Larong language

Larong
Larong
Zlarong
Native to	China
Region	Zogang County, Chamdo Prefecture, Tibet
Language family	Sino-Tibetan (unclassified); ; Qiangic ? Chamdo Larong; ; ;
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–
Glottolog	zlar1234

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

Renguo Township 仁果乡, Mdzo sgang County 左贡县 (Suzuki & Nyima 2018; Zhao 2018), including the village of Phagpa 坝巴村^[2]
Cuowa Township 措瓦乡, Markam County 芒康县^[4]
Rumei Township 如美镇, Markam County 芒康县 (Changdu Gazetteer 2005), including the village of Tangre Chaya 达日村^[2]
Qudeng Township 曲登乡, Markam County 芒康县 (two villages)^[4]

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.

		Labial	Alveolar		Retroflex	Palatal	Velar	Uvular	Glottal
		Labial	plain	sibilant	Retroflex	Palatal	Velar	Uvular	Glottal
Nasal	voiceless	m̥	n̥			ȵ̊	ŋ̊	ɴ̥
Nasal	voiced	m	n			ȵ	ŋ	ɴ
Plosive/ Affricate	tenuis	p	t	ts	ʈ	tɕ	k	q	ʔ
	aspirated	pʰ	tʰ	tsʰ	ʈʰ	tɕʰ	kʰ	qʰ
	voiced	b	d	dz	ɖ	dʑ	g	ɢ
Continuant	voiceless			s		ɕ	x	χ	h
Continuant	voiced			z		ʑ	ɣ	ʁ	ɦ
Approximant	voiceless		l̥
Approximant	voiced	w	l			j
Trill			r

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˥

References

^ Zhao, Haoliang. 2018. A brief introduction to Zlarong, a newly recognized language in Mdzo sgang, TAR. Proceedings of the 51st International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics (2018). Kyoto: Kyoto University.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Suzuki, Hiroyuki and Tashi Nyima. 2018. Historical relationship among three non-Tibetic languages in Chamdo, TAR. Proceedings of the 51st International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics (2018). Kyoto: Kyoto University.
^ Xizang Changdu Diqu Difangzhi Bianzuan Weiyuanhui 西藏昌都地区地方志编纂委员会 (2005). Changdu Diquzhi 昌都地区志. Beijing: Fangzhi Chubanshe 方志出版社.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Tashi Nyima; Hiroyuki Suzuki (2019). "Newly recognised languages in Chamdo: Geography, culture, history, and language". Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area. 42 (1): 38–81. doi:10.1075/ltba.18004.nyi. ISSN 0731-3500. S2CID 198090294.
^ ^a ^b Jiang, Huo 江荻 (2022). "Linguistic diversity and classification in Tibet 西藏的语言多样性及其分类". Zhongguo Zangxue 中国藏学. 6. Retrieved 2023-03-16 – via Chinese Tibetology Center 中国藏学研究中心.

Zhao, Haoliang. 2018. A brief introduction to Zlarong, a newly recognized language in Mdzo sgang, TAR. Proceedings of the 51st International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics (2018). Kyoto: Kyoto University.

[1] Zhao, Haoliang. 2018. A brief introduction to Zlarong, a newly recognized language in Mdzo sgang, TAR. Proceedings of the 51st International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics (2018). Kyoto: Kyoto University.

[Suzuki2018-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Suzuki, Hiroyuki and Tashi Nyima. 2018. Historical relationship among three non-Tibetic languages in Chamdo, TAR. Proceedings of the 51st International Conference on Sino-Tibetan Languages and Linguistics (2018). Kyoto: Kyoto University.

[3] Xizang Changdu Diqu Difangzhi Bianzuan Weiyuanhui 西藏昌都地区地方志编纂委员会 (2005). Changdu Diquzhi 昌都地区志. Beijing: Fangzhi Chubanshe 方志出版社.

[NyimaSuzuki-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Tashi Nyima; Hiroyuki Suzuki (2019). "Newly recognised languages in Chamdo: Geography, culture, history, and language". Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area. 42 (1): 38–81. doi:10.1075/ltba.18004.nyi. ISSN 0731-3500. S2CID 198090294.

[JiangHuo2022-5] Jiang, Huo 江荻 (2022). "Linguistic diversity and classification in Tibet 西藏的语言多样性及其分类". Zhongguo Zangxue 中国藏学. 6. Retrieved 2023-03-16 – via Chinese Tibetology Center 中国藏学研究中心.

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