Koch language
Sal (Sino-Tibetan) language spoken in India and Bangladesh
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Koch is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Koch people of India and Bangladesh. It is primarily spoken in the Indian states of Meghalaya and Lower Assam and in the northern parts of the country Bangladesh, where it serves as a major means of communication among the Koches. Koch language is written with Assamese, Bengali, Roman scripts.
There is an organization Koch Krorang Mathop in Tura, Meghalaya which publishes Koch materials, such as books, an annual Koch magazine. Koch Development Forum is also working on the promotion of the Koch language among the Koch people who have now switched their language to Indo-Aryan languages.
The state and National Anthem of Assam in Koch :
| Kocho koro | Assamese |
|---|---|
|
O' ani apani hadam Edeghenek kanchikni O' ani kanchikni hurang O' ani bongni thane Chai lana ang |
অ' মোৰ আপোনাৰ দেশ এনেখন শুৱলা, এনেখন সুফলা অ' মোৰ সুৰীয়া মাত অ' মোৰ ওপজা ঠাই চাই লওঁ এবাৰ মুখনি তোমাৰ |
| English | koch In Latin script | koch In Bengali-Assamese script |
|---|---|---|
| All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. | Habongni hisape bebak morota rasong aro adhikar wai soman aro jokni. Orongni prengni aro chotta towa. Orong sopan sopanna ada-ajong ghenek bebohar hawni se usit dowa. | হাবঙনি হিছাপে বেবাক মৰতা ৰাছঙ আৰ' আধিকাৰ ৱাই ছমান আৰ' জক্নি।অৰঙনি প্ৰেঙনি আৰ' চত্তা তৱা।অৰঙ ছপান ছপান্না আদা-আজঙ ঘেনেক বেবহাৰ হাৱনি ছে উছিত দৱা। |
Dialects
The Koch language is currently represented by five surviving dialects, which are as follows:
- Harigaya,
- Tintikiya,
- Wanang/Swmbri,
- Chapra and
- Margan
Short representation of the various dialects:
| English | Koch Harigaya | Koch Tintikiya | Koch Wanang |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is your name? | Nani ata mung? | Nani bita mung? | Nani atõ mung? |
| My name is xyz. | Ani mung Xyz. | Ani mung Xyz. | Ani mung Xyz. |
| English | Koch Harigaya | Koch Wanang |
|---|---|---|
| Zero | Era | Riyaa |
| One | Sa | Saa |
| Two | Ning | Ning |
| Three | Tam | Tam |
| Four | Bri | Bri |
| Five | Bõng | Bãng |
| Six | Krõp | Krob |
| Seven | Sin | Sin |
| Eight | Gin | Bin |
| Nine | Gis | Gin |
| Ten | Cha |
Geographical distribution
Koch is spoken in:
- Assam:
- Baksa district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
- Bongaigaon district - Madaci Koch, Koch
- Darrang district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
- Dhemaji district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
- Dhubri district - Madaci Koch, Koch
- Goalpara district - Madaci koch, Kocho koro, Hodi or Koch Mandai
- Kokrajhar district - Madaci Koch, Koch
- Lakhimpur district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
- Nagaon district - Hodi or Koch Mandai, Kocho koro
- Udalguri district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
- Sonitpur district - Hodi or Koch Mandai
- South Salmara district - Hodi or Koch Mandai, Koch
- Bangladesh: Hodi or Koch Mandai and Kocho koro
- Meghalaya:
- East Khasi Hills district - Hodi alias Koch Mandai
- West Garo Hills district - Koch
- Tripura: Hodi or Koch Mandai or koch
