Bokar language explained

Bokar
Also Known As:	Bokar-Ramo
Region:	Arunachal Pradesh, Tibet
Ethnicity:	Lhoba
Speakers:	?
Familycolor:	Sino-Tibetan
Fam2:	Tani
Fam3:	Eastern Tani
Dia1:	Bokar
Dia2:	Ramo
Iso3:	none
Glotto:	boka1249
Glottorefname:	Bokar-Ramo
Map2:	Lang Status 80-VU.svg

Bokar or Bokar-Ramo (pronounced as /bɔk˭ar ɡɔm/;) is a Tani language spoken by the Lhoba in West Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, India (Megu 1990) and Nanyi Township 南伊珞巴民族乡, Mainling County, Tibet Autonomous Region, China (Ouyang 1985).

The Ramo dialect is spoken in Mechukha Subdivision and Monigong Circle (Badu 2004).

Phonology

Consonants

		Labial		Alveolar	(Alveolo-) palatal	Velar	Glottal
		plain	pal.
Plosive	voiceless	p	pʲ	t		k
	voiced	b	bʲ	d		ɡ
Affricate	voiceless				tɕ
	voiced				dʑ
Fricative				(s)	ɕ		h, (ɦ)
Nasal		m	mʲ	n	ɲ	ŋ
Trill				r
Approximant		w		l	j

• The pronunciation of /ɕ/ may vary between [ɕ] and [s] among different dialects.
• Some speakers may also pronounce /tɕ/ as [ts] when preceding vowels other than /i/.
• /h/ can be realized as either voiced [ɦ] or [h], when preceding /i/.
• Stops /p t k/ are heard as unreleased [p̚ t̚ k̚] in word-coda position.
• A retroflex affricate /tʂ/ can also occur only from Tibetan loanwords.^{[1] [2]}

Vowels

	Front	Central	Back
Close	i	(ɨ)	ɯ	u
Mid	e	ə	o
Open		a

• /ɯ/ can also be heard as more central [ɨ].^[3]
• /o/ is heard as more open and nasalized before /ŋ/ as [ɔ̃ŋ].

Writing system

Bokar is written in the Latin script in India and the Tibetan script in China.^[4]

References

• Badu, Tapoli. 2004. Ramo language guide. Itanagar: Directorate of Research, Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
• Ouyang, Jueya. 1985. Luobazu Yuyan Jianzhi (Bengni-Boga'eryu) [Brief Description of the Luoba Nationality Language (The Bengni-Bokar Language)]. Beijing: Minzu Chubanshe.

Notes and References

1. Book: Sun, Tianshin. A Historical-comparative Study of the Tani (Mirish) Branch in Tibeto-Burman. 1993. 495.
2. Book: Ouyang, Jueya. Luobazu yuyan jian zhi (Beng ni - Bo ga er yu) [珞巴族 语言 简 志 (崩 尼 - 博 嘎 尔 语)]. Minzu chubanshe [民族出版社]. 1985.
3. Book: Megu, Shri Arak. Bokar Language Guide. Itanagar: Directorate of Research, Government of Arunachal Pradesh. 1990.
4. Web site: ScriptSource - Luoba, Boga'er .