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{{Short description|Sino-Tibetan language of Burma and India}}
{{Infobox language {{Infobox language
|name=Zou | name = Zou
|altname=Zo, Zomi | altname = Zo
| image = Shukla Zoulai.svg
|states=Burma, India
| imagescale =
|region=In Burma: ], ], ];<br>
| imagecaption = 'Zo Lai' in Zolai alphabet
| states = Manipur, India
| region = Tonzang: ], ];<br>
In India: ] and ], ], ] subdivision and Sungnu area; ] districts; ]. In India: ] and ], ], ] subdivision and Sungnu area; ] districts; ].
|ethnicity=] | ethnicity = ]
|speakers=187,500 | speakers = {{sigfig|87,500|2}}
|date= | date = 2012
|ref=e22 | ref = e25
|familycolor=Sino-Tibetan | familycolor = Sino-Tibetan
|fam2=]<ref name=Haokip>{{Cite book|last=Haokip|first=Pauthang|title=Socio-linguistic Situation in North-east India|year=2011|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-8180697609|page=55|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hnYShQ7TryMC&pg=PA55}}</ref> | fam2 = ]<ref name=Haokip>{{Cite book|last=Haokip|first=Pauthang|title=Socio-linguistic Situation in North-east India|year=2011|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-8180697609|page=55|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hnYShQ7TryMC&pg=PA55}}</ref>
|fam3=] | fam3 = ]
| script = ], ]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://omniglot.com/writing/zoulai.htm|title=Zoulai|website=Omniglot.com|access-date=2021-12-28|archive-date=2021-12-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228173614/https://omniglot.com/writing/zoulai.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|iso3=zom
| iso3 = zom
|glotto=zouu1235
| glotto = zouu1235
|glottorefname=Zou
| glottorefname = Zo
}} }}
'''Zo''' (also spelled '''Zou''' and also known as '''Zokam''') is a Northern ]<ref name=Haokip /> originating in western ] and spoken also in ] and ] in northeastern ].
].]]
'''Zou''' or Zokam (literally "of the hills"), or '''Zo''', '''Zomi''', '''Yo''', '''Yaw''', or '''Jo''', is a Northern ]<ref name=Haokip /> originating in northwestern ] and spoken also in ] and ] in northeastern ], where the name is spelled '''Zo'''.


The name Zou is sometimes used as a cover term for the languages of all ] (zo people) i.e.] and ]s, especially the ]. The name Zou is sometimes used as a cover term for the languages of all ] (Zo people) i.e.&nbsp;] and ]s, especially the ].


The term 'Zo' has been employed in many books to denote the word 'Zou', for simple reason of phonetic usage. The term 'Zo' has been employed in many books to denote the word 'Zo', for simple reason of phonetic usage.


The Zou themselves employ the various terms Zo, Zou, and Zomi to mean their tribe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/language/zom |title=Zo |editor1=Eberhard, David M. |editor2=Simons, Gary F. |editor3=Fennig, Charles D. |date=2019 |work=Ethnologue: Languages of the World |edition=22nd |location=Dallas, Texas |publisher=SIL International}}</ref> The Zo themselves employ the various terms Zo, Zou, and Jo to mean their tribe.<ref name=e25/>


== Phonology of Zou Language == == Phonology ==


The set of 22 Zou consonantal phonemes can be established on the basis of the following minimal pairs or overlapping words. Besides these 22 Phonemes, 1 consonant is a borrowed phoneme (i.e. /r/), which is found only in loan words, in very rare cases (e.g. /r/ in /rəŋ/ "color"). Along with these consonants, Zou has 7 vowels: i, e, a, ɔ, o, u, ə.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Singh |first1=Yashawanta |first2=Lukram |last2=Himmat |date=February 2013 |title=Zou Phonology |url=http://www.languageinindia.com/feb2013/zouphonologyfinal.pdf |journal=Language in India |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=683–701}}</ref> The set of 23 Zou consonantal phonemes can be established on the basis of the following minimal pairs or overlapping words. Besides these 23 Phonemes, 1 consonant is a borrowed phoneme (i.e. /r/), which is found only in loan words, in very rare cases (e.g. /r/ in /rəŋ/ "color"). Along with these consonants, Zou has 7 vowels: i, e, a, ɔ, o, u, ə.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Singh |first1=Yashawanta |first2=Lukram |last2=Himmat |date=February 2013 |title=Zou Phonology |url=http://www.languageinindia.com/feb2013/zouphonologyfinal.pdf |journal=Language in India |volume=13 |issue=2 |pages=683–701 |access-date=2019-02-19 |archive-date=2018-11-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123155118/http://www.languageinindia.com/feb2013/zouphonologyfinal.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>


{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Consonant Phonemes |+ Consonant Phonemes
! colspan="2" |
|Plosives(stops)
!]
|Bilabial
!]/<br>]
|labiodental
!]
|alveolar
!]
|palatal
!]
|velar
|glottal
|- |-
! rowspan="3" |]
|Unaspirated
!<small>voiceless</small>
|p b
|{{IPA link|p}}
|{{IPA link|t}}
|{{IPA link|c}}
|{{IPA link|k}}
|rowspan="3"|{{IPA link|ʔ}}
|-
!<small>]</small>
|{{IPA|pʰ}}
|{{IPA|tʰ}}
| |
|{{IPA|kʰ}}
|t d
|c ɟ
|k g
|- |-
!<small>voiced</small>
|Aspirated
|{{IPA link|b}}
|p<sup>h</sup>
|{{IPA link|d}}
|{{IPA link|ɟ}}
|{{IPA link|g}}
|-
! colspan="2" |]
| |
|t<sup>h</sup>
| |
|{{IPA link|tʃ}}
|k<sup>h</sup>
| |
|-
|Fricatives
| |
|v |-
! rowspan="2" |]
!<small>voiceless</small>
|{{IPA link|v}}
|{{IPA link|s}}
| |
|s
| |
|{{IPA link|h}}
|h
|- |-
!<small>voiced</small>
|Affricate
| |
|{{IPA link|z}}
|
|tʃ
| |
| |
| |
|- |-
! colspan="2" |]
|Nasals
|{{IPA link|m}}
|m
|{{IPA link|n}}
|
|n
| |
|{{IPA link|ŋ}}
| |
|- |-
! colspan="2" |]
|l approximant
| |
|{{IPA link|l}}
| |
|l
| |
| |
|- |-
! colspan="2" |]
|Approximants
|{{IPA link|w}}
|w
|
|j
| |
|{{IPA link|j}}
| |
| |
|} |}


{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Vowels |+Vowels
!
!]
!]
!]
|-
!]
|{{IPA link|i}}
| |
|{{IPA link|u}}
|unrounded
|rounded
|- |-
!]
|Open back
|{{IPA link|e}}
|i
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA link|ə}}
|u
|{{IPA link|o}}
|- |-
!]
|Close-mid back
|e |
|o  ɔ |{{IPA link|ɔ}}
|- |-
!]
|Mid back
|
| colspan="2" |(ə)
|{{IPA link|a}}
|
|} |}


==Orthography==
== Types of Zo verbs ==
===Vowels===
The Zo verbs can be classified into three types: Stem (1), Stem (2), Stem (3) as given below:<ref>{{cite web |author=Philip Thanglienmang Tungdim |title=A Descriptive Grammar of the Zo Language |url=https://an-in.academia.edu/philipthanglienmangtungdim |website=Academia |accessdate=22 March 2019 |date=2012}}</ref>
* a -
* aw -
* e -
* i -
* o -
* u - <ref>{{cite web |title=Zou language, script, and pronunciation |url=https://www.omniglot.com/writing/zou.htm |website=Omniglot |access-date=2019-07-06 |archive-date=2019-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706155644/https://www.omniglot.com/writing/zou.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Consonants===
* b -
* ch -
* d -
* g -
* h - , at the end of a syllable
* j -
* k -
* kh -
* l -
* m -
* n -
* ng -
* p -
* ph -
* r -
* s -
* t -
* th -
* v -
* z - <ref>{{cite web |title=Zou language, script, and pronunciation |url=https://www.omniglot.com/writing/zou.htm |website=Omniglot |access-date=2019-07-06 |archive-date=2019-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706155644/https://www.omniglot.com/writing/zou.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Types of Zo verbs ==
The Zo verbs can be classified into three types: Stem (1), Stem (2), Stem (3) as given below:<ref>{{cite web |author=Philip Thanglienmang Tungdim |title=A Descriptive Grammar of the Zo Language |url=https://an-in.academia.edu/philipthanglienmangtungdim |website=Academia |access-date=22 March 2019 |date=2012 |archive-date=25 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190325112817/http://an-in.academia.edu/philipthanglienmangtungdim |url-status=live }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
|+Types of Zo Verbs |+Types of Zo Verbs
Line 133: Line 183:
|pua- |pua-
|} |}

== Tone ==
According to David Mortensen (2003) a syllable, in isolation, displays the Lexical Tone. Abramson (1979) states that the citation form of a monosyllabic word may be viewed as bearing the ideal manifestation of a tone. According to Matisoff (1999, p.&nbsp;88), “Sinospheric TB languages tend to be more strictly monosyllabic than others.” Tone-bearing units (TBU) is the morphological unit in which only a single tone specification is found in the pronounced form (Mazaudon, 1977). TBU is the phonological unit which receives a tonal pitch command (Yip, 2002; Gussenhoven, 2004).

Zo is monosyllabic, partially agglutinating tone language. The Zo tones are treated as Suprasegmental features in this study. Like many tone languages, the Tone Bearing Unit (Goldsmith, 1990, p.&nbsp;44) is the “syllable” in Zo, whose tonal rhymes consist of i) Short/lax and Long/tense vowel quality ii) Glides (diphthongs, triphthongs) which are realized as Rising(H), Mid(M) and, Falling(L) and Low tones in isolation respectively. In terms of lexical phonology, the basic tonemes or underlying tones or lexical tones or inherent tonemes either have Lax (short vowel, monophthong) or Tense vowel (diphthong, triphthong) within them as the nucleus depending upon the syntactic constructions with respect to other tonemes in phrasal phonological environments in which they occur as in morphonotonemic processes.


==Sample text== ==Sample text==
Line 147: Line 192:
|- |-
|Maw na sung ma naw in, amaw sa pi ma in leimi in i piang a, a khawh ma ma - gam lua a i lua suhsuh ih mawnate ma ei bawl in eima pumpi ei man muda maithei, Ih mawnate -eeng taang gol lua a hi man in khat veivei eima mawnate eimon maisah zolo maithei va-ia kim lai, tuate lip khap sih saang a pamai eisa, ei khua tua ngeet-nguut ngeng ngong man {{not a typo|a}} ih dial dual liang luang mawna nei van nuai ei mai sah thop valong, abieh huai tapo ma Jehova ki chi Pasian khat a na om ngang tangh hi. |Maw na sung ma naw in, amaw sa pi ma in leimi in i piang a, a khawh ma ma - gam lua a i lua suhsuh ih mawnate ma ei bawl in eima pumpi ei man muda maithei, Ih mawnate -eeng taang gol lua a hi man in khat veivei eima mawnate eimon maisah zolo maithei va-ia kim lai, tuate lip khap sih saang a pamai eisa, ei khua tua ngeet-nguut ngeng ngong man {{not a typo|a}} ih dial dual liang luang mawna nei van nuai ei mai sah thop valong, abieh huai tapo ma Jehova ki chi Pasian khat a na om ngang tangh hi.

|As we are born in sin, we cannot even love ourselves and there is no knowledge about what is forgiveness, because of the enormous sins inherited in us. Eventhough we are in this situation, in spite of our enormous sins the one who has mercy, sympathises us and forgives us our sins is the God called Jehovah. |As we are born in sin, we cannot even love ourselves and there is no knowledge about what is forgiveness, because of the enormous sins inherited in us. Even though we are in this situation, in spite of our enormous sins the one who has mercy, sympathises us and forgives us our sins is the God called Jehovah.
|- |-
|} |}


There are four major dialects of Zou in ] and ] ;Haidawi, Khuongnung, Thangkhal, and Khodai. There are four major dialects of Zou in ] and ]: Haidawi, Khuongnung, Thangkhal, and Khodai.


==Numbers== ==Numbers==
] numbers are counted as follows:<ref>{{cite book |first=Philip |last=Thangliènmâng Tungdim |title=Zo-English-Hindi Kizìlna Lȁibú |trans-title=Self-tutor book of Zo-English-Hindi |url=https://www.academia.edu/3715035 |access-date=20 August 2019 |date=2011 |archive-date=21 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621013852/https://www.academia.edu/3715035 |url-status=live |isbn=978-81-920282-0-0 |publisher=Zou Cultural-cum-Literature Society India |location=New Delhi}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable sortable" {|class="wikitable sortable"
Zo numbers are counted as follows:
<ref>{{cite web |author=Philip Thanglienmang Tungdim |title=Zo-English-Hindi Kizilna Laibu Selftutor 2011 |url=https://www.academia.edu/3715035 |website=Academia |accessdate=20 August 2019 |date=2011}}</ref>

|- |-
!Zou!!English!!Hindi !Numeral!!Zou!!English!!Hindi
|- |-
!0
|Bem||Zero||Sunna
|{{lang|zom|be̋m}} || zero || {{lang|hi|शून्य}} {{translit|hi|śūnya}}
|- |-
!1
|Khat||One||Ek
|{{lang|zom|khàt}} || one|| {{lang|hi|एक}} {{translit|hi|ek}}
|- |-
!2
|Ni||Two||Do
|{{lang|zom|nì:}} || two ||{{lang|hi|दो}} {{translit|hi|do}}
|- |-
!3
|Thum||Three||Tin
|{{lang|zom|thum}} || three ||{{lang|hi|तीन}} {{translit|hi|tīn}}
|- |-
!4
|Li||Four||Char
|{{lang|zom|li:}}|| four || {{lang|hi|चार}} {{translit|hi|cār}}
|- |-
!5
|Nga||Five||Panch
|{{lang|zom|nga:}} || five || {{lang|hi|पाँच}} {{translit|hi|pā̃c}}
|- |-
!6
|Guh||Six||Chhe
|{{lang|zom|gùh}} || six || {{lang|hi|छह}} {{translit|hi|chah}}
|- |-
!7
|Sagi||Seven||Sat
|{{lang|zom|sagí}} || seven || {{lang|hi|सात}} {{translit|hi|sāt}}
|- |-
!8
|Giet||Eight||Ath
|{{lang|zom|giét}} || eight ||{{lang|hi|आठ}} {{translit|hi|āṭh}}
|- |-
!9
|Kuo||Nine||Naw
|{{lang|zom|kuó}} || nine || {{lang|hi|नौ}} {{translit|hi|nau}}
|- |-
!10
|Sawm||Ten||Das
|{{lang|zom|sàwm}}, {{lang|zom|sôm}} || ten|| {{lang|hi|दस}} {{translit|hi|das}}
|- |-
!11
|Sawmlehkhat||Eleven||Gyarah
|{{lang|zom|sàwm leh khàt}} || eleven ||{{lang|hi|ग्यारह}} {{translit|hi|gyārah}}
|- |-
!12
|Sawmlehkuo||Nineteen||Unnis
|{{lang|zom|sàwm leh nì}} || twelve || {{lang|hi|बारह}} {{translit|hi|bārah}}
|- |-
!13
|Sawmni||Twenty||Bis
|{{lang|zom|sàwm leh thum}} || thirteen ||{{lang|hi|तेरह}} {{translit|hi|terah}}
|- |-
!14
|Sawmthum||Thirty||Tis
|{{lang|zom|sàwm leh li:}}|| fourteen || {{lang|hi|चौदह}} {{translit|hi|caudah}}
|- |-
!15
|Sawmkuo||Ninety||Nabbe
|{{lang|zom|sàwm leh nga:}} || fifteen || {{lang|hi|पंद्रह}} {{translit|hi|pandrah}}
|- |-
!16
|Za||Hundred||Ek Saw
|{{lang|zom|sàwm leh gùh}} || sixteen || {{lang|hi|सोलह}} {{translit|hi|solah}}
|- |-
!17
|Zanga||Five hundred||
|{{lang|zom|sàwm leh sagí}} || seventeen || {{lang|hi|सत्रह}} {{translit|hi|satrah}}
|- |-
!18
|Tul(khat)||One thousand||Hazar
|{{lang|zom|sàwm leh giét}} || eighteen ||{{lang|hi|अठारह}} {{translit|hi|aṭhārah}}
|- |-
!19
|Tulsawm||Ten thousand||Das Hazar
|{{lang|zom|sàwm leh kuó}} || nineteen || {{lang|hi|उन्नीस}} {{translit|hi|unnīs}}
|- |-
!20
|Tulza||Hundred thousand/One lakh||Lakh
|{{lang|zom|sàwmnì}} || twenty || {{lang|hi|बीस}} {{translit|hi|bīs}}
|- |-
!30
|Then||Million||Das Lakh
|{{lang|zom|sàwmthum}} || thirty || {{lang|hi|तीस}} {{translit|hi|tīs}}
|- |-
!40
|Thensawm||Ten million||
|{{lang|zom|sàwmli:}} || forty || {{lang|hi|चालीस}} {{translit|hi|cālīs}}
|- |-
!50
|Thenza||Hundred million||
|{{lang|zom|sàwmnga:}} || fifty || {{lang|hi|पचास}} {{translit|hi|pacās}}
|- |-
!60
|Awn||Billion||
|{{lang|zom|sàwmgùh}} || sixty || {{lang|hi|साठ}} {{translit|hi|sāṭh}}
|- |-
!70
|Awn sawm||Ten billion||
|{{lang|zom|sàwmsagí}} || seventy || {{lang|hi|सत्तर}} {{translit|hi|sattar}}
|- |-
!80
|Awn za||Hundred billion||
|{{lang|zom|sàwmgiét}} || eighty || {{lang|hi|अस्सी}} {{translit|hi|assī}}
|-
!90
|{{lang|zom|sàwmkuò}} || ninety || {{lang|hi|नव्वे}} {{translit|hi|navve}}
|-
!100
| {{lang|zom|zȁ}} || hundred || {{lang|hi|सौ}} {{translit|hi|sau}}
|-
!1,000
|{{lang|zom|sa̋ng}}, {{lang|zom|tȕl}} || one thousand || {{lang|hi|हज़ार}} {{translit|hi|hazār}}
|-
!10,000
| {{lang|zom|si̋ng}}, {{lang|zom|tȕlsàwm}}, {{lang|zom|sa̋ngsàwm}} || ten thousand ||{{lang|hi|दस हज़ार}} {{translit|hi|das hazār}}
|-
!100,000
|{{lang|zom|nuòi}}, {{lang|zom|tȕlzà}}, {{lang|zom|sa̋ngzà}} || one hundred thousand, one lakh || {{lang|hi|लाख}} {{translit|hi|lākh}}
|-
!1,000,000
|{{lang|zom|nuòisàwm}}, {{lang|zom|sa̋ngtȕl}}, {{lang|zom|tȕltȕl}} || one million || {{lang|hi|दस लाख}} {{translit|hi|das lākh}}
|-
!10,000,000
|{{lang|zom|thȅn}}, {{lang|zom|vâibêlsié}}, {{lang|zom|kráwl}} || ten million, one crore ||{{lang|hi|करोड़}} {{translit|hi|karoṛ}}
|-
!100,000,000
|{{lang|zom|thȅnzà}}, {{lang|zom|kráwl sàwm}} || one billion, ten crore || {{lang|hi|अरब}} {{translit|hi|arab}}
|} |}

==Writing systems== ==Writing systems==
Zou is often written in a Latin script developed by Christian missionary J.H. Cope. In 1952, M. Siahzathang of Churachandpur created an alternative script known as Zolai or Zoulai, an ] system with some ] characteristics. The user community for the script is growing- Zou cultural, political, and literary organizations began to adopt the script beginning in the 1970s, and more recently, the ] has shown support for both Siahzathang and the script. <ref>{{cite web |last1=Pandey |first1=Anshuman |title=Introducing the Zou Script |url=http://unicode.org/L2/L2010/10254r2-zou.pdf |accessdate=30 December 2019 |date=29 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Ian James |author2=Mattias Persson |title=Script for Zou |url=http://skyknowledge.com/zolai.htm |website=skyknowledge.com |accessdate=19 February 2019 |date=March 2012}}</ref> Zou is often written in a Latin script developed by Christian missionary J.H. Cope. In 1952, M. Siahzathang of Churachandpur created an alternative script known as Zolai or Zoulai, an ] system with some ] characteristics. The user community for the script is growing- Zou cultural, political, and literary organizations began to adopt the script beginning in the 1970s, and more recently, the ] has shown support for both Siahzathang and the script.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pandey |first1=Anshuman |title=Introducing the Zou Script |url=http://unicode.org/L2/L2010/10254r2-zou.pdf |access-date=30 December 2019 |date=29 September 2010 |archive-date=18 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718045320/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2010/10254r2-zou.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Ian James |author2=Mattias Persson |title=Script for Zou |url=http://skyknowledge.com/zolai.htm |website=skyknowledge.com |access-date=19 February 2019 |date=March 2012 |archive-date=14 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814232631/http://skyknowledge.com/zolai.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>


==Linguistic relations== ==Linguistic relations==
As can be seen from the name ''Zo'' ("of the hills") and ] ("people of the hill country"), Zo among the Northern ]s is closely related to the Central languages such as the ] (Lusei/Lushai) or ] (] in ] or ] is ''Mizo ṭawng''), the ] language of ]. As can be seen from the name ''Zo'' ("of the hills") and ] ("people of the hill country"), Zo among the Northern ]s is closely related to the Central languages such as the ] (Lusei/Lushai) or ] (] in ] or ] is ''Mizo ṭawng''), the ] language of ].


Zou as spoken in India is similar to the ] of the ], though Zou lacks the word-final glottal stops present in Paite.<ref name="bareh">{{cite book|last=Bareh|first=Hamlet|title=Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Manipu|year=2001|publisher=Mittal|isbn=978-81-7099-790-0|pages=260ff|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XScmdGvMf7IC&pg=PA260|accessdate=22 November 2010|chapter=Zou}}</ref><ref>''Their language is called Zou which is similar to the language spoken by the Paite. Unlike the Zou, the Paite possess the terminal glottal stop 'h'. For example, a word for 'good' is ''hoih'' in Paite while it changes into ''hoi'' in the Zou language. ] (]) are also popular among the Paite, although they are rendered in their individual dialect bearing the characteristic phonetic differences.'' {{Cite book|author1=Singh, Kumar Suresh |author2=Horam, M. |author3=Rizvi, S. H. M. |name-list-style=amp |year=1998|title=People of India: Manipur|publisher=Anthropological Survey of India by Seagull Books|page=253|isbn=978-81-7154-769-2}}</ref> Zou as spoken in India is similar to the ] of the ], though Zou lacks the word-final glottal stops present in Paite.<ref name="bareh">{{cite book|last=Bareh|first=Hamlet|title=Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Manipu|year=2001|publisher=Mittal|isbn=978-81-7099-790-0|pages=260ff|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XScmdGvMf7IC&pg=PA260|access-date=22 November 2010|chapter=Zou}}</ref><ref>''Their language is called Zou which is similar to the language spoken by the Paite. Unlike the Zou, the Paite possess the terminal glottal stop 'h'. For example, a word for 'good' is ''hoih'' in Paite while it changes into ''hoi'' in the Zou language. ] (]) are also popular among the Paite, although they are rendered in their individual dialect bearing the characteristic phonetic differences.'' {{Cite book |author1=Singh, Kumar Suresh |title=People of India: Manipur |author2=Horam, M. |author3=Rizvi, S. H. M. |publisher=Anthropological Survey of India by Seagull Books |year=1998 |isbn=978-81-7154-769-2 |page=253 |name-list-style=amp}}</ref>


==Geographical extent== ==Geographical extent==
Line 235: Line 330:
===In India=== ===In India===
*] *]
**]: ] subdivision and Sungnu area **]: ] subdivision and the Sungnu Sachih / Kana area
**] **]
*] *]
*]<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Shyamkishor, Ayangbam|title=In Search of Common Identity: A Study of Chin-Kuki-Mizo Community in India|journal=International Journal of South Asian Studies: A Biannual Journal of South Asian Studies|volume=3|issue=1|page=131&ndash;140|url=http://www.qbase.co.in/pu/sites/default/files/ijsas13082010.pdf#page=135|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321194245/http://www.qbase.co.in/pu/sites/default/files/ijsas13082010.pdf#page=135|archivedate=2012-03-21|url-status=dead|access-date=2014-02-03}}</ref> *]<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Shyamkishor, Ayangbam|title=In Search of Common Identity: A Study of Chin-Kuki-Mizo Community in India|journal=International Journal of South Asian Studies: A Biannual Journal of South Asian Studies|volume=3|issue=1|page=131&ndash;140|url=http://www.qbase.co.in/pu/sites/default/files/ijsas13082010.pdf#page=135|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321194245/http://www.qbase.co.in/pu/sites/default/files/ijsas13082010.pdf#page=135|archive-date=2012-03-21|url-status=dead|access-date=2014-02-03}}</ref>


===In Bangladesh=== ===In Bangladesh===
Line 247: Line 342:


==Further reading== ==Further reading==
* {{Cite book|author=DeLancey, Scott|year=1987|chapter=Part VIII: Sino-Tibetan languages|editor=Comrie, Bernard|title=The World's Major Languages|location=New York|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages= 797&ndash;810|isbn=978-0-19-520521-3}} * {{Cite book| last=DeLancey |first=Scott |year=1987 |chapter=Part VIII: Sino-Tibetan languages |editor-last=Comrie |editor-first=Bernard |title=The World's Major Languages |location=New York |publisher=Oxford University Press |pages=797–810 |isbn=978-0-19-520521-3}}
* {{Cite book|author=Thang, Khoi Lam|year=2001|title=A phonological reconstruction of Proto-Chin|series=Payap University Masters thesis|location=Chiang Mai|publisher=Payap University}} * {{Cite thesis |last=Thang |first=Khoi Lam |year=2001 |title=A phonological reconstruction of Proto-Chin |degree=MA |location=Chiang Mai |publisher=Payap University |url=https://inter.payap.ac.th/wp-content/uploads/linguistics_PDF/Khois-Proto-Reconstruction-of-Chin-revised.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902223631/https://inter.payap.ac.th/wp-content/uploads/linguistics_PDF/Khois-Proto-Reconstruction-of-Chin-revised.pdf |archive-date=2018-09-02}}
* {{Cite book|author=Button, Christopher Thomas James|year=2009|title=A Reconstruction of Proto Northern Chin in Old Burmese and Old Chinese Perspective|series=School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Ph.D. dissertation|location=London|publisher=University of London}} * {{Cite thesis |last=Button |first=Christopher Thomas James |year=2009 |title=A Reconstruction of Proto Northern Chin in Old Burmese and Old Chinese Perspective |type=Ph.D. dissertation |location=London |publisher=University of London |url=https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/29548/1/10731704.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530204422/https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/29548/1/10731704.pdf |archive-date=2020-05-30}}
* {{Cite book|author=Button, Christopher Thomas James|year=2011|title=Proto Northern Chin|series=(STEDT monograph number 10)|location=Berkeley, California|publisher=Department of Linguistics, University of California Berkeley|isbn=978-0-944613-49-8}} * {{Cite book |last=Button |first=Christopher Thomas James |year=2011 |title=Proto Northern Chin |series=STEDT monograph |volume=10 |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California, Berkeley |isbn=978-0-944613-49-8}}


==External links== ==External links==
Line 262: Line 357:
{{Languages of Northeast India}} {{Languages of Northeast India}}


] ]
] ]

Latest revision as of 19:09, 30 November 2024

Sino-Tibetan language of Burma and India
Zou
Zo
'Zo Lai' in Zolai alphabet
Native toManipur, India
RegionTonzang: Chin State, Chin Hills;
In India: Mizoram and Manipur, Chandel, Singngat subdivision and Sungnu area; Churachandpur districts; Assam.
EthnicityZou
Native speakers88,000 (2012)
Language familySino-Tibetan
Writing systemLatin, Zoulai alphabet
Language codes
ISO 639-3zom
Glottologzouu1235
ELPZome

Zo (also spelled Zou and also known as Zokam) is a Northern Kuki-Chin-Mizo language originating in western Burma and spoken also in Mizoram and Manipur in northeastern India.

The name Zou is sometimes used as a cover term for the languages of all Mizo people (Zo people) i.e. Kukish and Chin peoples, especially the Zomi people.

The term 'Zo' has been employed in many books to denote the word 'Zo', for simple reason of phonetic usage.

The Zo themselves employ the various terms Zo, Zou, and Jo to mean their tribe.

Phonology

The set of 23 Zou consonantal phonemes can be established on the basis of the following minimal pairs or overlapping words. Besides these 23 Phonemes, 1 consonant is a borrowed phoneme (i.e. /r/), which is found only in loan words, in very rare cases (e.g. /r/ in /rəŋ/ "color"). Along with these consonants, Zou has 7 vowels: i, e, a, ɔ, o, u, ə.

Consonant Phonemes
Labial Dental/
Alveolar
Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive voiceless p t c k ʔ
aspirated
voiced b d ɟ g
Affricate
Fricative voiceless v s h
voiced z
Nasal m n ŋ
Lateral l
Semivowel w j
Vowels
Front Central Back
Close i u
Close-mid e ə o
Open-mid ɔ
Open a

Orthography

Vowels

  • a -
  • aw -
  • e -
  • i -
  • o -
  • u -

Consonants

  • b -
  • ch -
  • d -
  • g -
  • h - , at the end of a syllable
  • j -
  • k -
  • kh -
  • l -
  • m -
  • n -
  • ng -
  • p -
  • ph -
  • r -
  • s -
  • t -
  • th -
  • v -
  • z -

Types of Zo verbs

The Zo verbs can be classified into three types: Stem (1), Stem (2), Stem (3) as given below:

Types of Zo Verbs
Stem 1 Stem 2 Stem 3 Stem 4
piê-give pie? pe- pieh
puo-carry puo? po- pua-

Sample text

The following is a sample text in Zou.

Zou English
Maw na sung ma naw in, amaw sa pi ma in leimi in i piang a, a khawh ma ma - gam lua a i lua suhsuh ih mawnate ma ei bawl in eima pumpi ei man muda maithei, Ih mawnate -eeng taang gol lua a hi man in khat veivei eima mawnate eimon maisah zolo maithei va-ia kim lai, tuate lip khap sih saang a pamai eisa, ei khua tua ngeet-nguut ngeng ngong man a ih dial dual liang luang mawna nei van nuai ei mai sah thop valong, abieh huai tapo ma Jehova ki chi Pasian khat a na om ngang tangh hi. As we are born in sin, we cannot even love ourselves and there is no knowledge about what is forgiveness, because of the enormous sins inherited in us. Even though we are in this situation, in spite of our enormous sins the one who has mercy, sympathises us and forgives us our sins is the God called Jehovah.

There are four major dialects of Zou in Myanmar and India: Haidawi, Khuongnung, Thangkhal, and Khodai.

Numbers

Zomi numbers are counted as follows:

Numeral Zou English Hindi
0 be̋m zero शून्य śūnya
1 khàt one एक ek
2 nì: two दो do
3 thum three तीन tīn
4 li: four चार cār
5 nga: five पाँच pā̃c
6 gùh six छह chah
7 sagí seven सात sāt
8 giét eight आठ āṭh
9 kuó nine नौ nau
10 sàwm, sôm ten दस das
11 sàwm leh khàt eleven ग्यारह gyārah
12 sàwm leh nì twelve बारह bārah
13 sàwm leh thum thirteen तेरह terah
14 sàwm leh li: fourteen चौदह caudah
15 sàwm leh nga: fifteen पंद्रह pandrah
16 sàwm leh gùh sixteen सोलह solah
17 sàwm leh sagí seventeen सत्रह satrah
18 sàwm leh giét eighteen अठारह aṭhārah
19 sàwm leh kuó nineteen उन्नीस unnīs
20 sàwmnì twenty बीस bīs
30 sàwmthum thirty तीस tīs
40 sàwmli: forty चालीस cālīs
50 sàwmnga: fifty पचास pacās
60 sàwmgùh sixty साठ sāṭh
70 sàwmsagí seventy सत्तर sattar
80 sàwmgiét eighty अस्सी assī
90 sàwmkuò ninety नव्वे navve
100 hundred सौ sau
1,000 sa̋ng, tȕl one thousand हज़ार hazār
10,000 si̋ng, tȕlsàwm, sa̋ngsàwm ten thousand दस हज़ार das hazār
100,000 nuòi, tȕlzà, sa̋ngzà one hundred thousand, one lakh लाख lākh
1,000,000 nuòisàwm, sa̋ngtȕl, tȕltȕl one million दस लाख das lākh
10,000,000 thȅn, vâibêlsié, kráwl ten million, one crore करोड़ karoṛ
100,000,000 thȅnzà, kráwl sàwm one billion, ten crore अरब arab

Writing systems

Zou is often written in a Latin script developed by Christian missionary J.H. Cope. In 1952, M. Siahzathang of Churachandpur created an alternative script known as Zolai or Zoulai, an alphabetic system with some alphasyllabic characteristics. The user community for the script is growing- Zou cultural, political, and literary organizations began to adopt the script beginning in the 1970s, and more recently, the Manipur State Government has shown support for both Siahzathang and the script.

Linguistic relations

As can be seen from the name Zo ("of the hills") and Mizoram ("people of the hill country"), Zo among the Northern Kuki-Chin-Mizo languagess is closely related to the Central languages such as the Duhlian (Lusei/Lushai) or Mizo language (endonym in Duhlian or Lushai is Mizo ṭawng), the lingua franca language of Mizoram.

Zou as spoken in India is similar to the Paite language of the Paite, though Zou lacks the word-final glottal stops present in Paite.

Geographical extent

At its largest extent, the geographic area covered by the language group is a territory of approximately 60,000 square miles (160,000 km2) in size, in Burma, India and Bangladesh. However political boundaries and political debates have distorted the extent of the area in some sources.

In Burma

It is used in Chin State, Tiddim, and the Chin Hills. Use of Burmese has increased in the Zo speaking Chin State since the 1950s. Ethnologue reports that Zou is spoken in the following townships of Myanmar.

In India

In Bangladesh

In Bangladesh it is used by the Bawm people(Mizo people).

References

  1. ^ Zou at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022) Closed access icon
  2. ^ Haokip, Pauthang (2011). Socio-linguistic Situation in North-east India. Concept Publishing Company. p. 55. ISBN 978-8180697609.
  3. "Zoulai". Omniglot.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-28. Retrieved 2021-12-28.
  4. Singh, Yashawanta; Himmat, Lukram (February 2013). "Zou Phonology" (PDF). Language in India. 13 (2): 683–701. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-11-23. Retrieved 2019-02-19.
  5. "Zou language, script, and pronunciation". Omniglot. Archived from the original on 2019-07-06. Retrieved 2019-07-06.
  6. "Zou language, script, and pronunciation". Omniglot. Archived from the original on 2019-07-06. Retrieved 2019-07-06.
  7. Philip Thanglienmang Tungdim (2012). "A Descriptive Grammar of the Zo Language". Academia. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  8. Thangliènmâng Tungdim, Philip (2011). Zo-English-Hindi Kizìlna Lȁibú [Self-tutor book of Zo-English-Hindi]. New Delhi: Zou Cultural-cum-Literature Society India. ISBN 978-81-920282-0-0. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  9. Pandey, Anshuman (29 September 2010). "Introducing the Zou Script" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  10. Ian James; Mattias Persson (March 2012). "Script for Zou". skyknowledge.com. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2019.
  11. Bareh, Hamlet (2001). "Zou". Encyclopaedia of North-East India: Manipu. Mittal. pp. 260ff. ISBN 978-81-7099-790-0. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
  12. Their language is called Zou which is similar to the language spoken by the Paite. Unlike the Zou, the Paite possess the terminal glottal stop 'h'. For example, a word for 'good' is hoih in Paite while it changes into hoi in the Zou language. Sannemla (Zou folksongs) are also popular among the Paite, although they are rendered in their individual dialect bearing the characteristic phonetic differences. Singh, Kumar Suresh; Horam, M. & Rizvi, S. H. M. (1998). People of India: Manipur. Anthropological Survey of India by Seagull Books. p. 253. ISBN 978-81-7154-769-2.
  13. Encyclopaedia of South-Asian tribes - Volume 8 - Page 3436 Satinder Kumar - 2000 "According to the 1981 census, 12,515 persons speak the Zou language"
  14. Gopalakrishnan, Ramamoorthy (1996). Socio-political framework in North-East India. New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House. p. 150. OCLC 34850808. But against the background of all such conflict the Zomi National Congress went a step further in its argument for a Zomi identity by claiming Thado language as Zomi language. In the Kuki-Chin group of tribes, numerical strength has played ...
  15. Nang Khen Khup (2007). Evaluating the Impact of Family Devotions Upon Selected Families from the Zomi Christian Community of Tulsa (Thesis). Oral Roberts University. p. 7. OCLC 645086982. The Zomi language is descended from the Tibeto-Burman language domain. Though each tribal group speaks its own dialect, Burmese is widely used in Zoland (Chinland) due to Burmanization of military regime for over five decades
  16. Shyamkishor, Ayangbam. "In Search of Common Identity: A Study of Chin-Kuki-Mizo Community in India" (PDF). International Journal of South Asian Studies: A Biannual Journal of South Asian Studies. 3 (1): 131–140. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-21. Retrieved 2014-02-03.
  17. Loncheu, Nathan (2013). Dena, Lal (ed.). Bawmzos: A Study Of The Chin-Kuki-Zo Tribes Of Chittagong. New Delhi: Akansha Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-8370-346-8.
  18. Reichle, Verena (1981). Bawm language and lore: Tibeto-Burman area. Europäische Hochschulschriften series 21, Linguistik: volume 14. Bern, Switzerland: P. Lang. ISBN 978-3-261-04935-3.

Further reading

External links

Sino-Tibetan branches
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