Koyee
ᤁᤥᤕᤡ; कोयी
RegionNepal
EthnicityKoyu/Kohi Rai
Native speakers
1,300 (2011 census)[1]
Sino-Tibetan
Language codes
ISO 639-3kkt
Glottologkoii1238
ELPKoi

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.

Geographical distribution

Koyee is spoken in Sungdel (near Rawakhola headwaters) and Dipsung VDC's, northeastern Khotang District, Koshi Province, Nepal (Ethnologue).

Phonology

Vowels

Vowel phonemes
Front Back
unrounded rounded unrounded
short long short long short long
High i ᤀᤡ ⟨इ⟩ iː ᤀᤡ᤺ u ᤀᤢ ⟨उ⟩ uː ᤀᤢ᤺
High-mid e ᤀᤣ ⟨ए⟩ eː ᤀᤣ᤺ o ᤀᤥ ⟨ओ⟩ oː ᤀᤥ᤺
Low-mid ʌ ᤀ ⟨अ⟩ ʌː ᤀ᤺
Low ä ᤀᤠ ⟨आ⟩ äː ᤀᤠ᤺

Consonants

Koyee consonant phonemes
Bilabial Dental Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m ᤔ ⟨म⟩ n ᤏ ⟨न⟩ ŋ ᤅ ⟨ङ⟩
Affricate unaspirated p ᤐ ⟨प⟩ t̪ ᤋ ⟨त⟩ t͡ʃ ᤆ ⟨च⟩ k ᤁ ⟨क⟩ ʔ ᤹ ⟨अ्⟩
aspirated pʰ ᤑ ⟨फ⟩ t̪ʰ ᤌ ⟨थ⟩ t͡ʃʰ ᤇ ⟨छ⟩ kʰ ᤂ ⟨ख⟩
unaspirated b ᤒ ⟨ब⟩ d̪ ᤍ ⟨द⟩ d͡ʒ ᤈ ⟨ज⟩ ɡ ᤃ ⟨ग⟩
aspirated bʱ ᤓ ⟨भ⟩ d̪ʱ ᤎ ⟨ध⟩ d͡ʒʱ ᤉ ⟨झ⟩ ɡʱ ᤄ ⟨घ⟩
Fricative s ᤛ ⟨स⟩ ɦ ᤜ ⟨ह⟩
Trill r ᤖ ⟨र⟩
Lateral l ᤗ ⟨ल⟩
Frictionless continuant w ᤘ ⟨व⟩ j ᤕ ⟨य⟩

References

  1. ^ Koyee at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
"कोयी बअ् चेन्चिकी" (koyee a' chinchiki) Koyee language book. Author: Dr. Taramani Rai and Kaji Kumar Rai.

Bibliography


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