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Mara language
Sino-Tibetan language spoken in India and Burma From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Mara (Mara reih; pronounced [mərà reɪ], မရာဘာသာစကား; pronounced [mərà bàθàzəɡá]) is a Kuki-Chin language spoken by Mara people, mostly the Tlosai tribe living in 30 villages of Chhimtuipui district, southern Mizoram, India; 9 villages in Thantlang District, Chin State, Burma; and several more in Matupi District, Chin State, Burma.
The Mara (Tlosai) 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.
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Written script
A written script for Mara was first created in 1852 by Captain S.R. Tickell.[2] Further scripts were invented in 1869 by Captain T.H. Lewin, in 1908 by Rev. F.W. Savidge and by R.A. Lorain.[2]
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
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Grammar
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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
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Phonology
Consonants
- A glottal stop [ʔ] may occur in onsets as a result of morphological combinations.
- /t/ can be dental as [t̪] before /ɑ/ or /i/.
- /k/ can also be heard as uvular [q] before /ɑ/ or /i/.
- /s, z/ when preceding /i/ can be heard as alveolo-palatal [ɕ, ʑ].
- Pre-aspiration can also be heard among nasals as [ʱm, ʱn].[3]
Vowels
- Sounds /o/ and /ɑ̝/ can be heard in free variation as [ɔ, ɐʊ] and [ʌ].[3]
References
External links
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