View source for Dimasa language

{{Short description|Sino-Tibetan language of Northeast India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox language
|name=Dimasa 
|nativename={{lang|dis-Latn|Grao-Dima}}
|states=[[India]]  
|region=[[Assam]], [[Nagaland]]
|ethnicity=[[Dimasa people|Dimasa]]
|speakers= 137,184
|date= 2011 census (Dima Hasao)

|ref=<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statement 1: Abstract of Speakers' Strength of Languages and Mother Tongues - 2011 |url=http://censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713021311/http://censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf |archive-date=2018-07-13 |access-date=2018-07-07 |via=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India}}</ref>
|familycolor= Sino-Tibetan  
|fam2=[[Tibeto-Burman]]
|fam3=[[Central Tibeto-Burman languages|Central Tibeto-Burman]] (?)
|fam4=[[Sal languages|Brahmaputran]]
|fam5=[[Boro-Garo languages|Boro–Garo]]
|script=[[Latin script]], [[Eastern Nagari]]
|iso3=dis
|glotto=dima1251
|glottorefname=Dimasa
}}

The '''Dimasa language''' is a [[Tibeto-Burman languages|Tibeto-Burman]] language spoken by the [[Dimasa people]] of the [[Northeastern India]]n states of [[Assam]] and [[Nagaland]]. The Dimasa language is known to Dimasas as "Grao-Dima" and it is similar to  [[Boro language (India)|Boro]], [[Kokborok]] and [[Garo language]]s. The Dimasa language is one of the oldest languages spoken in [[North East India]], particularly in [[Assam]], [[Nagaland]].

== Etymology ==
The word ''Dimasa'' etymologically translates to ''Children'' [''sa''] of the big river [''dima'']", i.e. the mighty [[Yarlung Tsangpo|Tsang]], which is known as [[Brahmaputra]] by the Assamese. The Dimasa word ''dzi''/''Dí'', meaning water, forms the root of the names of many of the major rivers of [[Assam]] and of [[North East India]] in general, such as ''Dibang'' (plenty of water), ''Diyung'' (huge river), ''Dikrang'' (green river), ''Dikhow'' (fetched water), and many others. The [[Brahmaputra]] is known as ''Tsangi'' (the purifier) and [[Lohit River|Lohit]] is known as ''Di Lao'' (long river) among the [[Dimasa people|Dimasas]] even now.

Many of the important towns and cities in [[Assam]] and [[Nagaland]] received their names from Dimasa words such as [[Diphu]], [[Maibang]], [[Dimapur|Dimabang]] (a capital of the [[Dimasa Kingdom]]) etc. In fact, the Dimasa language is one of the last languages of [[North East India]] to retain its original vocabulary without being compromised by foreign languages.{{sfn|Endle|1911|p=4}}

==Geographical distribution==
Dimasa is spoken in:
* [[Assam]]: [[Dima Hasao district]] (formerly North Cachar Hills district), [[Cachar district]], [[Karbi Anglong district]], [[West Karbi Anglong district]], [[Nagaon district]], [[Hojai district]] (formerly a part of Nagaon district)
* [[Nagaland]]
* [[Meghalaya]]
* [[Mizoram]]

==Phonology==
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2020}}
===Vowels===
There are six vowels in Dimasa language.
{|class="wikitable"
|+Vowels
!rowspan=2|
!colspan=3|[[Front vowel|Front]]
!colspan=3|[[Central vowel|Central]]
!colspan=3|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!ROM
![[Assamese alphabet|Script]]
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!ROM
![[Assamese alphabet|Script]]
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!ROM
![[Assamese alphabet|Script]]
|- style="text-align:center"
!rowspan=1|[[Close vowel|Close]]
|{{IPA link|i}}
|i
|
|colspan=3|
|{{IPA link|u}}
|u
|
|- style="text-align:center"
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
|{{IPA link|e}}
|e
|
|colspan=3|
|{{IPA link|o}}
|o
|
|- style="text-align:center"
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|colspan=3|
|{{IPA link|ə}}
|ə
|
|colspan=3|
|- style="text-align:center"
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|colspan=3|
|{{IPA link|a}}
|a
|
|colspan=3|
|}
* All vowels can occurs in all three positions, except /{{IPA|ə}}/ which occurs only medially.

===Diphthongs===
{|class="wikitable"
|+Diphthongs
!
!{{IPA|i}}
!{{IPA|e}}
!{{IPA|o}}
!{{IPA|u}}
|- style="text-align:center"
!{{IPA|i}}
|
|
|
|{{IPA|iu}}
|- style="text-align:center"
!{{IPA|e}}
|{{IPA|ei}}
|
|{{IPA|eo}}
|
|- style="text-align:center"
!{{IPA|a}}
|{{IPA|ai}}
|
|{{IPA|ao}}
|
|- style="text-align:center"
!{{IPA|o}}
|{{IPA|oi}}
|
|
|
|- style="text-align:center"
!{{IPA|u}}
|{{IPA|ui}}
|
|
|
|- style="text-align:center"
!{{IPA|ə}}
|
|
|{{IPA|əo}}
|
|}

===Consonants===
There are sixteen consonants in the Dimasa language.
{|class="wikitable"
|+Consonants
!colspan=2 rowspan=2|
!colspan=3|[[Labial consonant|Labial]]
!colspan=3|[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
!colspan=3|[[Dorsal consonant|Dorsal]]
!colspan=3|[[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!ROM
![[Devanagari script|Script]]
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!ROM
![[Devanagari script|Script]]
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!ROM
![[Devanagari script|Script]]
![[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]
!ROM
![[Devanagari script|Script]]
|- style="text-align:center"
!colspan=2|[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
|{{IPA link|m}}
|m
|
|{{IPA link|n}}
|n
|
|{{IPA link|ŋ}}
|ng
|
|colspan=3|
|- style="text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|[[Stop consonant|Stop]]
!<small>[[Aspiration (phonetics)|aspirated]]</small>
|{{IPA link|pʰ}}
|ph
|
|{{IPA link|tʰ}}
|th
|
|{{IPA link|kʰ}}
|kh
|
|colspan=3|
|- style="text-align:center"
!<small>voiced</small>
|{{IPA link|b}}
|b
|
|{{IPA link|d}}
|d
|
|{{IPA link|ɡ}}
|g
|
|colspan=3|
|- style="text-align:center"
!rowspan=2|[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
!<small>voiceless</small>
|colspan=3|
|{{IPA link|s}}
|s
|
|colspan=3|
|colspan=3|
|- style="text-align:center"
!<small>voiced</small>
|colspan=3|
|{{IPA link|z}}
|z
|
|colspan=3|
|{{IPA link|ɦ}}
|h
|
|- style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" |[[Alveolar trill|Trill]]/[[Tap and flap consonants|Flap]]
|colspan=3|
|{{IPA link|r}} ~ {{IPA link|ɾ}}
|r
|
|colspan=3|
|colspan=3|
|- style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" |[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
!<small>voiced</small>
|{{IPA link|w}}
|w
|
| colspan="3" |
|{{IPA link|j}}
|y
|
| colspan="3" |
|- style="text-align:center"
!<small>[[Lateral consonant|lateral]]</small>
|colspan=3|
|{{IPA link|l}}
|l
|
|colspan=3|
|colspan=3|
|}
* The three voiceless aspirated stops, /{{IPA|pʰ, tʰ, kʰ}}/, are unreleased in syllable final position. Their unaspirated voiced counterparts are released and cannot occur word final position.
* Sometimes /{{IPA|pʰ, tʰ, kʰ, s}}/ are pronounced as /{{IPA|b, d, g, z}}/ respectively.
* The consonants /{{IPA|pʰ, b, tʰ, kʰ, m, n, r, l}}/ can occur in all position.
* The consonants /{{IPA|g, s, s, ɦ}}/ cannot occur in Dimasa indigenous words, but can occur in loan words.
* The consonants /{{IPA|d, w, j}}/ cannot appear in word final positions in Dimasa.
* The consonants /{{IPA|ŋ}}/ cannot appear in word initial positions.

==Grammar==
{{More citations needed section|date=June 2020}}
Dimasa is an inflectional language. The verbs are inflected for number, tense, case, voice, aspect, mood but not for gender and person.

===Pronouns===
{| class="wikitable"
! &nbsp; !! Singular !! Plural
|-
! First person
| ''ang'' || ''jing''
|-
! Second person
| ''ning'' || ''nishi''
|-
! Third person
| ''bo'' || ''bunshi''
|}

===Sentence syntax===
The verb is rarely inflected for person and gender.

[[Subject–object–verb word order]] is usual; [[Object–verb–subject word order]] also occurs.

==Writing system==
Dimasa is written using [[Latin script]], which has been introduced in the lower primary education system in Dima Hasao District. The main guiding force behind it is the Dimasa Lairidim Hosom, a literary apex body of the Dimasa community.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tribes of Assam |url=http://online.assam.gov.in/tribes_of_assam#Dimasa |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205030325/http://online.assam.gov.in:80/tribes_of_assam#Dimasa%20Kachari |archive-date=5 February 2017 |website=online.assam.gov.in}}</ref>

The [[Bengali script]] is used in Cachar, where the Bengali people live alongside  Dimasas.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Index of Languages by Writing System |url=http://www.omniglot.com/writing/langalph.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413101247/http://www.omniglot.com/writing/langalph.htm |archive-date=2018-04-13 |access-date=18 April 2018 |website=Omniglot}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Dimasa people]]
* [[Dimaraji]]
* [[Dima Hasao]]
* [[Busu Dima]]
* [[Kachari language]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite thesis |last=Brahma |first=Pratima |title=Phonology and Morphology of Bodo and Dimasa: A Comparative Study |date=2014 |degree=PhD |publisher=Assam University |hdl=10603/21160 |hdl-access=free}}
* {{cite book |last1=Endle |first1=Sidney |title=The Kacháris |date=1911 |publisher=Macmillan |url=https://archive.org/details/kacharis009491mbp}}
* {{cite book |last1=Evans |first1=Jonathan P. |last2=Langthasa |first2=Dhrubajit |title=Dimasa Language: Structure and Texts |publisher=Institute of Linguistics, Academia Sinica Taipei |place=Taiwan |date=2024 |url=https://www.ling.sinica.edu.tw/item/zh-tw?act=publish_book&type=2}}
{{refend}}

{{incubator|code=dis}}

==External links==
* [https://digital.library.unt.edu/explore/collections/DLR Dimasa Language Resource] collection of Dimasa language documentation in the Computational Resource for South Asian Languages (CoRSAL) archive

{{Sal languages}}
{{Languages of Northeast India}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dimasa Language}}
[[Category:Sal languages]]
[[Category:Languages of Assam]]
[[Category:Languages of Nagaland]]
[[Category:Endangered languages of India]]