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Endangered Languages of Northeast India

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Endangered Languages of Northeast India ARUNACHAL INSTITUTE RAJIV GANDHI UNIVERSITY OF TRIBAL STUDIES The foundation of the Ra- The Arunachal Society is multi-cul- jiv Gandhi University (Formerly tural and multi-lingual. Though the rich Arunachal University) was laid on assemblage of myriad cultures and lan- 4th February 1984 by Late Smt. Indi- guages of the state has attracted scholars ra Gandhi, the then Prime Minister and academics over the decades, very NatiONAL ONLINE SEMINAR little headway has been made in the pres- of India. JUNE 15 - 16, 2020 ervation, promotion and projection of their The University is located atop treasured cultural heritage, incredible in- Rono Hills on a picturesque table- Endangered Languages digenous knowledge system etc. land of 302 acres overlooking the of Realizing the great responsibility river Dikrong. The University was cast upon the University, the Center for Trib- converted into a Central University Northeast India al Studies was established with the man- date to run a regular M.Phil programme in with effect from 9th April 2007 as per addition to research programmes. notification of Ministry of Human Re- Prof. Tamo Mibang, who joined the Univer- source Development, Government sity, in the capacity as the Head of the De- of India. Since then Rajiv Gandhi partment of Tribal Studies on 18th August University (Formerly Arunachal Uni- 1995, initiated the activities of the Depart- versity) has carved a niche for itself ment. Thus, the Department came into ex- istence on 18th August 1995. in the educational scenario of the Since then,the department has un- country. The University has contin- dertaken many programmes to preserve, uously maintained its premier sta- promote, project ans sustain the rich her- tus among top hundred (100) edu- itage indigenous knowledge system, es- cational institutions in NIRF ranking pecially in the area of ethno medicine, across India. ethno music, performing arts, language, folklore, handicrafts, educating process, Organised by University has Nine (09) Ac- management of forest resources and eco- ademic Faculties running Twenty Centre for Endangered Languages, system etc. that are declining and decay- six(26) Departments and Two (02) Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies ing due to the onslaught of modernization Institutes. Rajiv Gandhi University, and alien influence. Arunachal Pradesh CENTRE FOR ENDANGERED LANGUAGES The Centre for Endangered Languages PATRONS (CFEL), Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), is a University Grant Commission sponsored Center. The Center has been actively func- CHIEF PATRON tioning since 2016. The CFEL, RGU is multidis- ciplinary in nature and the research team comprises of scholars from linguistics, an- thropology, folklore, tribal studies and mass communication. Presently, the Center is focusing on field survey, documentation, analysis and dissemination of the critically and lesser known endangered languages of Arunachal Pradesh. It is also studying the speech communities in their socio-cultural context. The Center has successfully car- PROF. AMitava MITRA ried out several field studies and documen- PRO VICE-CHANCELLOR, RGU tations among these communities and also successfully conducted several workshops with the native speakers in order to doc- ument the language, folklore and culture. PROF. SAKET KHUSHWAHA So far two comprehensive monographs VICE-CHANCELLOR, RGU on lesser-known languages (Tangam and Kasik/Khapa) have been produced by the Center and it is in the process of pub- lication. The Center has also produced an award winning Documentary Film Ngok Miri Dekke Yoyo-Gaga Goktuanam Kiding (Those songs & lullabies I used to sing). Pres- ently, the Center is working on a few lesser known languages of Arunachal Pradesh PROF. TOMO RIBA and also producing short films and mono- REGISTRAR, RGU graphs of these speech communities. CONCEPT NOTE: Northeast Indian states consist of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, MODE OF DELivery: Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. Northeast India as a whole is immensely variant and rich when it comes to ethno linguistics. Live web session through Language families like Sino-Tibetan, Indo-Aryan and Austroasiatic are the main language groups present in the region. Approximately, the existence of about 220 languages is acknowledged in the Northeast. However, the CISCO WEBEX numbers could be more since the region has not been explored or docu- mented extensively till now. Within the past few years, many linguists have worked on documenting the languages spoken in Northeast and the re- searches being carried out have unearthed many more linguistic phylum Important Note: and dialectal variations. The information on the status of numerous lesser - The registration process will re- known and endangered languages of the region also came to the notice main open from of researchers. In fact, many languages are on the verge of disappearing soon and if the process of documenting the depleting languages and the 8th to 13th June, 2020. dying cultural practices are not taken up urgently the Northeast region will lose vital worldviews of various indigenous communities as well as their - There is no registration fee. identities. - Registration on First come basis. The recent acceleration of technological change, including internet developments, mobile technologies, economic migration, to cite a few examples, result in the depletion of many languages in the region. This proved to create a renewed and even stronger interest in the linguistic potential to document the languages and contribute in maintenance and preservation of endangered languages of Northeast. This is in con- junction with the interest generated by the multiple researches undertak- For registration, en by institutes within the Northeast; the seminar aims to focus on all as- please click on the given link: pects of the description, documentation, and decipherment of texts of endangered languages and ethnolinguistics. Papers are invited on the https://forms.gle/467gKzbgFxy51F5z7 documentation, revitalization efforts and description of the endangered languages of Northeast India. Inaugural Session Day 1: 15th June, 2020 09:00 am – 10:00 am Registration Inaugural Session KEYNOTE SPEAKER Host: Kaling Dabi, SRF, CFEL, RGU DR. PAUTHANG HAOKIP 10:00 am – 10:10 am Welcome Address Chairman, Prof. Simon John, Coordinator, CFEL Centre for Linguistics, JNU & Director, AITS, RGU 10:10 am – 10:20 am Address by the Patron ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Prof. Tomo Riba Prof. S.Simon John Prof. Jumyir Basar Registrar, RGU RGU Ms. Zilpha Modi Dr. Tarun Mene 10:20 am – 10:30 am Address by the Patron Dr. Wanglit Mongchan Prof. Amitava Mitra Dr. Lienjang Zeite Pro Vice-Chancellor, RGU Dr. Mechek Sampar Awan PROGRAMME DIRECTOR: 10:30 am – 11:00 am Keynote Address Prof. S. Simon John Dr. Pauthang Haokip COOrdinatORS: Chairman, Centre for Linguistics, JNU Dr. Lienjang Zeite & Topic: “Endangered languages of Northeast Dr. Mechek Sampar Awan India with special reference to Tibeto-Burman TechnicaL TEAM: languages”. Kombong Darang Jason Padung 11:00 am – 11:10 am Address by the Chief Patron Kaling Dabi & VSAT Prof. Saket Khushwaha RAPPOrteurs: Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, RGU Dr. Abang Pertin Yora Bathey 11:10 am – 11:20 am Vote of thanks Saheli Chakraborty Dr. Wanglit Mongchan For communications please send your mails to the following email address Assistant Professor, AITS [email protected] / [email protected] Programme Schedule Day 1: 15th June, 2020 Session 1 Chairperson: Prof. Jumyir Basar, AITS, Rajiv Gandhi University Time Name Affiliation Title of the paper 11:20 am-11:50 am Dr. Samar Sinha Coordinator, CFEL, Sikkim Native speakers among grammarian, surveyors and docu- University mentary linguists 11:50 am-12:20 pm Prof. Kh. Dhiren Singha Linguistics Dept., Assam Personal Pronoun in Dimasa: A Morpho-phonological study & Dibyajyoti Barman University 12:20 am-12:50 pm Dr. Monali Longmailai EFL, Tezpur University Affixation in Kuki-Chin Languges with reference to Biate, Khelma and Hrongkhol 12:50 pm-1:20 pm Dr. Mary Kim Haokip Linguistics Dept., Assam Role of Folklore in Language Preservation with reference to & Pranjit Dewri University Tiwa Community *1:20 pm – 2:00 pm Lunch Break Session 2 Chairperson: Dr. Pauthang Haokip, Chairman, Centre for Linguistics, JNU Time Name Affiliation Title of the paper 2: 00 pm-2:30 pm Pangersenla Walling Linguistics Dept., Naga- A Comparative study on the core case marking land University of standard Konyak and Tobu Konyaik. & Nikay Besa 2:30 pm- 3:00 pm Dr. Hima S. CFEL, Sikkim University A descriptive analysis of nominalization in Rokdung 3:00 pm-3:30 pm Dr. Biman Debbarma Linguistics Dept., Tripura Pronouns in Korbong University 3:30 pm -4:00 pm Aheibam Linthoigambi Linguistics Dept., Assam Gender in Lairamlo Chanu University Programme Schedule Day 2: 16th June, 2020 Session 3 Chairperson: Dr. Samar Sinha, Coordinator, CFEL, Sikkim University Time Name Affiliation Title of the paper 10:00 am - 10:30 am Dr. Charengna Widinibou CFEL, Tezpur University Prenasalized Consonants of Zeliangrong 10:30 am – 11:00 am Thaodem Romen Meitei & Linguistics Dept., Manipur Comparative syllable structure of Tangkhul Dialects: Sikibung, Thawai Dr. Guigongpou Gonmei University and T. M. Kasom 11: 00 am-11: 30am Jonali Saikia & Linguistics Dept., Assam Importance of language documentation for Language Existence and Use: Dr. Mary Kim Hoakip University A case study of Chakma 11:30 am-12:00 pm Reena Rai CFEL, Sikkim University A case of affirmative argument indexation in Kulung. 12:00 am-12:30 am Dr. Mechek Sampar Awan CFEL, AITS, Rajiv Gand- Segmental Phonemes of Ollo hi University *12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch Break Session 4 Chairperson: Prof. Dhiren Singha, Linguistics Department, Assam University Time Name Affiliation Title of the paper 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm Dr. T. Temsunungsang & Prof. EFLU, Shillong Issues of Orthography Development: case studies from Na- Alexander R. Coupe galand 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm Rinkimoni Rabha & Dibyajyoti Linguistics Dept., Assam University Consonant Phonemes of Mangar Barman 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Bishnu Lal Bhujel CFEL, Sikkim University Kharpa Script and Orthography 3:00 pm – 3:30 pm Letkhosie Seiboy Touthang & Linguistics Dept., Manipur University Compounding in Gangte Dr.
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