. C. Sharma 2002, Masica 1993). The cognates of Hindi voiced, aspirated obstruents are voiced but have no aspiration. They are distinct from the cognates of voiced unaspirated obstruents by the tone induced by the loss of aspiration. Another difference to note between Kangri and Punjabi/Dogri is that these forms surface as voiced consonants in Kangri, but voiceless consonants in Punjabi and Dogri. That is, Kangri has lost the aspiration (in gaining tone), but Punjabi and Dogri has lost both aspiration and voicing. It is likely that these are separate innovations which originated in the West (Punjab or Jammu & Kashmir) and have spread outwards. The loss of aspiration (and gaining of tone) has been fully realized in all three languages, but the loss of voicing has not yet reached Kangri.[4]

Grammar[edit | edit source]

Pronouns[edit | edit source]

The pronouns of Kangri for different persons and numbers are as follows:

Person Number Kangri IPA
1st Singular मैं mæ̃
Plural असाँ / अहाँ əsãː / əhãː
2nd Singular तू t̪u
Plural तुसाँ / त्वहाँ t̪usãː / t̪vəhãː
3rd Singular & Plural सै sæ

Noun Cases[edit | edit source]

Using the noun घर (/kʰər/, "home") as an example, the cases in Kangri are:

Case Kangri Hindi Equivalent English Equivalent
Nominative घर घर home
Accusative घरे यो/जो घर को to home
Ergative घरैँ घर ने (by) home
Comitative घरेने घर के साथ with home
Instrumental घरेते घर से through home
Dative घरेताँइ घर के लिए for home
Ablative घरेते घर से from home
Genitive घरे दा / दे / दि / दियाँ घर का / की / के of home

Locatives[edit | edit source]

Case Kangri Hindi Equivalent English Equivalent
Inessive घरेच घर में in home
Adessive घरे पर घर पर on home

Others[edit | edit source]

Case Kangri Hindi Equivalent English Equivalent
Vocative घर॑ ओ घर O home
Semblative घर देआ / दए / दइ / दीयाँ घर सा / सी / से like home
Similative घरे साइ घर जैसा similar to home
Terminative घरे तिक्कर घर तक up to home

Postpositional / Oblique forms[edit | edit source]

Noun Singular Plural
घर घरे घरेयाँ
घड़ा घड़े घड़ेयाँ
नदी नदिया नदियाँ
घ्यो घ्यो घ्योआँ

Adverbial Pronouns[edit | edit source]

Interrogative Relative Distal Proximate
Time Kangri काल्लु जाल्लु ताल्लु हुण
Hindi कब जब तब अब
Place Kangri कुथू जिथ्थु / जेथ्थु ओथ्थु / तिथ्थु इथ्थु / एथ्थु
Hindi कहाँ जहाँ वहाँ यहाँ
Manner Kangri कियाँ जियाँ तियाँ इयाँ
Hindi कैसे जैसे वैसे ऐसे
Quantity Kangri कितना जितना तितना इतना
Hindi कितना जितना उतना इतना

Status[edit | edit source]

Interview of Sahil in Kangri language at Dharamshala, India

The language is commonly clubbed as Pahari or Himachali. Some Dogri linguists have referred Kangri as part of their language due to similarities and decent mutual intelligibility between them.[5][6][need quotation to verify] This is generally observed only in bordering lects due to dialect continuum present among many Indo-Aryan languages. Kangri writers & poets have been making submissions to Pahari language's cause under Himachal Pradesh Academy of Arts, Culture & Languages (HPAACL).[7] The language has no official status. According to the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the language is of definitely endangered category, i.e. many Kangri children are not learning Kangri as their mother tongue any longer.

The demand for the inclusion of 'Western Pahari' under the Eight Schedule of the Constitution, which is supposed to represent multiple Pahari languages of Himachal Pradesh, had been made in the year 2010 by the state's Vidhan Sabha.[8] There has been no positive progress on this matter since then, even after several small organisations demand for the preservation of the language.[9]

Gautam Sharma Vyathit and Chandrarekha Dhadwal are noted for their contributions to the preservation of Kangri folk songs as well as their novel contributions to Kangri literature.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named e25
  2. ↑ "Kangri - The Language Of Himachal Pradesh". www.indiamapped.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  3. ↑ Eaton, Robert D. (2008)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Eaton, Robert D. (8 August 2008). "Kangri in Context: An Areal Perspective". Linguistics & TESOL Dissertations. hdl:10106/945.
  5. ↑ Guptā, Vīṇā (1986). Ḍogarī bhāshā, udbhava aura vikāsa (in हिन्दी). Je. eṇḍa Ke. Akādamī āpha Ārṭa, Kalcara, eṇḍa Laiṅgvejiza.
  6. ↑ Nirmohī, Śiva (1992). Ḍuggara kā bhāshāyī paricaya Jammū prānta ke sandarbha meṃ (in हिन्दी). Narendra Pabliśiṅga Hāusa.
  7. ↑ Katha Sarvari II (in हिन्दी). 1977.
  8. ↑ "Pahari Inclusion". Zee News.
  9. ↑ "Pahari Inclusion". The Statesman.

Further reading[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Template:Dogri-Kangri languages

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