Mara language

Mara is a Kuki-Chin language spoken by Mara people, mostly the Tlosaih tribe living in 30 villages of Chhimtuipui district, southern Mizoram, India and the adjacent villages in Burma.

Mara
Mara (Tlosaih)
Pronunciation	Template:IPA-bodia
Native to	Mizoram, India; Burma
Ethnicity	Mara people
Native speakers	(ca. 400,000 cited 1994–2011)
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Kuki-Chin Maraic Mara
Dialects	Tlosaih Siaha(lingua franca) Tlosaih Saikao Tlosaih Tokalo Tlosaih Kiasie
Writing system	Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3	mrh
Glottolog	mara1382

The Mara (Tlosaih) languages belong to the Kuki-Chin branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. The speakers of the languages are also known as Mara (Tlosais).

Mara is a recognised language in the Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC) school curriculum. Mara is a compulsory subject for all schools up to class VII (middle school) under the Board of School Education, MADC.

Demographics

• Population: 56,574 in Saiha district, Mizoram, India (2011), 37,000 in Burma (2007).
• Region: Saiha District, Mizoram (India), Indo-Burma Border
• Alternate names: Lakher, Mara, Maram, Mira, Zao, Shendu, Khawngsai, Khyeng.
• Languages: Tlôsaih, Sizo (Chapi/Saby/Ngiaphia), Hlaipao (Vahapi, Lelai and Heima), Lyvaw (Nohro & Notlia), Lochei ochebi, Zophei (Ahnai/Vytu, Bawipa and Asah/Leita), Senthang (Khuapi/Saith a), Lautu (Awhsa/Kahno) & Saté

• Tribes: Zophei, Lautu, Senthang, Tlosai, Hlaipao and Haw Thai

Orthography

Mara alphabet (capital letters): A, AW, Y, B, CH, D, E, F, H, I, K, L, M, N, NG, O, Ô, P, R, S, T, U, V, Z

Mara alphabet (lowercase letters): a, aw, y, b, ch, d, e, f, h, i, k, l, m, n, ng, o, ô, p, r, s, t, u, v, z

Mara diphthongs: ao, yu, ai, ei, ia, ie, ua

Grammar

Plurals

The plural form of a noun is formed by affixing one of the following terms to the end of the noun:

• zy (zeu)
• zydua (zeu-dua)
• nawh
• sahlao (sha-hlawh)

Today the Mara language has its own alphabet; words inside brackets show author N.E. Parry's transliterations from 1937.

Interrogative words in Mara

• What: Khâpa, Khâpa e, Khâpa maw
• Where: Khataih lâ, Khataih liata
• How: kheihta, kheihawhta, Khatluta, Kheihta maw
• How much?: Khazie?
• How long?: Khachâ e, Khachâ maw?
• When: Khatita, khatita e, Khâpa nota, nota, tita, nahta, pata Conj. thlaita, khati nota
• Why: Khazia, Khazia-e, Khazia maw, Khâpa vâta
• Why not: Khazia a châ vei chheih aw
• Whose: Kheihawhpa, Kheihawhpa he, Kheihawhpa-e, Kheihawhpa maw, ahy he maw
• Which: Kheihawhpa, Kheihawhpa he, Kheihawhpa-e, Kheihawhpa maw, ahy he maw
• Friend: Viasa
• Male Friend: Viasa Paw
• Female Friend: Viasa Nô
• Walk/Go: Sie (Phei ta Sie)
• Run: Arâ, â râ
• Sleep: Amô, Azia, Apazawh, â mô, â zia, â pazawh
• See: Mo, hmô
• Sit: Â tyuh, atyuh
• Stand: Â duah, aduah
• Jump: Â pathluah, apathluah
• Hit: Â chô, achô
• Eat: Nie
• Drink: Doh

Pronouns

Singular

• 1st person: keima, kei - I
• 2nd person: nâma, na - you
• 3rd person: ano, a or ama' - he, she, it

Plural

• 1st person: eima - we
• 2nd person: nâmo, nâma - you
• 3rd person: âmo - they

Possessive Pronouns

Singular

• Keima, ei - my
• Keima eih, kei eih - mine
• Nâma, na - thy (you)
• Nâma eih, na eih - thine (yours)
• Ama, a - him, her, it
• Ama eih, a eih - his, hers, its

Plural

• Keimo - our
• Keimo eih - ours
• Nâmo - your
• Ahyrai - anyone
• Ahy tlyma - someone, a certain one
• A tlâhpi - some . . . others
• A hropa - another, others
• Ama zydua ta - all

External links

• Marasaw.com [1]
• Maraland.NET Home of Mara language speaking people
• Maraland.org MITCS website
• A grammar and dictionary of the Lakher language (1908) (Scanned book at the Internet Archive)