Sino-Tibetan language
Larong or Zlarong (autonym: la˥ rɔ˥; Tibetan name: la˥ ruŋ˥) is a recently documented Sino-Tibetan language spoken in Zogang and Markam counties of southeastern Chamdo, Tibet. It was recently documented by Zhao (2018)[1] and Suzuki & Nyima (2018).[2] Zhao (2018) tentatively classifies Zlarong as a Qiangic language.
Names
Larong is referred to by the Changdu Gazetteer (2005)[3] as Rumei 如美话, as it is spoken in Rumei Township 如美乡, Markam County.
Zhao (2018) reports the autonym la˥rɔ˥ and the Tibetan exonym la˥ruŋ˥ for the speakers. Their language is referred to as mə˥kə˥ by speakers, and by Tibetans as ma˧˩ke˥˧ (Zhao 2018).
Nyina & Suzuki (2019) report the autonym m̥a55, which is identical to the Drag-yab autonym also reported by them (m̥a55 ~ ma55).[4]
Jiang (2023) refers to the language as Laronghua (拉茸话).[5]
Locations
Larong villages by township:[4]
| Township, County |
Villages
|
| Renguo Township 仁果乡, Dzogang |
Dongba 东坝村, Deqinggang, Zuoke 左科村, Xindi 新德村, Shalong 沙龙村 (Sano), Paba 坝巴村, Jiaka 加卡村, Languo 兰果村, Woba, etc.
|
| Cuowa Township 措瓦乡, Markham |
Tongsha 通沙村, Wuba, Zhongri 仲日村, Kuzi 库孜村, Taya 它亚村, Dangreqiaya, etc.
|
| Rumei Town 如美镇, Markham |
Rumei 如美村, Zhuka 竹卡村, Lawu 拉乌村, and Dari 达日村
|
| Qudeng Township 曲登乡, Markham |
Qudeng 曲登村 and Dengba 登巴村
|
A computational phylogenetic analysis by Jiang (2022) shows that Rumei (如美话) to be the most divergent Chamdo, and is not closely related to the Larong dialect (拉茸话) of Zogang County (左贡县).[5]
Dialects
Larong is spoken in four townships in the Larong valley, along the Lancang River (also known as the Zla chu or Lachu River in Tibetan). The four townships are:[4]
- Ringo (Chinese: Renguo)
- Tshonga (Chinese: Cuowa): Larong villages are Tshonga, Rushul, Thosa, Thaya, Drori, and Kuze
- Rongsmad (Chinese: Rumei): Larong speakers in entire town
- Choedan (Chinese: Qudeng): Dempa (Chinese: Dengba) and Choedan village clusters, both Larong-speaking
The dialect spoken in Ringo and Tshonga differs from that of the dialect spoken in Rongsmad and Choedan.[4]
Classification
Suzuki & Nyima (2018)[2] note that Zlarong (Larong) is closely related to two other recently documented Sino-Tibetan languages of Chamdo, eastern Tibet, namely Lamo and Drag-yab (spoken in southern Zhag'yab County).
Phonology
Suzuki & Nyima (2018)[2] report the following phonemes from the Tangre Chaya dialect of Larong.
Prenasalisation and preaspiration appear as a preinitial.
|
|
Front
|
Central
|
Back
|
| Close
|
i
|
ʉ
|
ɯ
|
u
|
| Close-Mid
|
e
|
ɵ
|
o
|
| Mid
|
|
ə
|
|
| Open-Mid
|
ɛ
|
|
ɔ
|
| Open
|
a
|
|
ɑ
|
Suzuki & Nyima (2018) report that each vowel has a creaky and nasalized counterpart.
Syllable structure: cCGV
Tones are high and rising. The first two syllables of each word act as the tone bearing unit. The second syllable is occasionally out of the tone bearing unit.[2]
Vocabulary
Zhao (2018: 1-3) lists the following Zlarong words.
| Gloss |
Zlarong
|
| name |
mɛ˥
|
| medicine |
rɛ˥˧
|
| cloth |
rɛ˩˧
|
| ice |
ndza˥
|
| you |
ȵo˥˧
|
| horse |
rɛ˥˧
|
| road |
rə˩˧
|
| blood |
sɛ˥˧
|
| meat |
tɕʰi˩˧
|
| urine |
pi˩˧
|
| snow |
wi˩˧
|
| water |
tɕi˥
|
| smoke |
mu˥kʰu˥
|
| wind |
ma˧˩mi˥
|
| cloud |
ndə˥rə˥
|
| belly |
wu˩˧
|
| white |
tʂʰɔ̃˧˩tʂʰɔ̃˥˧
|
| black |
ȵi˧˩ȵi˥˧
|
| red |
nɛ˥nɛ˥˧
|
| yellow |
nɛ˥nɛ˥˧
|
| short |
wɛ˧˩wɛ˥˧
|
| wide |
pʰa˥pʰa˥˧
|
| thick |
mbo˧˩mbo˥
|
| fish |
ȵɛ˩˧
|
| sand |
tɕy˧˩mɛ˥˧
|
| doctor |
mɛ̃˥pɛ˥˧
|
| ground |
sɛ˥˧
|
| zero |
lɛ˥kɔ˥
|
| one |
ti˩˧kʰi˥
|
| two |
nɛ˧˩ji˥˧
|
| three |
sɔ̃˩˧
|
| four |
ɣə˩˧
|
| five |
ŋa˩˧
|
| six |
tɕʰu˩˧
|
| seven |
ȵɛ˩˧
|
| eight |
ɕɛ˩˧
|
| nine |
ŋgo˩˧
|
| ten |
a˥kõ˥
|
