Documentation of Tharon

Language	Tharon
Depositor	Kailadbou Daimai, Kaisuangping Moita, Poujenglung Daimai
Affiliation	Utkal University of Culture
Location	India
Collection ID	0835
Grant ID	SG1112
Funding Body	Endangered Languages Documentation Programme
Collection Status	Forthcoming
Landing Page Handle	http://hdl.handle.net/2196/d31f8829-c9e9-4887-bf34-79bc9a33ada3

 

Summary of the collection

English: This project proposes a preliminary documentation and descriptive study of Tharon, an endangered Tibeto-Burman language spoken by approximately 1,500 speakers in Manipur, Northeast India. The primary objective is to develop a well-organized audio-visual archive of the language, with particular emphasis on folktales, oral traditions, and personal narratives.
Liangmai: Karaibo thiujiu haibo ngam niu Thaluan lad sii min lura kamne. Thaluan lad hai Tibeto-Burman chiu kubo lad dung ruang ga zaohwe khatdi chamai 1500 kumbo nam mai bamme. Hai ngam gu machun ra chalad rikhai suibo, pameng pakhuan kawibo nam khai raye. Parathiujiu hai ngam niu pou-pe marii kha madui ra kamne.

 

Group represented

English: The community represented in this collection identifies itself as “Thaluanmai,” literally meaning the people of Thaluan (Tharon) village. They speak “Thaluan lad,” which translates as the language of Thaluan (Tharon) village. This speech form is considered a distinct and unique variety of Lianglad (Liangmai language). Although Tharon village is administratively affiliated with the Liangmai Naga Council (LNC) and falls under the religious and organizational jurisdiction of the Liangmai Naga Baptist Association, Manipur (LNBA, M), the language spoken in the village is not mutually intelligible with the varieties of Liangmai spoken by most other Liangmai communities. This makes Thaluan lad linguistically significant and highlights the urgent need for systematic documentation. The proposed documentation project will be conducted in Tharon village, which has an estimated population of around 1,500 inhabitants. Oral traditions preserved within the community indicate that the ancestors of the present villagers began their migration from Makuiluangdi (in present-day Senapati district of Manipur). Over time, they are said to have halted and lived in several intermediate locations before ultimately settling in their current homeland, where the community continues to maintain its distinct identity and linguistic heritage.

Liangmai: Haiga bambo mania dung si Thaluanmai guwe. Paliu Thaluan nam ga lung nge khatdi Thaluan lad dinne. Thaluan lad hai tamsingbo Lianglad khatle. Thaluan nam hai Liangmai Naga Council (LNC) naii Liangmai Naga Baptist Association – Manipur (LNBA-M) ga zaoh bam tadi paliu lad hai mai kakeng mai niu siimakge. Haizeng niu Thaluan lad hai document kam mui kam khai ra pageng bamme. Haibo changam hai chamai 1500 kumbo niu lungjiu bambo Thaluan nam ga kamme. Pou-pe mai dung gu marii sai suijiu hai nam mai dung hai Makuiluangdi (tuhoi Senapati, Manipur ga bambo) gasu lung kumme. Pabam tam-tam ga lung mathak khai lujiu kanambo ga tuhoi lungjiu bambo bam ga kum nam thuamkhaiye.

 

Language information

English: Within the broader migration history of the Liangmai people, Tharon village is regarded as one of the southernmost settlements. It is situated close to regions predominantly inhabited by Rongmei-speaking communities, making it geographically and socially significant in the Liangmai settlement network. Many scholars and community members believe that the distinct linguistic features of Tharon may have emerged largely due to prolonged contact and interaction with Rongmei speakers in the surrounding areas. This view is widely shared, and as a result, Tharon is often described as occupying an intermediate position between Liangmai and Rongmei, both of which belong to the Zeme (Zemic) group. Consequently, Tharon is frequently characterized as a “bridge variety,” reflecting influences from both linguistic traditions and illustrating the impact of language contact in shaping its unique structure and identity.

Liangmai: Liangmai dung nam pengbo gu marii ga, Thaluan mai hai tingrun thubo bam lam lung tad mibo mai dung nge. Paliu lungbo bam ga Maruangmai nam keng nge. Thaluan mai lad tamsin bambo si paliu maruangmai dung naii alam keng biye chiu mai kakeng niu malumme. Sizengniu Thaluan lad tu Maruangmai naii Liangmai kak ga bambo ladle chiu din-dinne. Maruangmai naii Liangmai lad hai Zeme (Zemic) chiujiu siibo lad dung ruang ga zaohwe. Sichiujiu Thaluan lad hai, hai lad kania tu mathukbo ladle chiu din-dinne.

 

Special characteristics

English: This project, dedicated exclusively to the documentation and annotation of Tharon, will contribute significantly to a clearer understanding of the linguistic status and classification of Tharon. In doing so, it will also provide valuable insights into the broader Zeme (Zemic) group of languages, which remains one of the least documented branches within the Tibeto-Burman language family.

Liangmai: Thaluan lad tu phuiminjiu phui rabo hai changam gasu haibo lad lam sii min diang lu sune. Sichiujiu Thaluan lad sii minbo ganiu Zeme (Zemic) hang ga bambo lad dung lamdi sii min diang lu sune.

 

Collection contents

English: The aim is to build an audio-visual archive of the language, with special focus on folktales and other personal narratives. Storytelling is in decline and most folktales have not been transmitted to younger speakers, particularly with the advent of modern education and media. The expected outcomes of the project include a high-quality audio and video recordings of folktales and other related narratives.

Liangmai: Hai ngam gu machun ra rikhai suibo pameng pakhuan zaohbo mania taliu raye. Haiga pou-pe gu marii khatdi tuhoi lungjiu bam mai dung gu marii lune. Tuhoi ariak katibo naii media wang mijiu marii dinbo gu pazai si ha wang mide. Nahmai dung param mai gu marii sita kam mide. Siniu haibo changam gasu pameng pakhuan zaohjiu recording kawibo kamne.

 

Collection history

English: Details will be updated soon.

Liangmai: Pasai niu pisiikhaine

 

Other Information

English: Details will be updated soon.

Liangmai: Pasai niu pisiikhaine

 

Acknowledgement and citation

To refer to any data from the collection, please cite as follows:
Daimai, Kailadbou. 2026. Documentation of Tharon. Endangered Languages Archive. Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/2196/931963b5-5748-475a-a356-65a51c4220da. Accessed on [insert date here]. –>