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shamskat
ལ་དྭགས་སྐད་ La-dwags skad
Native to	India
Region	Ladakh
Ethnicity	Ladakhis
Native speakers	Most speakers counted under "Bhoti"
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Kanauri Bodish Tibetic Ladakhi–Balti shamskat
Writing system	Tibetan script, Arabic script
Language codes
ISO 639-3	Either: lbj – Ladakhi zau – Zangskari
Glottolog	kenh1234
Ladakhi is classified as Vulnerable by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

The shamskat language is a Tibetic language spoken in Ladakh, a region administered by India as a union territory. It is the predominant language in the west of the Buddhist-dominated district of Leh.

Name

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The Ladakhi language (Tibetan: ལ་དྭགས་སྐད་, Wylie: La-dwags skad) is also called Bhoti or Bodhi. However, since Bhoti and Bodhi sound like “Buddhist” and can alienate Ladakhi Muslims who speak the same language, most Ladakhis usually refer to their language as Ladakhi.

Classification

Nicolas Tournadre considers Ladakhi, Balti, and Purgi to be distinct languages on the basis of mutual intelligibility (Zangskari is not as distinct). As a group they are termed Ladakhi–Balti or Western Archaic Tibetan.

Zangskari is a dialect of Ladakhi spoken in Zanskar and also spoken by Buddhists in the upper reaches of Lahaul (Himachal Pradesh) and Paddar (Paldar). It has four subdialects, Stod, Zhung, Sham, and Lungna. It is written using the Tibetan script by Buddhists and the Arabic script by Muslim and Christian Ladakhis.

Phonology

Consonants

• /b d ɡ/ can fricative sounds as allophones that occur within free variation.
• /k/ has an allophone of a retracted velar stop .
• /l r/ can have allophones when occurring initially before a voiceless consonant.

Vowels

• Allophones of /ə/ in word-final position are heard as .
• Allophones of /e o/ are heard as .
• Allophones occur in free variation.

Script

Ladakhi is usually written using Tibetan script with the pronunciation of Ladakhi being much closer to written Classical Tibetan than most other Tibetic languages. Ladakhis pronounce many of the prefix, suffix and head letters that are silent in many other Tibetic languages, in particular the Central Tibetan. This tendency is more pronounced to the west of Leh, and on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control, in Baltistan. For example, a Tibetan would pronounce sta 'axe' as , but a Lehpa would say , and a purgi would pronounce . While a Tibetan would pronounce འབྲས་ (’bras) 'rice' as , Lehpa say , and the purgii pronounce it as .

The question of whether to write colloquial Ladakhi in the Tibetan script or to write only a slightly Ladakhified version of Classical Tibetan is controversial in Ladakh. Muslim Ladakhis speak Ladakhi but most do not read the Tibetan script and most Buddhist Ladakhis can sound out the Tibetan script but do not understand Classical Tibetan, but some Ladakhi Buddhist scholars insist that Ladakhi must be written only in a form of Classical Tibetan. A limited number of books and magazines have been published in colloquial Ladakhi.

Written Ladakhi is most often romanised using modified Wylie transliteration, with a th denoting an aspirated dental t, for example.

Recognition

A section of Ladakhi society has been demanding inclusion of a newly named language, Bhoti, to be added to the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. They claim that Bhoti is spoken by Ladakhis, Baltis, Tibetans, and throughout the Himalayas from Baltistan to Arunachal Pradesh. However, Bhoti may be one of the Lahuli–Spiti languages rather than Ladakhi. In the Indian census, most Ladakhi speakers registered their mother tongue under "Bhoti".

References

1. "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues – 2011". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
2. Omniglot Ladakhi Language Introduction, The Himalayan Initiatives, retrieved 23 January 2021.
3. Namgial, Eshay (Spring–Summer 2018), "Ladakhi: An off Shoot of Classical Tibetan Language", The Tibet Journal, 43 (1): 35–47, JSTOR 26634904
4. "Ladakhi Language & Phrasebook". Leh-Ladakh Taxi Booking. Retrieved 5 December 2021.
5. Tournadre, Nicolas (2005). "L'aire linguistique tibétaine et ses divers dialectes" (PDF). Lalies. pp. 7–56.
6. Shakspo, Nawang Tsering (2005). "Tibetan (Bhoti)—An Endangered Script in Trans-Himalaya". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
7. ^ Koshal, Sanyukta (1979). Ladakhi Grammar. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
8. Bielmeier, Roland. 1985. 'A Survey of the Development of Western and South-western Tibetan dialects', in Barbara Nimri Aziz and Matthew Kapstein (eds.), Soundings in Tibetan Civilisation.
9. van Beek, Martijn (2008). "Imaginaries of Ladakhi Modernity". In Barnett, Robert; Schwartz, Ronald David (eds.). Tibetan Modernities: Notes from the Field on Cultural and Social Change. Brill. pp. 178–179.
10. Tsewang Rigzin (13 September 2013). "National Seminar on 'Bhoti Language' held at Leh". Reach Ladakh. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013.
11. "Ladakh council adopts new emblem replacing J-K logo". Hindustan Times. Press Trust of India. 27 February 2011. Archived from the original on 1 March 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.

External links

• A. H. Francke 1901 A Sketch of Ladakhi GrammarJournal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal 70.1 Archived 29 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine

v t e Sino-Tibetan branches
Western Himalayas (Himachal, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim)	West Himalayish Tamangic Newaric Newar Baram–Thangmi Kiranti Dhimalish Dhimal Toto Lhokpu Lepcha Greater Magaric Magaric Magar Kham Chepangic Chepang Bhujel Raji–Raute Dura–Tandrange
Eastern Himalayas (Tibet, Bhutan, Arunachal)	Bodish Tibetic East Bodish Tshangla Basum Nam? Gongduk ʼOle Tani Chamdo
Myanmar and Indo- Burmese border	Karbi Kuki-Chin Mruic Mru Hkongso Pyu Taman "Naga" Ao Angami–Pochuri Meitei Tangkhulic Zeme Sal Boro–Garo Konyak Jingpho–Luish
East and Southeast Asia	Sinitic Bai Tujia Nungish Karenic Gong Kathu Cai–Long Caijia Longjia Luren Burmo-Qiangic Qiangic Gyalrongic Ersuic Naic Lolo-Burmese Mondzish Burmish Loloish
Dubious (possible isolates) (Arunachal)	Hrusish Hruso Mijiic Kho-Bwa Puroik Miju–Meyor Songlin Greater Siangic Siangic Koro Milang Idu–Taraon
Proposed groupings	Central Tibeto-Burman Kuki-Chin–Naga Macro-Bai Mahakiranti Rung Tibeto-Burman Tibeto-Kanauri
Proto-languages	Proto-Sino-Tibetan Proto-Tibeto-Burman Proto-Loloish Proto-Karenic Proto-Min Proto-Hakka
Italics indicates single languages that are also considered to be separate branches.

v t e Union Territory of Ladakh
Capital: Kargil; Leh
State symbols	Animal: Snow leopard Bird: Black-necked crane
History	Pre-Independent India Maryul Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh Tibet–Ladakh–Mughal war Treaty of Tingmosgang Dogra–Tibetan War Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir Post-Independent India 1947–1948 India-Pakistan War 1948 military operations in Ladakh 1971 battle of Turtuk 2010 Ladakh floods 2019 Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh reorganisation Conflicts Demchok conflict India–China conflict India–Pakistan conflict Kashmir conflict Siachen conflict
Administration	Districts Politics of Ladakh Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh Ladakh Police Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency Jammu and Kashmir High Court Lieutenant Governors Ladakh (Lok Sabha constituency)
Geography	General Four types of Himalayan ranges Geology of the Himalaya Ranges Baltoro Muztagh Ladakh Range Saltoro Mountains Zanskar Range Kailash Range Plateau Depsang Plains More plains Sirijap Teram Shehr Plateau Valleys Leh Rupshu Salt Valley Mushkoh Valley Padum Shyok Suru Valley Nubra Zanskar Aryan valley Glaciers Chumik Glacier Drang-Drung Glacier Machoi Glacier Parkachik Glacier Shafat Glacier Siachen Glacier Lakes Tso Moriri Pangong Tso Rivers Sutlej Beas Ravi Shyok Chenab Drass River Indus Zanskar Tsarap Doda Yapola Suru River Markha Galwan Chip Chap Passes Bilafond La Chang la Fotu La Gyong La Indira Col Karakoram Pass Khardung La Kongka Pass Lachulung La Taglang La Marsimik La Namika La Pensi La Rezang La Rimo Sasser Pass Sia La Shingo La Spanggur Gap Zoji La Mountain peaks Bana Top Chumik Kangri Ghent Kangri Gurung Hill India Saddle K12 Saltoro Kangri Sherpi Kangri Tiger Saddle
Human settlements	Meenamarg Burtse Chalunka Chemrey Chushul Daulat Beg Oldi Demchok Diskit Dras Dzingrulma Fukche Hemis Hanle Kargil Khalatse Leh Likir Murgo Nimo Nyoma Padum Panamik Purne Rangdum Sankoo Sasoma Shey Shyok Thiksey Thoise Turtuk Ukdungle Upshi Zangla
Culture	General Music of Ladakh Languages Ladakhi Purgi Balti Zangskari Changthang Brokskat Festivals Bono-na festival
Tourism and wildlife	Wildlife Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary Hemis National Park Karakoram Wildlife Sanctuary Tourism Khurnak Fort Ladakh Marathon Shanti Stupa, Ladakh Siachen Base Camp Indo-Tibetan Buddhist monasteries Alchi Bardan Basgo Chemrey Diskit Hanle Hemis Hundur Korzok Karsha Lamayuru Likir Lingshed Mashro/Matho Monastery Mulbekh Namgyal Tsemo Phugtal Phyang Rangdum Rizong Sani Sankar Saspul Shey Monastery Spituk Stakna Stok Stongdey Takthok Thikse Tserkarmo Tonde Wanla Zangla Zongkul
Transport	Airports Kargil Airport Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (Leh) Military AGLs Roads Darbuk–Shyok–DBO Road India-China Border Roads Leh–Manali Highway NH1 Leh–Kargil–Srinagar Highway Nimmu–Padum–Darcha road (under construction) Sasoma–Saser La Road Railway Bhanupli–Leh line (Planned) Srinagar–Leh line (Planned)
Infrastructure	General Indian Astronomical Observatory Dams and hydroelectric project Chutak Dumkhar Salal Education Central Institute of Buddhist Studies Defence Institute of High Altitude Research Druk White Lotus School Eliezer Joldan Memorial College Leh, Ladakh Government Degree College, Kargil Phuktal Monastic School Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh University of Ladakh
See also	Borders Line of Actual Control Line of Control Actual Ground Position Line Other Curious BRO roadsigns

• Bodic languages
• Languages of Gilgit-Baltistan
• Languages of Ladakh
• Culture of Ladakh
• Languages written in Tibetan script