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Lotha language
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<h2 id="names">Names</h2> <p>Alternate names include Chizima, Choimi, Hlota, Kyong, Lhota, Lotha, Lutha, Miklai, Tsindir, and Tsontsii (<i>Ethnologue</i>). </p> <h2 id="dialects">Dialects</h2> <p><i><a href="/facts/Ethnologue/0AanCzKS">Ethnologue</a></i> lists the following dialects of Lotha. </p> <ul><li>Live</li> <li>Tsontsü</li> <li>Ndreng</li> <li>Kyong</li> <li>Kyo</li> <li>Kyon</li> <li>Kyou</li></ul> <p>In the <i><a href="/facts/Linguistic_Survey_of_India/Sf1GnE3o">Linguistic Survey of India</a></i>, linguist George Abraham Grierson analyzed various branches of languages in India and categorized various Naga languages into three groups: Western Naga, Eastern Naga, and Central Naga.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> Lotha falls into the Central Naga group, which also includes the languages <a href="/facts/Ao_language/Y7Cn0WoQ">Ao</a>, <a href="/facts/Sangtam_language/XS4ehaT4">Sangtam</a>, and <a href="/facts/Yimkhiungr%25C3%25BC_language/w4l4Egu8">Yimkhiungrü</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="phonology">Phonology</h2> <h3>Consonants</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th colspan="2"></th><th><a href="/facts/Labial_consonant/bv4MqTMf">Labial</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Dental_consonant/Yraaz9Nm">Dental</a>/<a href="/facts/Alveolar_consonant/B6VkW2EX">Alveolar</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Palatal_consonant/KLcKyXE8">Palatal</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Velar_consonant/blWClp79">Velar</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Glottal_fricative/rMdEdLxH">Glottal</a></th></tr><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Plosive/okC9pztc">Plosive</a></th><th>voiceless</th><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_bilabial_plosive/w4M9Igp6">p</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_plosive/1GaDe2Vy">t</a></td><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_velar_plosive/dDppVb6e">k</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Glottal_stop/Xfqy2ArP">ʔ</a></td></tr><tr><th>aspirated</th><td>pʰ</td><td>tʰ</td><td></td><td>kʰ</td><td></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Affricate/Fn2y7FIA">Affricate</a></th><th>voiceless</th><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_labiodental_affricate/HbSjrItH">p͡f</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_affricate/YfPyNGjE">t͡s</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_postalveolar_affricate/14FYMJvN">t͡ʃ</a></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>vd./aspirated</th><td>p͡v</td><td>t͡sʰ</td><td>t͡ʃʰ</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Fricative/1FQuuhfX">Fricative</a></th><th>voiceless</th><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_labiodental_fricative/dUkN8guL">f</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_alveolar_fricative/WLKtEYDe">s</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_postalveolar_fricative/enUwqS2w">ʃ</a></td><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiceless_glottal_fricative/lfRB7CPW">h</a></td></tr><tr><th>voiced</th><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_labiodental_fricative/v9lESng4">v</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_fricative/TtHwyzp6">z</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_postalveolar_fricative/Tb8XpRoS">ʒ</a></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Nasal_consonant/m6D3cVhe">Nasal</a></th><th>voiced</th><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_bilabial_nasal/1pd7NK2x">m</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_nasal/0CEs8314">n</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_nasal/dLa9YG49">ɲ</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_velar_nasal/r6v5q92L">ŋ</a></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>aspirated</th><td>mʰ</td><td>nʰ</td><td>ɲʰ</td><td>ŋʰ</td><td></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Lateral_consonant/Mcyc1or8">Lateral</a></th><th>voiced</th><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_lateral_approximant/dgbHhqeK">l</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>aspirated</th><td></td><td>lʰ</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Trill_consonant/GKS3ga4q">Trill</a></th><th>voiced</th><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_alveolar_trill/rDplJobc">r</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>aspirated</th><td></td><td>rʰ</td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th rowspan="2"><a href="/facts/Approximant/SXrlw7zY">Approximant</a></th><th>voiced</th><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_labial%25E2%2580%2593velar_approximant/HLDqbrvr">w</a></td><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Voiced_palatal_approximant/v0NVCbUh">j</a></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><th>aspirated</th><td></td><td></td><td>jʰ</td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <ul><li>/v/ when followed by /o/ can also be heard as [w] in free variation.</li> <li>The pronunciation of the trills /r, rʰ/ may vary as approximants [ɹ, ɹʰ] or a retroflex fricative [ʐ] among speakers.</li> <li>/j/ only occurs as phonemically aspirated as /jʰ/ among other dialects.</li> <li>Plosives /p, k/ can be heard as unreleased [p̚, k̚] in word-final position.</li></ul> <h3>Vowels</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th></th><th><a href="/facts/Front_vowel/htKQs3AT">Front</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Central_vowel/IFSaKUe9">Central</a></th><th><a href="/facts/Back_vowel/gyHoGCH0">Back</a></th></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Close_vowel/Ne6tHQHR">Close</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Close_front_unrounded_vowel/rSUdlCPU">i</a></td><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Close_back_rounded_vowel/gqlQLfse">u</a></td></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Mid_vowel/uzjGLRhf">Mid</a></th><td><a href="/facts/Close-mid_front_unrounded_vowel/e9YNLF97">e</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Mid_central_vowel/CCx0wYy3">ə</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Close-mid_back_rounded_vowel/VwS9cKWJ">o</a></td></tr><tr><th><a href="/facts/Open_vowel/roS0Y7lA">Open</a></th><td></td><td><a href="/facts/Open_front_unrounded_vowel/s80pvmYh">a</a></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table> <ul><li>When /u/ follows a labial consonant or /k, kʰ/, the consonant is then affricated and /u/ is realized as unrounded [ɯ]. The result is then from /ku, kʰu, pu, pʰu/ to [kvɯ, kfɯ, pvɯ, pfɯ].</li> <li>/i/ may also tend to centralize and lower as [ɨ, ə] in open syllables when following sibilant sounds (/ʃi/ ~ [ʃɨ~ʃə]).</li> <li>/ə/ may also range in pronunciation to a back sound [ɯ].<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a></li> <li>/i, u/ can also be heard shortened as [ɪ, ʊ] within the first syllable.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="orthography-and-literature">Orthography and literature</h2> <p>Lotha is written in the <a href="/facts/Latin_script/7EWeJjUV">Latin script</a>, introduced by the British and American missionaries in the late 19th century. It is a medium of education up to the post-graduate level in the state of Nagaland. It is also the language in which the church sermons are preached. The <a href="/facts/Bible/SqkRTKCh">Bible</a> has been translated into the Lotha language, adding significantly to its vocabulary, which had an influence of <a href="/facts/Assamese_language/rS7BqK0P">Assamese</a> and <a href="/facts/Hindi/n1QIEeCC">Hindi</a>. </p> <h2 id="lotha-yi-tsngon">Lotha Yi Tsüngon</h2> <p>Various Lotha Naga groups have started observing May 1 as its language day, Lotha Yi Tsüngon. In 2025 simultaneous events were organised by the Kohima Lotha Hoho,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> Lotha Hoho Dimapur, and Lotha Academy (Wokha) where an anthology of Lotha prose, Lotha Motsüran Ekhvürhyucho was released.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://archive.org/details/rosettaproject_njh_gen-1">Translation of the beginning of the Book of Genesis in Lotha</a>.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Sino-Tibetan_languages/kfdM7pTx">Sino-Tibetan Languages</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/5659">Endangered Languages Project: Lotha Naga</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Kumar, Braj Bihari (1 January 2005). Naga Identity. Concept Publishing Company. p. 75. ISBN 978-81-8069-192-8. <a href="978-81-8069-192-8" target="_blank">978-81-8069-192-8</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Kumar, Braj Bihari (1 January 2005). Naga Identity. Concept Publishing Company. p. 75. ISBN 978-81-8069-192-8. <a href="978-81-8069-192-8" target="_blank">978-81-8069-192-8</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Bruhn, Daniel W. (2014). Proto-Central Naga; Lotha. A Phonological Reconstruction of Proto-Central Naga: University of California, Berkeley. pp. 151–154. <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Acharya, K. P. (1983). Lotha grammar. Mysore: Central Institute of Indian Languages.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link) <a href="/wiki/Template:Cite_book" target="_blank">/wiki/Template:Cite_book</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Morung Express News (4 May 2025). "Lotha Yi Tsüngon observed to promote indigenous language". The Morung Express. Retrieved 5 May 2025. <a href="https://www.morungexpress.com/lotha-yi-tsngon-observed-to-promote-indigenous-language" target="_blank">https://www.morungexpress.com/lotha-yi-tsngon-observed-to-promote-indigenous-language</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Morung Express News (1 May 2025). "Language roots cultural identity". The Morung Express. Retrieved 5 May 2025. <a href="https://morungexpress.com/language-roots-cultural-identity" target="_blank">https://morungexpress.com/language-roots-cultural-identity</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>