Assamese

Assamese Language

Assamese (অসমীয়া, Ôxômiya) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly in the Indian state of Assam. It is the official language of Assam and is spoken by over 15 million people. Assamese is also spoken in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and other northeast Indian states.

History

The Assamese language has a rich history that dates back to the 7th century. It evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit, which was spoken in the eastern Indian subcontinent. The earliest forms of Assamese were influenced by Sanskrit, and the language has undergone significant changes over the centuries.

Early Assamese

The earliest known inscriptions in Assamese date back to the 5th century AD. The language developed its distinct identity by the 13th century, with the emergence of the Charyapada, a collection of mystical poems.

Medieval Period

During the medieval period, Assamese literature flourished with the patronage of the Ahom dynasty. The Buranjis, historical chronicles written in Assamese, are significant works from this period.

Modern Assamese

The modern period of Assamese began in the 19th century with the advent of print media. The first Assamese newspaper, Orunodoi, was published in 1846. The language was standardized, and a modern literary tradition was established.

Phonology

Assamese has a rich phonetic inventory, including a variety of vowels and consonants. It is known for its use of the retroflex and dental consonants.

Vowels

Assamese has eight vowel phonemes: /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/, /ɔ/, /ɛ/, and /ɯ/.

Consonants

The language has a wide range of consonants, including stops, nasals, fricatives, and approximants. Notably, Assamese lacks the voiced retroflex plosive /ɖ/ found in many other Indo-Aryan languages.

Grammar

Assamese grammar is characterized by its use of postpositions rather than prepositions, and it follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order.

Nouns

Nouns in Assamese are inflected for number and case. The language distinguishes between singular and plural forms.

Verbs

Verbs are inflected for tense, aspect, and mood. Assamese verbs agree with the subject in person and number.

Writing System

Assamese is written in the Assamese script, which is a variant of the Eastern Nagari script. This script is also used for writing Bengali and Meitei.

Literature

Assamese literature has a long and varied history, with contributions from poets, novelists, and playwrights.

Notable Authors

• Lakshminath Bezbarua
• Hemchandra Barua
• Indira Goswami

Cultural Significance

The Assamese language is an integral part of the cultural identity of Assam. It is used in traditional music, dance, and festivals such as Bihu.

See Also

• Languages of India
• Assamese literature
• Assamese people

References

• Goswami, G. C. (2003). Assamese: Its Formation and Development. Gauhati University.
• Barua, B. K. (1964). A Cultural History of Assam. Lawyer's Book Stall.

External Links

• Ethnologue report for Assamese
• Omniglot: Assamese script