| Koyee | |
| Nativename: | ᤁᤥᤕᤡ; कोयी |
| Region: | Nepal |
| Ethnicity: | Koyu/Kohi Rai |
| Date: | 2011 census |
| Ref: | e18 |
| Familycolor: | Sino-Tibetan |
| Fam2: | Tibeto-Burman |
| Fam3: | Mahakiranti (?) |
| Fam4: | Kiranti |
| Fam5: | Western |
| Fam6: | Upper Dudhkosi |
| Iso3: | kkt |
| Glotto: | koii1238 |
| Glottorefname: | Koyee |
Koyee (कोयी) is a Sino-Tibetan language belonging to the Kiranti languages spoken in the Khotang district of Nepal. Like other Kiranti languages, it displays a fairly complex system of person-marking and stem alternations. The term "Koyee" has dual significance, describing both a language and a tribe. Its origins trace back to various sources. According to records from 2015 BS, the term could have been derived from "kuyama" (IPA- kujämä), words in the Koyee language that mean "dark." This might be connected to the location of Sungdel on the hill 'Lourya,' which seems to be dark. The people residing in this shadowy area came to be known as the Koyee tribe, and the language they spoke became known as Koyee language. Over time, phonological changes, such as the shift from "u" to "o(backness)" have contributed to the evolution of the term. Koyee people who settle down in easter side of Nepal are known as Koyu (कोयू).
Alternate spellings and names are Kohi, Koi B.ʌʔ’, Koyee, Koyi, Koyu.
Koyee is spoken in Sungdel (near Rawakhola headwaters) and Dipsung VDC's, northeastern Khotang District, Koshi Province, Nepal (Ethnologue).
| Front | Back | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unrounded | rounded | unrounded | |||||
| short | long | short | long | short | long | ||
| High | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤡ (इ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤡ᤺ | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤢ (उ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤢ᤺ | |||
| High-mid | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤣ (ए) | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤣ᤺ | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤥ (ओ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤥ᤺ | |||
| Low-mid | pronounced as /link/ ᤀ (अ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤀ᤺ | |||||
| Low | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤠ (आ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤀᤠ᤺ | |||||
| Nasal | pronounced as /link/ ᤔ (म) | pronounced as /link/ ᤏ (न) | pronounced as /link/ ᤅ (ङ) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Affricate | unaspirated | pronounced as /link/ ᤐ (प) | pronounced as /link/ ᤋ (त) | pronounced as /link/ ᤆ (च) | pronounced as /link/ ᤁ (क) | pronounced as /link/ ᤹ (अ्) | ||
| aspirated | pronounced as /link/ ᤑ (फ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤌ (थ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤇ (छ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤂ (ख) | ||||
| unaspirated | pronounced as /link/ ᤒ (ब) | pronounced as /link/ ᤍ (द) | pronounced as /link/ ᤈ (ज) | pronounced as /link/ ᤃ (ग) | ||||
| aspirated | pronounced as /link/ ᤓ (भ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤎ (ध) | pronounced as /link/ ᤉ (झ) | pronounced as /link/ ᤄ (घ) | ||||
| Fricative | pronounced as /link/ ᤛ (स) | pronounced as /link/ ᤜ (ह) | ||||||
| Trill | pronounced as /link/ ᤖ (र) | |||||||
| Lateral | pronounced as /link/ ᤗ (ल) | |||||||
| Frictionless continuant | pronounced as /link/ ᤘ (व) | pronounced as /link/ ᤕ (य) | ||||||
"कोयी बअ् चेन्चिकी" (koyee a' chinchiki) Koyee language book. Author: Dr. Taramani Rai and Kaji Kumar Rai.