Ao
Ao Naga
Sino-Tibetan (Naga)
Ao Naga (ISO 639-3: njo) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by about 260,000 first-language speakers, chiefly in Mokokchung district of Nagaland, northeastern India. Its principal varieties are Chungli, the prestige variety used for most literature and inter-village communication, and Mongsen; smaller varieties include Changki. Ao is tonal and has predominantly SOV order; Mongsen is highly agglutinative and mostly suffixing, with extensive verbal morphology and three lexical tones. A Latin-based orthography introduced through nineteenth-century missionary work is established for written Chungli and normally leaves tone unmarked. Ao is used in homes, churches, education, broadcasting, and a substantial body of printed and digital literature.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in Ao Naga
Sources
- Marrison 1967, The Classification of the Naga Languages of North-East India (Chungli Ao), via lexibank/marrisonnaga; Ao Naga C.L. Bible (Bible Society of India), bible.com versions 1008/3663
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Sino-Tibetan (Naga)
| Meaning | Ao Naga | Mru | Tshangla | Mizo | Proto-Sino-Tibetan | Hakha Chin | Lepcha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | tzü /tsə/ | o /ɔ/ | ri /ɾi/ | tui /tui/ | *ti(y) /ti(j)/ | ti /ti/ | ᰣᰫᰵ /ʔuŋ/ |
| Fire | mi /mi/ | mai /mɑɪ/ | mi /mi/ | mei /mei/ | *mey /mey/ | mei /mei/ | ᰕᰧ /mi/ |
| Sun | anü /anə/ | thum /tʰum/ | ngam /ŋam/ | ni /ni/ | *nəy /nəy/ | ni /ni/ | ᰠᰗᰪᰭ /sətsɯk/ |
| Moon | ita /ita/ | la /lə/ | lanyingam /laɲiŋam/ | thla /tʰla/ | *s-la /s-la/ | thla /tʰla/ | ᰜᰦᰟᰨ /lavo/ |
| Star | petinü /petinə/ | kɯr /kɯr/ | karma /kaɾma/ | arsi /arsi/ | *s-kar /s-kar/ | arfi /ʔarfi/ | ᰠᰝᰩᰲ /səhɔr/ |
| Night | aonung /aonuŋ/ | yak /jak/ | binang /binaŋ/ | zan /zan/ | *mun /mun/ | zan /zan/ | ᰍᰱ /nap/ |
| Rain | tzünglu /tsəŋlu/ | — | ngamsu /ŋamsu/ | ruah /ruaʔ/ | *r-wa /r-wa/ | ruah /rua/ | ᰠᰨ /so/ |
| Snow | rürjep /ɹɯtʃɯp/ | — | phom /pʰom/ | vur /vur/ | *s-pʷal /s-pʷal/ | hawhra /hawhra/ | ᰠᰦᰍᰩᰰ /sanɔn/ |
| Wind | mopung /mopuŋ/ | — | ridi /ɾidi/ | thli /tʰli/ | *qV-lij /qV-lij/ | thli /tʰli/ | — |
| Earth | alima /alima/ | — | sa /sa/ | lei /ˈlei̯/ | *m-l(e/ə)y /m-l(e/ə)j/ | vawlei /vawlei/ | ᰑᰦᰳ /fat/ |
| Stone | lung /luŋ/ | — | lung /luŋ/ | lung /luŋ/ | *r-luŋ /r-luŋ/ | lung /luŋ/ | — |
| Mountain | tenem /tenem/ | — | riwu /ɾiwu/ | tlâng /tlaŋ/ | *s-gaŋ /s-ɡaŋ/ | tlang /tlaŋ/ | ᰞᰨ /l̥o/ |
| Sea | tzüyim /tsəjim/ | — | jamtsho /dʑamtsʰo/ | tuipui /tuipui/ | — | rili /rili/ | — |
| Mother | ama /ʌmʌ/ | au /əʔu/ | ama /ama/ | nu /nu/ | *ma /ma/ | nu /nu/ | ᰣᰦᰕᰫ /ʔamu/ |
| Father | apa /ʌpʌ/ | pa /pə/ | apa /apa/ | pa /pa/ | *pa /pa/ | pa /pa/ | ᰣᰦᰓᰨ /ʔabo/ |
| Daughter | jala /tʃaʔla/ | — | zamin /zamin/ | fanu /fanu/ | — | fanu /fanu/ | ᰊᰣᰤᰪᰀᰪᰱ /təʔjɯkɯp/ |
| I | ni /ni/ | nga /ŋa/ | jang /dʑaŋ/ | kei /kei/ | *ŋa /ŋa/ | kei /kei/ | ᰃᰨ /go/ |
| You | na /na/ | nang /naŋ/ | nan /nan/ | nang /naŋ/ | *naŋ /naŋ/ | nang /naŋ/ | ᰝᰩ /hɔ/ |
| We | — /—/ | — /—/ | ai /ai/ | keini /keini/ | — /—/ | kanmah /kanmaʔ/ | ᰀᰦᰚᰫ /kaju/ |
| Name | tenüng /tenəŋ/ | ming /miŋ/ | ming /miŋ/ | hming /hmiŋ/ | *r-miŋ /r-miŋ/ | min /min/ | ᰣᰦᰓᰥᰤᰦᰵ /ʔabrjaŋ/ |
| Person | nisung /nisuŋ/ | — | songo /soŋo/ | mi /mi/ | *r-mi(y)-n /r-mi(j)-n/ | mi /mi/ | ᰕᰛᰩ /mərɔ/ |
| Head | tekolak /tekolak/ | — | sharang /ɕaɾaŋ/ | lu /lu/ | *m-gaw /m-gaw/ | lu /lu/ | ᰣᰦᰋᰤᰦᰭ /ʔatʰjak/ |
| Eye | tenük /tənək/ | mik /mɪk/ | ming /miŋ/ | mit /mit/ | *s-mik /s-mik/ | mit /mit/ | ᰣᰦᰕᰧᰭᰶ /ʔamik/ |
| Ear | tenarong /tenaɹoŋ/ | na /na/ | na /na/ | beng /beŋ/ | *r-na /r̩na/ | hna /hna/ | ᰉᰫᰲ /ɲur/ |
| Nose | teni /teni/ | — | nawung /nawuŋ/ | hnar /hnar/ | *s-na /sna/ | hnar /hnar/ | — |
| Mouth | tebang /tebaŋ/ | — | nowang /nowaŋ/ | kâ /ka/ | *s-muːr /s-muːr/ | kaa /kaː/ | — |
| Tooth | tepu /tepu/ | ha /ha/ | sha /ɕa/ | ha /ha/ | *s-wa /swa/ | ha /ha/ | ᰣᰑᰨ /afo/ |
| Tongue | temeli /temeli/ | lei /lei/ | le /le/ | lei /lei/ | *mlja /mlja/ | lei /lei/ | ᰣᰜᰧ /ali/ |
| Hand | teka /teka/ | bong /boŋ/ | gadang /ɡadaŋ/ | kut /kut/ | *lak /lak/ | kut /kut/ | ᰣᰦᰀᰶ /ʔakə/ |
| Foot | tetsüng /tətsəŋ/ | klong /kləŋ/ | bi /bi/ | ke /ke/ | *r-kaŋ /r-kaŋ/ | ke /ke/ | ᰣᰦᰋᰩᰵ /ʔatʰɔŋ/ |
| Heart | temulungjang /temuluŋtʃaŋ/ | tsak /tsʰɑk/ | thinglom /tʰiŋlom/ | thinlung /tʰinluŋ/ | — /—/ | lung /luŋ/ | ᰣᰦᰜᰪᰳ /ʔalɯt/ |
| Bone | teret /teɹet/ | hut /hut/ | khang /kʰaŋ/ | ruh /ruh/ | *rus /rus/ | ruh /ruh/ | ᰣᰛᰳ /ʔarat/ |
| Blood | azü /a˨zəʔ˩/ | thi /tʰi/ | yi /ji/ | thisen /tʰiseːn/ | *s-hwəy-t /shwəjt/ | thi /tʰî/ | ᰟᰧ /vi/ |
| Love | meim /meim/ | akiet /əkiɛt/ | phangpe /pʰaŋpe/ | hmangaih /hmaŋai/ | *m-dza-k /m-dza-k/ | daw /daw/ | ᰣᰦᰆᰬ /ʔace/ |
| Tree | süngdong /səŋdoŋ/ | tshing /tsʰɪŋ/ | shing /ɕiŋ/ | thingkung /tʰiŋkuŋ/ | *siŋ /siŋ/ | thingkung /tʰiŋkuŋ/ | ᰀᰫᰵ /kuŋ/ |
| Dog | azü /a˨zə˩/ | takui /təkuɪ/ | khu /kʰu/ | ui /ui/ | *d-kʷəy /d-kʷəy/ | ui /ui/ | ᰀᰈᰫ /kəʒu/ |
| Cat | tannü /tannə/ | tamin /təmɪn/ | danyi /daɲi/ | zawhte /zɔʔte/ | — /—/ | minu /minu/ | ᰣᰦᰜᰤᰫ /ʔalju/ |
| Fish | ango /aŋo/ | nga /ŋa/ | nga /ŋa/ | sangha /saŋha/ | *ŋja /ŋja/ | nga /ŋà/ | ᰋᰨ /ŋo/ |
| Bird | ozü /ozə/ | — | kha /kʰa/ | sava /sava/ | *bya /bja/ | vate /vaʔteʔ/ | ᰑᰨ /fo/ |
| Butterfly | shinü /ʃinɨ/ | — | phenphenma /pʰenpʰenma/ | phengphehlep /pʰeŋpʰehlep/ | — | pelep /pelep/ | — |
| Egg | entsü /əntsɯ/ | — | gotham /ɡotʰam/ | artui /artui/ | *ʔu /ʔu/ | arti /ʔarti/ | ᰣᰦᰊᰧᰶ /ati/ |
| Bear | shirem /ʃiɹem/ | — | omsha /omɕa/ | savawm /savɔm/ | *d-wam /d-wam/ | vom /vom/ | — |
| Horse | kor /koɹ/ | — | kurta /kuɾta/ | sakawr /sakɔr/ | *s/m-raŋ /s/m-raŋ/ | rang /raŋ/ | — |
| House | ki /ki/ | khim /kʲɪm/ | phai /pʰai/ | in /in/ | *k-yim /k-jim/ | inn /in/ | ᰜᰧᰶ /li/ |
| Milk | mamatzü /mamatsə/ | — | nu /nu/ | hnute tui /hnute tui/ | *s-nəw /s-nəw/ | hnuk /hnuk/ | — |
| Honey | mojitzü /modʒitsə/ | — | — | khuaizu /kʰuaizu/ | — | khuaihliti /kʰuaihliti/ | — |
| Salt | metsü /metsə/ | — | incha /intɕʰa/ | chi /tʃi/ | *g-rjum /g-rjum/ | ci /tsi/ | ᰟᰩᰮ /vom/ |
| Rice | jang /tʃaŋ/ | — | — | buh /buh/ | — | facang /fatsaŋ/ | — |
| Iron | yin /jin/ | — | per /peɾ/ | thîr /tʰiːr/ | — | thir /tʰir/ | ᰎᰪᰰᰈᰬᰵ /pundʒeŋ/ |
| Silk | lota sü /lota sə/ | — | — | maimaw /maimɔ/ | — | pu /pu/ | — |
| Book | kaküt /kakət/ | — | pecha /petɕʰa/ | lehkhabu /leʔkʰabu/ | — | cauk /tsauk/ | ᰇᰨ /cʰo/ |
| Eat | achi /atʃi/ | tsa /tsɑ/ | zale /zale/ | ei /ei/ | *dzya /dzja/ | ei /ei/ | ᰙᰨ /dzo/ |
| Drink | ayong /ajoŋ/ | kham /kʰɑm/ | jame /dʑame/ | in /in/ | *s(y)awk /s(j)awk/ | din /din/ | ᰋᰩᰵ /tʰɔŋ/ |
| Sleep | ayip /ajip/ | — | yip /jip/ | mut /mut/ | *yip /jip/ | it /ʔit/ | ᰌᰦ /da/ |
| One | ka /ka/ | lok /lɔk/ | thur /tʰuɾ/ | pakhat /pakʰat/ | *tik /tik/ | pakhat /pakʰat/ | ᰀᰦᰳ /kat/ |
| Two | aná /ana/ | pəni /pəni/ | nyiktsing /ɲiktsiŋ/ | pahnih /pahniʔ/ | *g-nis /g-nis/ | pahnih /pahniʔ/ | ᰉᰬᰳ /ɲet/ |
| Three | asem /asem/ | sum /sum/ | sam /sam/ | pathum /patʰum/ | *g-sum /ɡsum/ | pathum /patʰum/ | ᰠᰦᰮ /səm/ |
| Four | pezü /pezy/ | — | pshi /pɕi/ | pali /pali/ | *b-ləy /bləj/ | pali /pali/ | ᰑᰜᰧ /fali/ |
| Five | pungu /pəŋu/ | — | nga /ŋa/ | panga /paŋa/ | *l-ŋaʔ /lŋaʔ/ | panga /paŋa/ | ᰑᰅᰫ /fəŋu/ |
| Hundred | noklang /noklaŋ/ | — | gya /ɡʲa/ | za /za/ | *r-gya /rɡja/ | za /za/ | — |
| Hello | alile /ʌlile/ | namaskaro /nɑməskɑro/ | kuzuzangpo /kuzuzaŋpo/ | chibai /tʃibai/ | — /—/ | na dam maw /na dam maw/ | ᰂᰦᰮᰛᰧᰶ /kʰamri/ |
| Thank you | ateu /ʌteu/ | dhanyabad /dʰənəbɑd/ | kadrinche /kaɖintɕʰe/ | ka lawm e /ka lɔːm e/ | — /—/ | ka lawm /ka lawm/ | ᰀ᰷ᰥᰩᰭᰇᰧᰶ /ʈɔkcʰi/ |
| Good | tajung /tadʒuŋ/ | — /—/ | lekpu /lekpu/ | ṭha /tɾʰa/ | *l(j)ak /l(j)ak/ | ṭha /ʈʰa/ | ᰣᰦᰛᰤᰫᰮ /ʔarjum/ |
| New | tasen /tasen/ | — | singma /siŋma/ | thar /tʰar/ | *g-sar /g-sar/ | thar /tʰar/ | — |
| Red | temerem /temeɹem/ | ni /ni/ | tsalo /tsalo/ | sen /sen/ | *tya-n /tja-n/ | sen /sen/ | ᰠᰦᰵ /saŋ/ |
| White | temesong /temesoŋ/ | — /—/ | balingmu /baliŋmu/ | vâr /var/ | *bawk /bawk/ | raang /raːŋ/ | ᰣᰦᰌᰫᰮ /ʔadum/ |
| Black | tanak /tanak/ | — | changlu /tɕʰaŋlu/ | dum /dum/ | *nək /nək/ | dum /dum/ | — |
| Green | tajem /tadʒəm/ | — | jangkhu /dʑaŋkʰu/ | hring /hriŋ/ | — | hring /hriŋ/ | — |
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