Rabha language

Rabha
Rabha khurang/krou
ৰাভা
Native to	India
Region	Assam, West Bengal,Meghalaya
Native speakers	139,986 (2011 census)
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Sal Boro–Garo Koch Rabha
Dialects	Maitori Rongdani Kocha
Writing system	Assamese script, Bengali script, english
Language codes
ISO 639-3	rah
Glottolog	rabh1238
ELP	Rabha
Map of where Rabha is spoken

Rabha is a Sino-Tibetan language of Northeast India. The two dialects, Maitori and Rongdani, are divergent enough to cause problems in communication. According to U.V. Joseph, there are three dialects, viz. Rongdani or Rongdania, Maitori or Maitoria and Kocha (page ix). Joseph writes that "the Kocha dialect, spoken along the northern bank of the Brahmaputra, is highly divergent and is not intelligible to a Rongdani or Maitori speaker" (page ix). Joseph also writes that "[t]he dialect variations between Rongdani and Maitori, both of which are spoken on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra, in the Goalpara district of Assam and belong to the northern slopes of Meghalaya, are minimal" (pages ix-x). He concludes the paragraph on dialectal variation with: "The Rongdani-Maitori dialectal differences become gradually more marked as one moves further west" (page x).

In 2007, U.V. Joseph published a grammar of Rabha with Brill in their series Languages of the Greater Himalayan Region.

A representation of different Rabha dialects

Sample question answers and some words:

English	Rangdani	Kocha	Maitori
Hello	Srirasong	Seolawu	Urgirasong
What is your name ?	Nangi ata mung ?	Nini mung utung ?	Nangi mung ato ?
My name is Rasan.	Angi mung Rasan.	Áni/Ini mung Rasan.	Angi mung Rasan.
I	Ame/ Ang	Ang	Ang
You	Name/Nang	Náng	Nang
What	Ata	Utung	Ato
Why	Atana	Atanga/Atangna	Ana
When	Bedo	Bisomoi/Biba	Bedo
Where	Bisi/Bisina	Bibai	Bo/Benga
Speak	Kani	Brak	Tep
Body	Kan-ganjhi	Kan	Kan
Hair	Khoro	Háwár	Khorok
Eye	Neken	Mákár	Muken
Arm	Baha	Cási	Tasi
Sun	Rangsang	Rasan	Rangsang
Moon	Langgre	Rangret/Naret	Rangri
Morning	Fung	Mánou	Fungi
Evening	Rangsri	Rasanlái	Langgri
Noon	Dipor	Sandupur	Rangsangdupur
Night	Far	Far	Fari
Day	San	San	Sani
Tomorrow	Gafung	Ganapo	Rebakaisani
Week	Satpaksa	Sopta	Sopta
House	Nok	Nok/No	Nok
Door	Nok	Nakab	Noko
Village	Song	Song	Paham
Husband	Umba	Mi	Miba
Wife	Micik	Micik/Jág	Michik
Rice	Mairung	Mairong	Mairun
Milk	Nu	Nono/Nuno	Nui
Oil	Thuchi	Tel	Thocha
Meat	Kaka	Kan	Makan
Sand	Hangceng	Hanceng	Hancheng
River	Tambrong	Chikajhora	Cikajhora
Goat	Prán	Purun	Prun
Cow	Masu	Másu/Musu	Masu
Spider	Bibur	Barcek	Bhubur

A representation of different Rabha numbers

Numbers:

English	Rongdani	Kocha	Maitori	Standard Rabha
Zero	Tha	Riya	Slo	Slong
One	Sa	Sa	Sa	Sa
Two	Ning	Ning	Ning	Ning
Three	Tham	Tam	Tham	Tham
Four	Cesa	Bri	Ari	Bri
Five	Tola	Báng/Bánga	Campa	Báng
Six	Krob	Do/Krop	Hes	Krob/Krop
Seven	Siya	Sin	Sorta	Sin
Eight	Gin	Gin	Parta	Gin
Nine	Bing	Gis/Bin	Pindas	Suku
Ten	Satha	Cha	Goda	Hasi
Eleven	Sasa	Chasa	Godasa	sisa
Twelve	Saning	Chaning	Godaning	sining
Thirteen	Satham	Chataam	Godatham	sitham
Fourteen	Sacesa	Chabri	Godaari	sibri
Fifteen	Satola	Chabáng	Godacampa	sibáng
Sixteen	Sakrob	Chakrob	Godahes	sikrop
Seventeen	Sasiya	Chasin	Godasorta	sisin
Eighteen	Sagin	Chagin	Godaparta	sigin
Ninteen	Sabing	Chagis	Godapindas	sisuku
Twenty	Ningtha	Chak	Rikha	Ningsi
Twentyone	Ningsa	Chaksa	Rikhasa	Ningsisa
Twentytwo	Ningning	Chakning	Rikhaning	Ningsining
Twentythree	Ningtham	Chaktam	Rikhatham	Ningsitham
Twentyfour	Ningcesa	Chakbri	Rikhaari	Ningsibri
Twentyfive	Ningtola	Chakbáng	Rikhacampa	Ningsibáng
Twentysix	Ningkrob	Chakkrob	Rikhahes	Ningsikrop
Twentyseven	Ningsiya	Chaksin	Rikhasorta	Ningsisin
Twentyeight	Ninggin	Chakgin	Rikhaparta	Ningsigin
Twentynine	Ningbing	Chakgis	Rikhapindas	Ningsisuku
Thirty	Thamtha	Chat	Siri	Thamsi
Forty	Cesatha	Chab	Arli	Brisi
Fifty	Tolatha	Chaba	Phala	Bángsi
Sixty	Krobtha	Chakor	Hesti	Kropsi
Seventy	Siyatha	Chasi	Sorto	Sinsi
Eighty	Gintha	Chagi	Arsi	Ginsi
Ninety	Bingtha	Bingta	Pinsip	Sukusi
Hundred	sathatha	Chu	Gota	So
Onehundred	sathatha	Sachu	Gotasa	Sosa
Twohundred	Ningthatha	Ningchu	Gotaning	Soning
Threehundred	Thamthatha	Tamchu	Gotatham	Sotham
Fourhundred	Cesathatha	Brichu	Gotaari	Sobri
Fivehundred	Tolathatha	Bángchu	Gotaphala	Sobáng
Sixhundred	Krobthatha	Krobchu	Gotahesti	Sokrop
Sevenhundred	Siyathatha	Sinchu	Gotasorto	Sosin
Eighthundred	Ginthatha	Ginchu	Gotaarsi	Sogin
Ninehundred	Bingthatha	Gischu	Gotapinsip	Sosuku
Thousand	Satha³	Cachu	Hajar	Sohasi

Geographical distribution

According to the Ethnologue, Rabha is spoken in the following areas of India.

• Darrang district, Goalpara district, and Kamrup district, western Assam
• Nagaland
• Jalpaiguri district and Alipurduar district, West Bengal
• Tufanganj subdivision, Koch Bihar district
• East Garo Hills district and West Garo Hills district, Meghalaya

See also

• Rabha people
• Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council
• Rabha Baptist Church Union