Bengali–Assamese languages

Bengali-Assamese
Bengali-Assamese
Gauda–Kamarupa
Geographic; distribution	Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal
Linguistic classification	Indo-European Indo-Iranian Indo-Aryan Eastern Odia–Bengali-Assamese Bengali-Assamese; ; ; ; ;
Early form	Magadhi Prakrit
Language codes
Glottolog	gaud1237 Gauda–Kamrupa

The Bengali-Assamese languages (also Gauda–Kamarupa languages) is a grouping of several languages in the eastern Indian subcontinent. This group belongs to the Eastern zone of Indo-Aryan languages. The languages in this group, according to Glottolog, include Assamese, Bengali, Bishnupriya, Chakma, Chittagonian, Hajong, Kewat, Kharia Thar, Kurmukar, Lodhi, Mal Paharia, Noakhali, Rajbanshi, Rangpuri, Rohingya, Sylheti, Tangchangya and Surjapuri.

Languages

Language	Native name	Script	Alphabet	Number of speakers (in millions)	Native region
Assamese	অসমীয়া Oxomiya	Bengali–Assamese script	Assamese alphabet	15.3^[2]	India (Assam)
Bengali	বাংলা Bangla	Bengali–Assamese script	Bengali alphabet	261.8^[3]	Bangladesh (national and official) India (West Bengal, Jharkhand, Tripura, parts of Assam, Andaman and Nicobar Islands)
Bishnupriya Manipuri	বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী Bișnupriya Monipuri	Bengali–Assamese script	Bengali alphabet^[4]		India (Assam, Manipur and Tripura) Bangladesh (Sylhet Division)
Chakma	𑄌𑄋𑄴𑄟 চাকমা Sangma	Bengali–Assamese script Chakma script Latin script^[5]		0.32^[6]	Bangladesh (Chittagong Division) India (Mizoram and Tripura) Myanmar (Rakhine State)
Chittagonian	চাটগাঁইয়া সিটাইঙগা siʈaiŋga	Bengali–Assamese script Arabic script Latin script^[7]	Chittagonian Alphabet	13^[8]	Bangladesh (Chittagong Division) Myanmar (Rakhine State)
Hajong	হাজং Hazong	Bengali–Assamese script Latin script	Assamese alphabet^[9]^[10] Bengali alphabet^[11]	0.06^[11]	India (Assam and Meghalaya) Bangladesh (Mymensingh Division)
Rangpuri/ Kamtapuri/ Rajbongshi	রংপুরী কামতাপুৰী ৰাজবংশী राजबंशी Rongpuri Kamatapuri Rajbanshi	Bengali–Assamese script, Devanagari^[12]	Bengali alphabet,^[13] Assamese alphabet^[14]	10.8^[13]	Bangladesh (Rangpur Division) India (West Bengal and Assam) Nepal (Koshi Province)
Noakhali	نواکھلی নোয়াখাইল্লা Noakhailla	Bengali–Assamese script	Bengali alphabet	12	Bangladesh (Greater Noakhali) India (Tripura)
Rohingya	رُحَ࣪ڠۡگَ࣪ࢬ‎ 𐴌𐴗𐴥𐴝𐴙𐴚𐴒𐴙𐴝 Ruáingga	Arabic script Hanifi script Latin script^[15]		2.52^[16]	Myanmar (Rakhine State) Bangladesh (Chittagong Division)
Surjapuri	सुरजापुरी সুরজাপুরী Surjapuri	Devanagari Bengali–Assamese script	Bengali alphabet	2.26^[17]	India (Bihar, West Bengal) Nepal (Koshi Province)
Sylheti	ꠍꠤꠟꠐꠤ ছিলটি Siloŧi	Bengali–Assamese script Sylheti Nagari script	Sylheti alphabet^[18]	11.8^[18]	Bangladesh (Sylhet Division) India (Assam, Meghalaya, North Tripura)
Tanchangya	𑄖𑄧𑄐𑄴𑄌𑄧𑄁𑄉𑄴𑄡 তঞ্চংগ্যা Toncongya	Chakma script^[5]		0.02^[19]	Bangladesh (Chittagong Hill Tracts)

Language comparison chart

* = borrowed terms (including tatsamas, ardhatatsamas and other borrowings)

English	Assamese	Bengali	Chakma	Chittagonian	Hajong	Kamatapuri	Noakhali	Rohingya	Sylheti
beautiful	dhunia, xundor/xundar	śundor*	dol	dishar, šundor			hundor*	cúndor, hásin	šundor, kubsurot, mayasurot
big	daṅor/daṅar, bor	boṛo, ḍagor, ḍaṅor		đôñr		boro, daṅar	boḍḍa	boro, ákbor, kobira	boṛo
blood	tez	rôkto, khun, lohu	lo	lou, rôktô			lou, khun, rokto	lou, hún, kún	lou, roxto, kun
bread	ruti (flat), pauruti, luf, bred*	pão*ruṭi, ruṭi (flat)		fõruţi				fiçá, luthi	ruṭi (flat), luf*
brother	bhai (younger), kokai/kaka (elder), dada (elder)*	bhai, dada, bhaiya		bái, bôdda		bhai	bái	bái	bái, báia
cat	mekuri/meukri/mekur, birali/biroli, biral	biṛal, bilai/bilei		bilai/bilei, miúr			bilai	bilai	mekur, bilai
dark	andhar, endhar	ãdhar, andhar, ondhokar*		ãdár			ãdar	añdár, miyonda	andáir
daughter	zi, mai, aapi, zhia, ziori	maiya/meye, konna*, jhi		zee, maifuā		beti	maiya	futúni, zíi	zi, fuṛi
day	din, bêla	din, bêla, roz, dibôš*		din		din	din, hokalbêla*, beinna	din	din, ruz*
dog	kukur	kukur, kutta		kuĩr, kutto			kutta	kuñr	atu, kutta
door	duar, dorza, dar	dôroja/dôrja, duar		duōr, kebar		duar*		duar*	xeir, dorza, duar
earth	bhũi, p(r)ithiwi/p(r)ithibi*	duniya, prithibi, dhora, jahan		duniye, fitibi			duniya, fitibi	duniyai*	duniai, dunia, zahan*
egg	koni, dima/dim	ḍim, anḍa, boida*	boda*	đim,anḍa		ḍima	bôyza*	andha, dhim	enḍa, ḍim, boida*
elephant	hati/hathi	hati		áti		hati	áti	áñti, háñtih	átt
eye	soku, sokhu	choukh/chokh, ãkhi, noyon, chokkhu		sóg			sok, sokku	suk	soku, uki, souk
father	deuta, bap, büpai/bapa, pitai/pite/piti, aba/abba/abu/abbu*	bap, abba, baba, abbu, pita, waled*		baf, ba, abba			baf, abba*	abbá*	baf, bazi
fear	bhoy, dor	bhôy*, ḍor		đôr			ḍor	ḍor	ḍor
finger	aṅuli/aṅli	aṅgul, onguli*		ôuñl	ouñl	aṅgul			aṅguil
fire	zui, aguni*	aguin/agun, ogni, nar, atosh, anol, pabok, dahon		ôin*		zui		ooin*	aguin, nar, atosh*
fish	mas	machh		mas		mas		mas	mas, mai*
food	khüabostu, khauni, ahar, khayddo, khana	khabar, khaon, khana, khani, khaddo, ahar		hána		hána, háñna	hána, khána	xani	xani
god	bhogowan, is(s)or, deu, probhu, khuda	khoda, isshôr, bhôgôban, srishtikorta, mabud*		khúda*,rôb, ūôr ôla			khúda, rôb, moula	ila, rob, ixor*	mobud, mola, rob, xoda, bhogòban*
good	bhal	bhalo/bhala		bála, gôm	bhala	bhal	bala	gom	bála
grass	ghah, kher (hay)	ghash, khôṛ (hay)		kér		ghaṣ		kérr	ga, gaš
hand	hat	hat		át		hat	át	árt	át
hand fan	bisoni/biseni/bisni	hat-pakha, biuni, bijoni		bisôin, bisein			hanka		bisoin, fanka
head	mur, matha, math	matha, shir, kolla		mata, hôlla				matá	sir, xolla, mata
heart (emotion)	hia, ontor, koliza/koilza, hidoy	(h)ridôy, ôntôr, hiya, dil, kolob, kolija/koilja		dil*, hôilze, ridôy, ôntôr			dil, ôntôr	dil*	dil*, hia
heart (organ)	hia, dil, amothu	(h)ritpindô,dil, kolija/koilja						dil*	gurda
horse	ghü̃ra/ghora	ghoṛa		gúṛa				gúñra, gúra	gúṛa
house	ghor	ghôr, baṛi, basha, khana*		gór			gór, bari	gor, bari	gór, bari, xan*
hunger	bhük/bhokh	khudha, khida, khide*, bhuk		búk			buk	búk	buk, feto(r) buk
language	bhaxa, mat (call), kotha, raw	bhasha, buli, jôban/zôban	hodá*	basha, zúban, buli		raw, bhaṣa*	basha, buli	zoban, hodá	mat, bul, rau, zoban, basha
laughter	hãhi	hashi		aši		haṣi			aši
life	zion/ziwon, ziu (soul), hayat*	jibôn, jindegi, hayat*		zibon,zindegi,hayat		zibon	zindagi*, zibon		zindegi, zibon, hayat*
moon	zün, sand	chãd/chand, chôndro, bôdôr, shôshi*		sãn	san		sanni	san	san(d), sondoni
mother	ma, ai, mai, mao, ammi/amma*	ma, amma, ammu, waleda, mata*, ai		ma		maö, ai	ma, amma*		mai, ai, maizi
mouth	mukh*, mu-	mukh*, mu(h)		mukh*		muk*			muk*
name	nam, naü	nam		nam			nam	nam	nam
night	rati, nixa*	rat/rait, ratri, shob		rait		rati	rait	rait	rait, rati, nii, shob, lailot
no	nohoy, nai, ühü, na	na, nai/nae/nei, noy, non		nô, nôy			nô	nô, nôy	na, nai, nay
peace	xanti*, xokah	shanti, aman, salamôt*		šanti*		ṣanti*			niraii, shanti, salamôt
place	thai, zega/zaga*, than	jayga/jaga/jega, ṭhai, sthan		ṭai, zāga*					zega*, tan
queen	rani, madoi, patmadoi	rani, shahbanu*		rani		rani	rani	rani	rani, razbibi, sha(h)banu*
rest	zironi, aram*	aram, bisram, jirano, jiron		dom*,zirôn,aram gôrôn					zirani, aram*
river	noi, gaṅ, nodi*	nôdi, doriya, ɡaṅg		dôijja*,dôirge				hál	ɡaṅg, nodi*
road	bat, ali, rasta, poth	rasta, shoṛok, pôth					sorok, hot*		sorox, rah, rasta, ail, fot*
salt	nimokh*, lün/nun	lôbôn, nun, nomok		lôbôn*, lun/nun			noon, lobon*		nimox, nun, lobon
sister	bhoni/boini/boni (younger), ba/bai (elder)	apa*, apu/api, boin/bon, didi		bóin,afa/bôbbu/dî/afu (elder)			bóin		bóin, buai
small	xoru, süto	chhoṭo, pati		guro			huru, suto		huru, nii, kuṭimuti, gura, titkina, geda, suṭu
son	put, pü, aapa	chhele, putro*, put, po, bêṭa		(morod) fuā, fut		beṭa	hola, hut	fut	fut, fua
soul	ziu, atma/atta*	atta, pran, pôran, ruh, jiu		foran, rû			atta*		ru, atma, zaan*
sun	beli	shurjo, shuruj		beil, šuroz*				beil	suruz, shurzo
ten	doh, dos*	dosh		doš		doṣ	dosh		dosh, do
three	tini	tin		tín			tin	tin	tin
village	gaü̃	gram*, gã, gão		geram			geram		gau
waist	kõkal/kakal	komor*, maja		keĩl				keñil	xomor*, xaxal
water	pani	pani, jôl*		fani	pani	pani, zol*	hani	faní	fani, ab*, tam
when	ketia/kitia/kita, kethan/kethen, kesen, ketiyake	kôkhôn, kobe, kon shômôy*, kon bêla		hótte		könbela	kunbela		kunbala(n->m), kunomoy
wind	botah/batah	batash, hawa, ba/bao, bayu, bat, anil*		ába, bataš			batash, haowa		boyar, batash, hawa
wolf	kukurnesia bagh, xial (jackal, fox)	nekṛe-bagh, sheyal/shiyal (jackal, fox)		neṛi kutta					atubag, hial (jackal, fox)
woman	maiki manuh, tiri, tirüta, mohila	mohila, nari, beṭi manush, chheri		maiye fua,maifuā (soft)		beṭi saöa			beṭi, moíla*
year	bosor, son*	bochhor, shal, borsho, botshor*		bosor		bosor	bosor, shal*		fira, bosor, son, shal
yes	hoy, o, ü̃, mm	hê/hễ, ji*, agge, hã		ô, ôy			ô, hô	ô, ôy	óe, i, zi* óe
yesterday	kali, züa-kali/zawa-kali	(goto*-)kal(-ke), (gelo-)kal(-ke),kal(-ke)		goto* hail, goto* halia					(gese-)xail(-ku), xail(-ku)
English	Assamese	Bengali	Chakma	Chittagonian	Hajong	Kamatapuri	Noakhali	Rohingya	Sylheti

* = borrowed terms (including tatsamas, ardhatatsamas and other borrowings)

Verbs

English	Assamese	Sylheti	Bengali	Chakma	Chittagonian	Kamatapuri	Rohingya	Hajong	Noakhali
ask	xudh-, xudhpus kor- (investigate)	zika-, fus-, zar-	jiggaśa kor-, puchh-, puch kor-, jiggesh kor-, jiga-		pũsar ɡor-				fus-, jiga-
bite	kamür-, kamür mar-	xamṛa-, xamor maeth[4r]bh=['r45t6h[=]uj[kp=r-	kamoṛ mar-, kamṛa-		hõr-
blow	phu de-, phuk-, phu kor-	fu de-, hu de-	phu deua-
breathe	uxah lo-	dom lo-	šãš ne-, šãš lo-, dôm ne-, dôm lo-						šãš na-, dôm ne-
bring	an-	an-	an-		an-				an-
can	par-	far-	par-						har-
catch	dhor-	dór-	dhôr-						dór-
come	ah-	a-	aś-		a-		a-	ah-	ai-
count	gon-, hisap kor-, gonti kor-	gon-, isab xor-	gon-, hišab kôr-
cry	kand-, kan-	xand-, xan-	kãd-		hãd-				hãnna-, kand-, sikrait-
cut	kat-	xaṭ-	kaṭ-
do	kor-	xor-	kôr-		gor-		ɡor-		hor-, kor-
die	mor-, dhuka-	mor-	môr-		mor-				mor-
dig	khand-	kur-, kus-	khõṛ-, khõc-
drink	kha-, pi kha-, pi-	xa-, fia xa-, fi-	kha-, pan kor-, pi-						ha-
eat	kha-	xa-	kha-				há-		ha-
fall	por-	foṛ-	poṛ-
fear	bhoy kha-, dora-	ḍora-	bhoy pa-, ḍora-						dora-
fight	zũz-, maramari/moramori kor-	mair xor-, xaijja xor-	maramari kor-, jhogṛa kôr-
float	üpoṅ-, bhah-	bai-, bo-	bhaš-
flow	bo-	bo-	bo-						bo-
fly	ur-	uṛ-	uṛ-		ur-		ur-		ur-
give	de-, di-	de-, di-	de-						de-
go	za-, ɡo-/ge-	za-, ɡo-, ɡe-	ja-, ɡe-		za-, zo-		za-, zo-		za-
happen	ho-	ó-	ho-		ó-				ó-
hear	xun-	hun-	śun-		un-				hun-, hon-
hit	mar-, pit-, kila-	mar-, fiț-, kila-	mar-, kela-						mar-
kill	mar-, mari pela-	mar-, mari de-	mar-, mere fel-, mariya fal-						mariya de-
know	zan-	zan-	jan-						zan-
laugh	hãh-	aś-	haś-		aś-
learn	xik-, xikh-	hik-	śekh-, śikh-					hik-
lie (in bed)	baɡor-, kati ho-, bisonat/bisnat por-	xait o-, hut-	shuye por-						hut-
live	thak-, zi(ai) thak-, tik-, basi thak-	tax-, zia-, basi tax-	thak-, jibito thak-, jinda thak-, bece thak-, bãchiya thak-		thah-				thak-
look	sa-	sa-	dekh-, ca-, taka-		sa-				sa-, deha-, taka-
open	khul-	kúa-	khol-, khul-		uid-, khúl-
play	khel-	xél-	khel-
pull	tan-	ṭan-	ṭan-						tan-
push	thel-	ṭel-, dekka-	ṭhel-						thel-, dakka-
read	porh/poh/por-	foṛ-	poṛ-		foṛ-				hor-
run	dour-, daur-	douṛ-	douṛa-, choṭ-, chuṭ-		dũr-				dour-
say	ko-, mat-, bul-	xo-, mat-	bol-, ko-	ho-	ho-				ho-
scratch	ãsür-	xawza-, xamsa-	ãcoṛ de-, ãcṛa-, khamca-
see	dekh-	dex-	dekh-		sa-				sa-
sew	xi-, sila-, bo- (weave)	sia-	śela-, śila
sing	ɡa-, gan ga-	ɡa-	ɡa-, gan ga-						ga-
sit	boh-	bo-	boś-		bo-				bo-, boy-
sleep	xu-, ɡhuma-, tüponi za/mar-	hut-, ɡúma-	ɡhuma-, śo-, śu-		ɡhum za-				hute za-, gúma-
smell	xuṅ-	huṅ(ɡ)-	śũk-, śõk-		ũ-				shũk-
spit	thu pela-, pik-, pik pela-	sef fal-, fik fal- (betel nut/leaf)	thu phel-, thu phal-						seb hela-, thu hela-
split	phal-	atra-	bhag kor-, bhang-						do bhag kor-, bhang-
squeeze	sep-, hẽs-	sif-	cap-, pesh-, cip-						sap-
stand	thio ho-, thia-	uba-	dãṛa-, khaṛa-			thio-	tía-		dãṛa-, khaṛa-
stab	khũs-, han-	kus-, gauua-
suck	suh-, sup-, xüh-	sua-	chosh-, chush-
swell		ful-, fit-			phuler
swim	xatũr-	hatra-	śatar kor-, shatra-
think	bhab-, sinta kor-, sint-	bab-, sinta xor-, mone kôr-	bhab-, cinta kôr-, mone kôr-						bab-, sinta hor-
throw	dolia-	ița-, iṭa mar-	chõṛ-, ḍhêla mar-, dol-						sūre mar-
tie	bandh-	ban(d)-	bãdh-						bãn(d)-
vomit	bomi kor-	bait xor-	bomi kor-						bomi hor-
walk	khüz karh-, bul-	aṭ-	hãṭ-		ãd-				at-
want	lag-, bisar-	maɡ-, sa-	ca-		sa-				sa-
wash	dhu-	dó-	dho-				dú-		dú-
wipe	mos-, müs-	fus-, mus-	moch-, much-, poch-, puch-						mus-
English	Assamese	Sylheti	Bengali	Chakma	Chittagonian	Kamatapuri	Rohingya	Hajong	Noakhali

References

↑ Toulmin, Mathew W S (2006). Reconstructing linguistic history in a dialect continuum: The Kamta, Rajbanshi, and Northern Deshi Bangla subgroup of Indo-Aryan (PhD). The Australian National University. p. 305.
↑ "Assamese". Ethnologue (Free All). Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
↑ "Bengali". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
↑ Kim, Amy; Kim, Seung. Bishnupriya (Manipuri) speakers in Bangladesh: a sociolinguistic survey (PDF). SIL INTERNATIONAL. p. 11. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
1 2 "Chakma". Ethnologue. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
↑ "Chakma". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
↑ "Chittagonian". Ethnologue. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
↑ "Chittagonian". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
↑ Hajong, Phillips & Phillips (2008, p. 1)
↑ "Hajong".
1 2 "Hajong". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
↑ Minahan, James B. (2012). "Rajbongshis". Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 267. ISBN 978-1-59884-659-1. Generally, the Rajbongshi language is known as Rangpuri in Bangladesh and Kamta or Rajbangshi in India. The language is usually written in Bengali script in Bangladesh, while the Kamtapura script is favored in India. In Nepal, the language uses Devanagari script which is also sometimes used by the Indian Rajbongshis.
1 2 "Rangpuri". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
↑ "As a ritual of purgation they are discarding the Bengali /r/ with a dot and the same is replaced with the original /r/ with a diagonal slash, as used in Assamese script despite the fact that the Rajbanshis in Bengal have been conditioned to use the Bengali /r/ owing to the long processes of forceful imposition of Bengali language upon them." (Pradhani 2012:52)
↑ "Rohingya". Ethnologue. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
↑ "Rohingya". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
↑ "Surjapuri". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
1 2 "Sylheti". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
↑ "Tangchangya". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

Bibliography

Hajong, Abonis; Phillips, D; Phillips, V (2008), Hajong–English Phrase Book (PDF), SIL International
Pradhani, Jyotirmoy (2012). "Resonance of Identity in Rajbanshi Poetry" (PDF). The NEHU Journal. X (1).

[OGK-1] Toulmin, Mathew W S (2006). Reconstructing linguistic history in a dialect continuum: The Kamta, Rajbanshi, and Northern Deshi Bangla subgroup of Indo-Aryan (PhD). The Australian National University. p. 305.

[2] "Assamese". Ethnologue (Free All). Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

[3] "Bengali". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

[4] Kim, Amy; Kim, Seung. Bishnupriya (Manipuri) speakers in Bangladesh: a sociolinguistic survey (PDF). SIL INTERNATIONAL. p. 11. Retrieved 4 October 2020.

[Chakma-5] 1 2 "Chakma". Ethnologue. Retrieved 6 October 2020.

[6] "Chakma". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

[7] "Chittagonian". Ethnologue. Retrieved 6 October 2020.

[8] "Chittagonian". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

[9] Hajong, Phillips & Phillips (2008, p. 1)

[10] "Hajong".

[haj-11] 1 2 "Hajong". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

[12] Minahan, James B. (2012). "Rajbongshis". Ethnic Groups of South Asia and the Pacific: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO. p. 267. ISBN 978-1-59884-659-1. Generally, the Rajbongshi language is known as Rangpuri in Bangladesh and Kamta or Rajbangshi in India. The language is usually written in Bengali script in Bangladesh, while the Kamtapura script is favored in India. In Nepal, the language uses Devanagari script which is also sometimes used by the Indian Rajbongshis.

[rkt-13] 1 2 "Rangpuri". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

[14] "As a ritual of purgation they are discarding the Bengali /r/ with a dot and the same is replaced with the original /r/ with a diagonal slash, as used in Assamese script despite the fact that the Rajbanshis in Bengal have been conditioned to use the Bengali /r/ owing to the long processes of forceful imposition of Bengali language upon them." (Pradhani 2012:52)

[15] "Rohingya". Ethnologue. Retrieved 6 October 2020.

[16] "Rohingya". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

[17] "Surjapuri". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

[syl-18] 1 2 "Sylheti". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

[19] "Tangchangya". Ethnologue. Retrieved 12 March 2018.

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