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Sino-Tibetan language of India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Khamba is an endangered and severely underdocumented Sino-Tibetan language spoken by Khamba people in Upper Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, India.
Khamba | |
---|---|
Native to | India |
Region | Arunachal Pradesh |
Native speakers | 500-700 (2016)[1] |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | kbg |
Glottolog | kham1283 |
ELP | Khamba |
It is generally classified as Tibetic but its precise position with the branch is unclear because of lack of reliable language data. Glottolog defines it as "unclassified Southern Tibetic".[2] Van Driem classifies it with Khams Tibetan.[3] According to the Central Institute of Indian Languages, a grammar description and a bilingual dictionary of Khamba are being prepared under the Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages.[4]
Despite their small population, Khamba speakers form a separate Scheduled Tribe recognized by the government of India. Most Khamba speakers are reported to be mutilingual, with many of them speaking Hindi, Minyong, Assamese, Memba and basic English.[1]
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