Languages of AsiaPart 2: South AsiaLanguages of AsiaPart 2: South Asia

ASIAN 401

Spring 2009

ASIAN 401

Spring 2009

22

ReviewReview

Name the six language families of North/East/Southeast Asia

Name four countries in peninsular Southeast Asia

Name two language isolatesName three Austronesian lgs.Name a Sino-Tibetan language

Name the six language families of North/East/Southeast Asia

Name four countries in peninsular Southeast Asia

Name two language isolatesName three Austronesian lgs.Name a Sino-Tibetan language

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SOUTH ASIA

44

SOUTH ASIAChina

IndiaNE India

Sino-Tibetan Languages

Tamil: Dravidianfamily

Hindi: Indo-Aryan family

Sri Lanka

Pakistan Tibet

NepalUrdu: Indo-Aryan family

Munda lgs: Austroasiatic family

Bangla-desh

Bengali: Indo-Aryan family

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Languages FamiliesLanguages Families

Indo-Aryan: Pakistan, IndiaDravidian: S India, Sri LankaSino-Tibetan: NE India, Nepal,

Bhutan, TibetAustroasiatic: E India

Indo-Aryan: Pakistan, IndiaDravidian: S India, Sri LankaSino-Tibetan: NE India, Nepal,

Bhutan, TibetAustroasiatic: E India

66

Sample LanguagesSample Languages

Indo-Aryan: Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi

Dravidian: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu

Sino-Tibetan: Bodo, Garo, Naga

Austroasiatic: Santali

Indo-Aryan: Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi

Dravidian: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu

Sino-Tibetan: Bodo, Garo, Naga

Austroasiatic: Santali

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Indo-AryanIndo-Aryan

Branch of larger Indo-European family; >600 million speakers

Most of the major languages of India and Pakistan, as well as Nepali

Four distinct consonants p, ph, b, bh

Branch of larger Indo-European family; >600 million speakers

Most of the major languages of India and Pakistan, as well as Nepali

Four distinct consonants p, ph, b, bh

88

DravidianDravidian

Major languages of S India and Sri Lanka (not found elsewhere)

~200 million speakersProbably were spoken in all of

India before the Indo-Aryan speakers arrived

Major languages of S India and Sri Lanka (not found elsewhere)

~200 million speakersProbably were spoken in all of

India before the Indo-Aryan speakers arrived

99

Sino-TibetanSino-Tibetan

Numerous small “hill tribe” languages in NE India; number of speakers small (~ 4 mil.), but number of lgs very large (>100?)

Also languages spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet

Very complex verb forms

Numerous small “hill tribe” languages in NE India; number of speakers small (~ 4 mil.), but number of lgs very large (>100?)

Also languages spoken in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet

Very complex verb forms

1010

AustroasiaticAustroasiatic

The Munda languages are spoken in scattered areas of E India

Related distantly to the Austroasiatic languages of peninsular SE Asia

Only about 10 lgs, < 8 million speakers. Santali has the most speakers.

The Munda languages are spoken in scattered areas of E India

Related distantly to the Austroasiatic languages of peninsular SE Asia

Only about 10 lgs, < 8 million speakers. Santali has the most speakers.

1111

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