NORTH EAST WINTER SCHOOL OF LINGUISTICS

Organiser: CIIL, Mysore

In collaboration with: NEHU, Shillong & Departments of Linguistics in the NE regionWorkshop Series: 21st January-14th February

Venue: North Eastern Hill University, Permanent Campus, Shillong-793 022
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North East India is linguistically a most diverse area which houses over half of the languages listed by the Census of India. The sociolinguistic profile of the eight states in the region offers a wide variety of speech forms and intriguing typology of pluralistic situations. While a vast majority of the tribal communities are speakers of various sub-groups of Tibeto-Burman languages, there are a substantial number of Indo-Aryan speakers as well and the region is also the home of Khasi language which provides linkages with Mon Khmer and Austro-Asiatic group. In addition, there are ‘unclassified’ languages and lingua francas used in inter-lingual contact situations which are not even documented. The language use patterns reveal dynamic multilingual repertoires and varieties of speech forms with domain differentiation at times. The differences in status and function of languages have also led to differentiation in development of languages with paucity of authentic written materials although several languages have stable literacy practices and some policy support. Northeast may also have useful lessons to offer for planners at the national level because some tribal communities here are better empowered and more conscious of their rights.
Presently, The Departments of linguistics and related disciplines in the region have been involved in creating a pool of human resources, but the field situations pose fresh problems that are not always addressed in their theory driven academic courses. There is an absence of dialogue with communities and many a well intentioned move by the communities to resolve the problems posed bears no fruit in the absence of expert advice or inadequate resources. Ad hoc solutions are perpetuated which instead of resolving the problems at times exacerbate the situation. There is a dearth of shared resources and information leading either to duplication of efforts or isolation of ideas. The resource crunch has led many an able student to drift away from the discipline and seek opportunities elsewhere. Language policies are often ambivalent and linguists have no role in shaping them. The vital role of language development in the development of the people has not been understood nor do linguists know how to lend or shape their products for use by the communities.
The Main Objective of this Winter School of Linguistics is to address the issues raised above and to involve the people of the region in description, documentation and development of their own languages in responsible and informed ways with the support of national agencies and thereby prepare them to understand and resolve language problems.
PERIOD 22nd Jan-31st Jan

COURSES Lectures & tutorials
FACULTY
Socio-cultural Aspects of Language:
Shobha Satyanath, Ramakant Agnihotri, R. Sachdeva, K.S. Rajyashree, Pramodini, Ramamoorthy, T.B. Subba, Betholia
22nd Jan-31st Jan
Diachronic Linguistics & Geolinguistics
Kashyap Mankodi, R. Sachdeva, Uma Maheshwar Rao
22nd Jan-6th Feb
Phonetics:
Peri Bhaskarrao, Rekha Sharma, Tamuli, Barika
22nd Jan-6th Feb
Phonology:
GDP Sastry, Barika, Elangaiyan, Pramod Pandey, A.K.Mishra
22nd Jan-14 Feb.
Morphology:
P.P. Giridhar, J. War, , Elangaiyan, Ayesha Kidwai, Dhiren Singha, A.K. Mishra, Surmangol Sharma
22nd-28th Jan
6th -14th Feb
Syntax:
Amritavalli, Yashwant Singh, Vijay Dhanwar, Gracious, L. Changte, Giridhar, Ayesha Kidwai, Tanmoy Battacharya, Elangaiyan, Shyamal Das
22nd Jan-6th Feb
Typology & Areal Linguistics:
K.V. Subbarao, Grace, Dhiren Singh, GDP Sastry, J. War
Activities: Workshops/Focus Groups
Field Linguistics: Anvita Abbi, L. Changte, Kashyap Mankodi, Bhamati Devi
Tibeto-Burman Linguistics: L. Changte, Yashwant Singh, K. Kapfo, Subbarao, Dhiren Singh, Pauthang Haokip, D. Kuolie, Madhumita Barbora, Suhnu Ram Sharma, Yankee Modi, Surmangol Sharma, A.K.Mishra, Shyamal Das
Khasi Language Analysis: J. War, B.War, Saralyn, Grace, Rekha Sharma
Dictionary making/Lexicography: K. Kapfo, Imoba Singh, T.K. Goswami, Krishna Bhattacharya, Lalita Handoo, Surmangol Sharma, Philip Thanglienmang
Language technology: Mallikarjun, Mahesh Kulkarni, Pushpak Bhattacharya
Cultural Documentation: Jennifer Bayer, Winston Cruz, Gail Coelho, Tolkappiyar
Audio recording: Gautam Sukumar, Siddharth, GDP Sastry
Demographic Profiles: B.D. Jayaram, Anjali, Madhubala, S.S. Bhattachrya, Yankee Modi

Participants:
Category A - Research Scholars who have exposure to linguistics
Category B - Officials who are engaged with language development work but have little exposure to linguistics
Category C - Language Consultants/Educated native speakers who have no exposure to linguistics
Category D - Faculty members-CIIL, NORTHEAST, INVITEES, EXPERTS

Introduction to Zo Grammar

CHAPTER 3
MORPHOLOGY
New Words are formed two processes:
a)The branch of linguistics that deals with word formation rules is also called Derivational Morphology.
b)NEOLOGISMS: Creation of new words is called Neologisms.
The following are the processes of creation of new words:-
Coined Words: Speakers can invent or coin a previously non-existent word with a new sound and connecting with it with a new member. For example: ‘vangla’ is one word meaning ‘far’ and ‘tongkum’ is another word meaning ‘talk’ both have different meanings if they exist independently,but when they are joined together as one as in ‘vanglatongkum’ it form an entirely new word meaning ‘telephone directory’.
Acronyms: The words UZO (pronounced ‘uZou’) comes from United Zo Organization. RC means Roman Catholic.
Alphabetical Abbreviations: Abbreviations such as ZOD,ZYO,UZO etc have replaced their longer words such as Zo Organization Delhi,Zou Youth Organization,United Zo Organization in most styles of speech; through this process new,previously nonexistent words have come into use.
Clippings: Clipped abbreviations such as Nh for Ngáhnu/Nungáh,Tv or Tg. for Tangvâl are used in Zo .The spelling of the word is shortened but its pronunciation is not altered.
Blends: New words can be formed from existing ones by various blending processes(mixing processes).For examples; zokuom from zo and kuom,zogam from zo and gam.
Generified words: ‘zu’ and ‘tang’ are common words. The early christians who did not drink or abstain(tang) from drinking wine are called zutang in some parts of Zo areas. Now, zutang is used to indicate people who teetotaller/non-drinker.
Proper Nouns: Some behaviour associated with a person becomes identified with that person’s name or actions from legends or famed persons. ‘Penglam bang’ is a phrase to mean a non-serious person.
Borrowings: Direct:Many speakers of a language borrow directly or indirectly the vocubulary of another language.
Zo speakers have borrowed many words from other languages; Belâm,Chanchin,mahni,fel etc from Mizo(Lusei),ironba,dolien from Meitei, Tv,Telephone etc from English,matpongten,tu from Burmese etc.
Borrowings; Indirect: When an expression in one language is translated literally into another language. For examples; train with full steam and fire which runs swiftly as if flying is known as Meilêng in Zo;literally translated means flying fire.
b)Changing the meaning of words are affected by the following processes:
i)Change in part of Speech: A word can be modified by changing its grammatical category. For example; Panpi,bawl,lêng,sim can be used as verbs as well as nouns,adjectives and so on depending upon the syntax.
ii)Metaphorical Extension:
When a language does not seem to have just right expression for certain purposes ,speakers often take an existing one and extend its meaning in a recogizable way. The language does not gain a new word a such,but since a word is being used in a new waay,the language has been augmented,as though a new word had been added. For examples: lêng--->fly lêng-->roam,visit
melmu tongsan-->tv
kângtui tung a lâm piendangnou-->ship, lênna-->aircraft, vânlêng-->airplane,space vehicles
iii)Broadening: Broadening of word meanings from a single to many; neitah-->thing----:>zu
iv)Narrowing: sa-->meat,any solid food at one time now it means edible flesh of animals only.
v)Semantic drift: or change; Hlaf=bread in old English now loaf
uh--->vuh,ung--->vung u’v-->vua uh am-->uvam uei-->-ve’i
hang-->ang,hing,hung,hong
vi)Reversals: Kilebul: bad means good
vii)Orthographical influence: Diei--->diai,suoh-->suah

1.CLASSIFICATION OF WORDS BY POSITION
WORD CLASSES:
Like English, in Zo there are four major word classes:- Noun(N),Adjective(A),Verb(V),Postposition(P) and Determiners (D) such as khum,khumi,tua,tuami,tam,tami,a.[ Demonstratives,Conjunctions,Comparatives.]
Parts of speeches
Words also can be classified in two types:
i)Open-class words or Content words: nouns,verbs,adjectives,adverbs
ii)Closed-class words or Function words;
FUNCTION or GRAMMATICAL WORDS:
Words such as a,ah,in,tua,khum,(of,to,at,by,that) which show relationships between parts of sentence are called Function words. They do not suffer change easily. Let us study the following sentences:
Jesu a nu =The mother of Jesus also shortened as Jesu’ nu.
Vom hâng in Mângpu akeita hi.
Tua Chingnu hing pei dîng ka thei sih hi.
1.Determiners/Demonstratives; a,ta,tam,tami,tua,khum
2.Quantifiers/qualifiers:da,sengseng,taluo,mama,nâh,sim,hiau,
maw,na,lou,sih,
3.Conjunctions: a,in,le,leh,len,leh,kal,zong,ahilouleh,ahisihleh
4.Postpositions:a,ah,in,pat,pat a,toh
5.Auxiliary verbs ;peidîng, nethei,neva,peivang, bawl vawng,
pezou,semzouta,genzouva,vah khava, pei hi
Function words
1.Auxiliary verbs ; peidíng, nethei,neva,peiva'ng,bawl vawng,
pezou,semzouta,genzouva,vahkhava, pei hi.
2.Connectives i/c all pospositions(ah,a,in,pat,toh)
3.Conjunctions/Joiners(in,le,len,leh,kal,jieh/zieh,zong,adgdg)
4.Modifiers called Determiners/Demonstratives(a,khumte,tuate,tami,..a)
5.Qualifiers; ( da,sengseng,taluo,mama,nâh,sim,hiau,maw,na,lou,sih,)
6.Adverbs and Pronouns: ngam,ngâp,mun,hât,heimi,hei-ah.
There are 12(twelve) ways in which words are formed in Zo language viz:-
i)Compounding and Compounds
ii) Interchageablity of member words
iii)Inflections or Inflectional Morphology
iv)Inflections of words by Infixation
v)Inflections of words by functional prefixes: Hing,Ki and Va
viInflections of words by Splitting-cum-Infixing
vii)Derivational Morphology [affixes(prefixes,suffixes,infixes)]
viii)Phonological change or Vowel change
ix)Intonation; tonal variations
x)Functional Shift
xi)Onomatopoecia(sound and meaning are same)