Ralte language

Ralte is a Kuki-Chin language of India. Fewer than a thousand Ralte people speak the language.

Ralte
Region	India
Ethnicity	Mizo [1]
Native speakers	900 (2007)[2]
Language family	Sino-Tibetan (Tibeto-Burman) Kuki-Chin Northern Ralte
Language codes
ISO 639-3	ral
Glottolog	ralt1242[3]

Geographical distribution

Ralte is spoken in the following locations (Ethnologue).

• Mizoram (mainly Aizawl district, and also scattered in Lunglei district and Chhimtuipui district)
• Manipur
• Jampui Hills, North Tripura district, Tripura

Vocabulary

Below are comparative Swadesh lists of Ralte, Mizo, and Tedim from Otsuka (2016).

No.	Gloss	Ralte	Mizo	Tedim
1.	I	kei˩	kei˩˥	kei˩˥
2.	thou	naŋ˩	naŋ˩˥	naŋ˩˥
3.	he	a˩maʔ˥	a˥maʔ˩	a˥maʔ˩
4.	we	kei˩muʔ˥	kei˩nī˥˩	kou˥˩
5.	you	naŋ˩muʔ˥	naŋ˩nī˥˩	nou˥˩
6.	they	a˩muʔ˥	an˩nī˥˩	a˥māu˥˩
7.	this	hī˩hiʔ˥	hei˥˩hi˥	hiʔ˥
8.	that	tou˩˥hiʔ˩	kʰā˥˩kʰa˥	tuaʔ˥
9.	here	hi˩tou˥˩vaʔ˩	he˥taʔ˩	hiaʔ˥
10.	there	tou˥˩vaʔ˩	so˥taʔ˩	huaʔ˥
11.	who	kū˩˥hā˩˥	tu˩ŋē˥˩	kua˥˩
12.	what	ī˩˥hā˩˥	e˩ŋē˥˩	baŋ˥˩
13.	where	kʰoi˥˩aʔ˩hā˩˥	kʰoi˥˩aʔ˩ŋē˥˩	koi˩˥aʔ˩
14.	when	ī˩˥tik˩lāi˥˩	eŋ˩tik˩lāi˥	cik˩ciaŋ˥˩
15.	how	ī˩tin˥˩hā˩˥	eŋ˩tin˥ŋē˥˩	baŋ˥˩cī˩
16.	not	ou˥˩	lou˩	lou˥˩
17.	all	a˩rēŋ˩in˥˩	a˩vāi˩˥	a˩vek˥pī˩˥
18.	many	tam˩	tam˩˥	tam˩˥
19.	some	a˩kʰen˥˩	a˩ṭʰen˥	pōl˧xat˥
20.	few	tōm˥˩	tlēm˥	tōm˧
21.	other	daŋ˩	daŋ˩˥	daŋ˩˥
22.	one	pa˩kʰat˥	pa˩kʰat˩	xat˩
23.	two	pa˩niʔ˥	pa˩n̥niʔ˩	niʔ˩
24.	three	pa˩tʰum˥˩	pa˩tʰum˥	tʰum˧
25.	four	pa˩lī˥˩	pa˩lī˥	lī˧
26.	five	pa˩ŋā˥˩	pa˩ŋā˥	ŋā˧
27.	big	lian˩˥	lian˩	lian˥˩
28.	long	sāu˩	sei˥	sāu˩˥
29.	wide	zāu˥˩	zāu˥	zai˩˥
30.	thick	saʔ˩	cʰaʔ˩	saʔ˩
31.	heavy	hit˩	rit˩	ɡik˩
32.	small	nēu˩	tē˩˥	nēu˩˥
33.	short	tōi˩	tōi˩˥	tom˩˥
34.	narrow	zīm˥˩	zīm˥	toi˩˥
35.	thin	pan˥˩	pan˥	pā˩˥
36.	woman	mei˩˥sia˩	m̥mei˩cʰia˥˩	nu˩mei˩
37.	man	pa˩sal˩	mi˩pā˩	pa˩sal˩˥
38.	human	mi˩hiŋ˥˩	mi˩ɕiŋ˥	mi˥hiŋ˧
39.	child	nau˥˩paŋ˩	nau˥paŋ˩˥	nāu˧paŋ˩˥
40.	wife	zī˥˩	nu˩pui˩˥	zī˧
41.	husband	pa˩sal˩	pa˩sal˩˥	pa˩sal˩˥
42.	mother	nū˩	nū˥˩	nū˩˥
43.	father	pā˩	pā˥˩	pā˩˥
44.	animal	ham˥˩sā˩	ram˥sā˥˩	ɡam˧sā˩˥
45.	fish	sa˩ŋā˩	sa˩ŋ̊ŋā˥˩	ŋa˥sā˩˥
46.	bird	sa˩vā˩	sa˩vā˥˩	va˥sā˩˥
47.	dog	ui˩	ui˩˥	ui˩˥
48.	louse	hik˩	ɕik˩	hik˩
49.	snake	hūl˥˩	rūl˥	ɡūl˧
50.	worm	caŋ˥˩pāt˩	caŋ˥pāt˩˥	luŋ˩˥
51.	tree	tʰiŋ˩	tʰiŋ˩˥	siŋ˩˥
52.	forest	ham˥˩nuai˩	ram˥n̥nuai˩˥	ɡam˧lak˥
53.	stick	tiaŋ˩	tiaŋ˩˥	ciaŋ˩˥xut˩
54.	fruit	haʔ˥	raʔ˩	ɡaʔ˩
55.	seed	cī˩	tʰlāi˩cī˥˩	xāi˥˩cī˩˥
56.	leaf	naʔ˩	n̥naʔ˩	teʔ˩
57.	root	zuŋ˩	zuŋ˩˥	zuŋ˩˥
58.	bark	tʰiŋ˩hōŋ˥˩	tʰiŋ˩hōŋ˥	siŋ˩˥hōŋ˧
59.	flower	pāk˥˩	paŋ˩pār˥	pāk˧
60.	grass	kiak˩	l̥lo˥bet˩	lou˧pā˩˥, kiak˩˥
61.	rope	kʰāu˥˩	ɕui˩zēn˥	xāu˧
62.	skin	vun˩	vun˩˥	vun˩˥
63.	meat	sā˩	sā˥˩	sā˩˥
64.	blood	tʰī˩	tʰī˩˥	sī˩˥
65.	bone	huʔ˩	ruʔ˩	ɡuʔ˩
66.	fat	sa˩tʰāu˩˥	sa˩ɕiak˥˩	sa˥tʰāu˥˩
67.	egg	tui˥˩	tui˥	tūi˧
68.	horn	kī˩	kī˥˩	kī˩˥
69.	tail	mei˩	mei˩˥	mei˩˥
70.	feather	mul˩	m̥mul˩˥	mul˩˥
71.	hair	sam˩	sam˩˥	sam˩˥
72.	head	lū˥˩	lū˥	lū˧
73.	ear	beŋ˥˩	beŋ˥	bil˩˥
74.	eye	mit˩	mit˩	mit˩
75.	nose	nāk˩˥	n̥nār˥	nāk˥˩
76.	mouth	kam˥˩	kā˥	kam˧
77.	teeth	hā˥˩	hā˥	hā˧
78.	tongue	lei˥˩	lei˥	lei˧
79.	nail	tin˩	tin˩˥	cin˩˥
80.	foot	kēŋ˩pʰaʔ˥	ke˩pʰaʔ˩	xe˩pēk˩˥
81.	leg	kēŋ˩	kē˩	xē˥˩
82.	knee	kʰūp˩	kʰūp˥˩	xūk˩˥
83.	hand	kʰut˩	kut˩	xut˩
84.	wing	tʰā˩˥	tʰlā˩	xā˥˩
85.	belly	dul˩˥	dul˩	ɡil˧pī˩˥
86.	guts	hil˥˩	rīl˥	ɡil˧
87.	neck	ŋōŋ˥˩	ŋ̊ŋōŋ˥	ŋōŋ˧
88.	back	nuŋ˥˩zāŋ˥˩	n̥nuŋ˥zāŋ˥	nuŋ˧zāŋ˧
89.	breast	nōi˩	n̥nu˩tē˩˥	nōi˩˥
90.	heart	luŋ˥˩	luŋ˥	luŋ˧
91.	liver	tʰin˩˥	tʰin˩	sin˥˩
92.	to drink	nē˩	in˥	dōn˧
93.	to eat	cā˩	ei˥	nē˩˥
94.	to bite	pet˩	seʔ˩	pet˩
95.	to suck	cōp˥˩	fōp˥˩	tōp˩˥
96.	to spit	sia˥˩	cʰāk˥˩	sia˩˥
97.	to vomit	luak˩	luak˥˩	lua˥˩
98.	to blow	sēm˥˩	cʰēm˥	mūt˧
99.	to breathe	tʰō˩	tʰō˥˩	nāk˧
100.	to laugh	nī˥˩	nui˥	nūi˧
101.	to see	mū˩˥	m̥mū˩	mū˥˩
102.	to hear	tʰei˩˥	ɕia˩˥	zā˩˥
103.	to know	tʰei˩˥	ɕia˩˥	tʰei˥˩
104.	to think	ŋaiʔ˩tuaʔ˩	ŋaiʔ˩tuaʔ˩	ŋaiʔ˩sun˥˩
105.	to smell	nam˩˥	n̥nīm˩	nam˥˩
106.	to fear	lāu˩	l̥lāu˩˥	lāu˩˥
107.	to sleep	ip˩	mū˥	iʔ˩mū˧
108.	to live	hiŋ˥˩	ɕiŋ˥	hiŋ˧
109.	to die	tʰī˥˩	tʰī˥	sī˧
110.	to kill	tʰat˩	tʰat˩	tʰat˩
111.	to fight	sual˥˩	sual˥	lāi˩˥, ki˩sual˩˥
112.	to hunt	ham˥˩ suak˥˩	ram˥ vāk˥˩, ram˥ cʰuak˥˩	ɡam˧ vāk˩˥
113.	to hit	vua˩˥	vua˩	vua˥˩
114.	to cut	tan˩	tan˩˥	tan˩˥
115.	to split	tʰēr˩	tʰlēr˩˥	bāl˩˥kēk˩˥
116.	to stab	sun˩˥	cʰun˩	sun˥˩
117.	to scratch	hiat˩	hiat˥˩	xuat˩˥
118.	to dig	lāi˩˥	lāi˩, cou˩˥	tou˩˥
119.	to swim	tui˩˥ leuʔ˩	tui˩˥ l̥leuʔ˩	tūi˩˥ pēk˧
120.	to fly	lēŋ˥˩	tʰlōk˥˩	lēŋ˧
121.	to walk	lēŋ˥˩	lēŋ˥	lam˩˥ siau˥˩
122.	to come	hoŋ˩ kel˥˩	lo˩ kal˥	oŋ˩˥ pai˧
123.	to lie	lum˩˥	lum˩	lum˥˩
124.	to sit	kʰuŋ˥˩	ṭhū˥	tū˧
125.	to stand	diŋ˥˩	diŋ˥	diŋ˧
126.	to turn	vir˩	vir˩˥	pei˩˥
127.	to fall	tā˩˥	tlā˩	kia˥˩
128.	to give	pia˩	pē˩	pia˩˥
129.	to have	nei˩˥	nei˩	nei˥˩
130.	to squeeze	herˀ˩	herˀ˩	sūk˧
131.	to rub	nōt˩	nōt˥˩	nōt˩˥
132.	to wash	sil˩˥	sil˩	sil˩˥
133.	to wipe	sōp˩	ɕū˩	sōp˩˥
134.	to pull	pot˩	pot˩	kāi˥˩
135.	to push	sōn˩	nam˩˥	sōn˩˥
136.	to throw	dēŋ˥˩	paiʔ˩	dēŋ˧
137.	to tie	suiʔ˩	suiʔ˩	hēn˧
138.	to sew	kʰui˥˩	ṭʰui˥	xū˧
139.	to count	siar˥˩	cʰiar˥	sim˧
140.	to say	soi˩	soi˩˥	ɡēn˩˥
141.	to sing	sā˩˥	zāi˥	sā˥˩
142.	to play practical jokes	ciam˩˥niʔ˩dūn˩˥	in˩fiam˥	ki˩ciam˥˩nui˩˥
143.	to float	lāŋ˥˩	lāŋ˥	lām˧
144.	to flow	luaŋ˥˩	luaŋ˥	luaŋ˧
145.	to freeze	kʰaŋ˩	kʰaŋ˥˩	xal˥˩
146.	to swell	vūŋ˥˩	vūŋ˥	bōk˧
147.	sun	nī˥˩	nī˥	nī˧
148.	moon	tʰā˩˥	tʰlā˩	xā˥˩
149.	star	āk˥˩sī˩˥	ar˥sī˩	āk˧sī˥˩
150.	water	tui˩	tui˩˥	tūi˩˥
151.	rain	huaʔ˩	ruaʔ˩	ɡuaʔ˩
152.	river	lui˩˥	lui˩	lūi˥˩
153.	lake	dīl˩	dīl˩˥	tūi˩˥lī˧
154.	sea	tui˩fin˩riat˩	tui˩fin˥˩riat˥˩	tūi˩˥pī˥
155.	salt	cī˩˥	cī˩	cī˥˩
156.	stone	suaŋ˩	luŋ˩˥	suaŋ˩˥
157.	sand	tiau˥˩	tiau˥	seʔ˩nēl˩˥
158.	dust	vāi˥˩vut˩	vai˥vut˩	lei˩˥vui˧
159.	earth	lei˩	lei˩˥	lei˩˥
160.	cloud	sūm˩	cʰūm˩˥	mei˧
161.	fog	ro˩˥mei˩	ro˩mei˩˥	xo˥mui˧
162.	sky	vān˩˥	vān˩	vān˥˩
163.	wind	tʰī˥˩	tʰlī˥	huiʔ˩
164.	snow	vūk˥˩	vūr˥	vūk˧
165.	ice	vūk˩kʰal˩	vūr˥kʰal˥˩	tūi˩˥xal˥˩
166.	smoke	mei˩kʰū˩	mei˩kʰū˥˩	mei˩˥xū˩˥
167.	fire	mei˩	mei˩˥	mei˩˥
168.	ash	vāp˩	vāp˩˥	vut˩
169.	to burn	kāŋ˩˥	kāŋ˩	kāŋ˥˩
170.	road	lam˩pui˩	koŋ˥	lam˩˥
171.	mountain	tāŋ˥˩	tlāŋ˥	mual˧
172.	red	san˥˩	sen˥	san˧
173.	green	hiŋ˥˩	ɕiŋ˥	eŋ˧
174.	yellow	eŋ˥˩	eŋ˥	nāi˧pāk˧
175.	white	vāk˥˩	vār˥	kāŋ˧
176.	black	dum˥˩	dum˥	vom˧
177.	night	zān˩˥	zān˩	zān˥˩
178.	day	nī˥˩	nī˥	nī˧
179.	year	kum˩˥	kum˩	kum˥˩
180.	warm	lum˥˩	lum˥	lum˧
181.	cold	dāi˩˥	vōt˥˩	vot˩
182.	full	dim˩	kʰat˩	dim˩˥
183.	new	tʰar˥˩	tʰar˥	tʰak˥
184.	old	lui˥˩	hlui˥	lui˧
185.	good	pʰā˩˥	ṭʰā˩	hoiʔ˩
186.	bad	sual˩	sual˩˥	sia˩˥
187.	rotten	muat˩	ṭoiʔ˩	muat˩˥
188.	dirty	bolˀ˩loʔ˩	bolˀ˩l̥loʔ˩	nīn˥˩
189.	straight	ŋīl˥˩	ŋīl˥	taŋ˧
190.	round	bial˥˩	bial˥	bēm˩˥
191.	sharp	hiam˥˩	ɕiam˥	hiam˧
192.	dull	bil˩	bil˩˥	mōl˩˥
193.	smooth	nāl˩	nāl˩˥	nāl˩˥
194.	wet	nom˥˩	huʔ˩	kōt˩˥
195.	dry	kou˥˩	rou˥	keu˧
196.	correct	dik˩	dik˩	mān˧, dik˩
197.	near	nāi˩	n̥nāi˩˥	nāi˩˥
198.	far	lam˩lā˩	l̥lā˥	ɡam˧lā˩˥
199.	right	a˩diŋ˩lam˩	a˩diŋ˩˥lam˩˥	tak˩lam˩˥
200.	left	a˩vei˩lam˩	a˩vei˩˥lam˩˥	vei˩˥lam˩˥
201.	at	aʔ˩	aʔ˩	aʔ˩
202.	in	aʔ˩	aʔ˩	aʔ˩
203.	with	nēn˩	nēn˩	toʔ˩
204.	and	leʔ˩	leʔ˩	leʔ˩
205.	if	cʰun˥˩	cʰuan˥	leʔ˩
206.	because	a˩vāŋ˩in˥˩	a˥vāŋ˩in˥	a˥hiʔ˩ciaŋ˩˥in˧
207.	name	miŋ˥˩	m̥miŋ˥	min˧

References

1. Ralte (India) at Ethnologue (16th ed., 2009)
2. Ralte at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
3. Hammarström, Harald; Forkel, Robert; Haspelmath, Martin, eds. (2017). "Ralte". Glottolog 3.0. Jena, Germany: Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History.

• Otsuka, Kosei. 2016. A Basic Vocabulary and a Text of the Ralte Language. Asian and African Languages and Linguistics 10. 325-344.