Gtaʼ is spoken by 3,000 people primarily in Malkangiri district, Odisha as well as adjoining areas of Koraput district.[2] According to Anderson (2008), it is spoken by less than 4,500 people.
The Gtaʼ language belongs to the South Munda subgroup of the Munda branch of the Austroasiatic language family.[1] Within South Munda, Gtaʼ is generally considered to be the first branch off a node that also subsumes the Remo and Gutob languages; this subgroup of South Munda is known as Gutob–Remo–Gataq. It is phonologically and morphologically divergent within that branch.[3]
Gtaʼ has two main varieties, namely Plains Gtaʼ and Hill Gtaʼ.
PhonologyEdit
Gtaʼ has the 5 canonical vowels /a, e, i, o, u/, and sometimes a sixth vowel /æ/. To this can be added several nasalized counterparts: /ã, õ, ũ/ and sometimes /ĩ/. Gtaʼ has the following consonants:[2]
Nouns in Gtaʔ are primarily marked for case, number and possession.[4]
Nouns also have two forms, one a free full form, the other a bound short form. These latter occur only when the noun is compounded with another noun or a verb for derivational purposes, and are hence labeled "combining forms". The combining form usually involves removing an affix or shortening the noun in some way.
Free form
Combining form
Gloss
ncu
-cu-
oil
gsi
-si-
louse
gbe
-be-
bear
gnar
-gar-
bamboo strip
remwa
-re-
person
Echo formationEdit
Gtaʔ is also notable for its use of echo words. There are four broad categories of echo forms:[5]
a-forms, indicating gross variety;
i-forms, indicating diminutive or tender variety;
u/a-forms, indicating variety different from a related category;
The phonological rules for deriving one type of echo word are as follows:[5]
Echo-words are formed by changing only the vowels of the base word.
The echo-word must differ from the base word. The vowel of univocalic base words is reflected as either /a/ or /i/ in the echo-word. For base-word /u, e, o/ the vowel /a/ is preferred, while for base word /ɛ/ the vowel /i/ is preferred.
The vowels of disyllabic base words are reflected in the echo-word as follows:
Both vowels are reflected as either /a/ or /i/; or
Only one of the base-word vowels is reflected as /a/ or /i/ while the other is reflected unchanged; or
The first vowel (V1) changes to /u/ while the second (V2) changes to /a/.
In the case of trisyllabic base words, one, two or all three of the vowels (in adjacent syllables) are reflected as either /a/ or /i/.
The echo-forms of compound words, irrespective of their vocalic structure, are derived as follows:
In the case of compound verbs consisting of two verb stems, one or both stems undergo change, depending on their relationship with each other;
Nominal combining forms occurring with verb stems change independently; those attached to noun stems change only at par with the main stem.
In verbal constructions incorporating a prefix, both the prefix and the stem change as a unit.
Combining forms of nouns occurring with verb stems can be echoed independently of the verb stems; those occurring with noun stems either remain intact or change at par with the main stems.
Gtaʔ echo-formation shows some striking similarities with echo-formation in neighboring Munda languages such as Remo and Gorum as well as in the Desia dialect of Oriya spoken in the Koraput Munda region. The most conspicuous feature they have in common with Gtaʔ is that echo-words in all three of these languages are also derived from base words by changes in the vowels alone.[5]
^ abcThe Munda languages. Anderson, Gregory D. S. London: Routledge. 2008. p. 682. ISBN9780415328906. OCLC 225385744.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^Zide, Norman H. (1976). A Note on Gtaʔ Echo Forms. Oceanic Linguistics Special Publications. University of Hawai'i Press. pp. 1335–1343. ISSN 0078-3188. JSTOR 20019204.
^Anderson, Gregory D. S. (8 April 2015). The Munda Languages. ISBN9781317828860.
^ abcMahapatra, K. "Echo Formation in Gtaʔ" (PDF).
^Ghosh, Arun. (n.d.). Numeral Systems of the World's Languages. 2014-04-21 at the Wayback Machine
Further readingEdit
Anderson, Gregory D.S. (n.d.). Gtaʔ (Didey) Language – Munda Languages Project – Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine.
Anderson, Gregory D.S. 2001. "A new classification of South Munda: Evidence from comparative verb morphology". Indian Linguistics 62.1: 21–36.
Anderson, Gregory D.S. 2008. "Gtaʔ." In: Gregory D.S. Anderson (ed.), The Munda Languages. London / New York. [Routledge Language Family Series]. 682–763.
Bauer, Christian. 1993. Review of: Robert Parkin: A guide to Austroasiatic speakers and their languages. (Oceanic Linguistics, Special Publication, no. 23.) ix, 198, [xv] pp. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1991. In: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, vol. 56, issue 1 (February 1993), pp. 193–194.
DeArmond, R. (1976). Proto-Gutob-Remo-Gtaq Stressed Monosyllabic Vowels and Initial Consonants. Austroasiatic Studies Part I, 13, 213–227. Munda. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2015
Odden, D. (1987). "Arguments against the Vowel Plane" in Gtaʔ Linguistic Inquiry, 18(3), 523–529.
Parkin, R. (1988). "Marriage, Behaviour and Generation among the Munda of Eastern India". Zeitschrift für Ethnologie, 113(1), 69–80.
Sidwell, P., & Jenny, M. (2014). The Handbook of Austroasiatic Languages (2 vols). Leiden: Brill.
Stampe, D. (1965). "Recent Work in Munda Linguistics I". International Journal of American Linguistics, 31(4), 332–341.
Zide, N. (1976). "A Note on Gtaʔ Echo Forms", in P. Jenner, L. Thompson, and S. Starosta, eds., Austroasiatic Studies, University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.
External linksEdit
Online Gtaʔ Dictionary (Chatterji)
Online Gtaʔ Dictionary (Mahapatra)
Gta' Audio Recording
Gta'
August 31, 2023
gtaʼ, language, also, gataʼ, gataʔ, also, known, didei, didayi, ɖiɖaːj, austroasiatic, language, spoken, didayi, people, southernmost, odisha, india, notable, sesquisyllabic, phonology, vigesimal, numeral, system, didayiଡ, regionindiaethnicitydidayinative, spe. The Gtaʼ language also Gataʼ or Gataʔ also known as Gta Asa Didei or Didayi IPA ɖiɖaːj i is an Austroasiatic language spoken by the Didayi people of southernmost Odisha in India It is notable for its sesquisyllabic phonology 2 and vigesimal numeral system Gta Didayiଡ ଡ ୟ RegionIndiaEthnicityDidayiNative speakers 3 100 cited 1991 census 1 Language familyAustroasiatic MundaSouthGta Writing systemOdiaLanguage codesISO 639 3 a href https iso639 3 sil org code gaq class extiw title iso639 3 gaq gaq a Glottologgata1239ELPGta Contents 1 Demographics 2 Classification and dialects 3 Phonology 4 Grammar 4 1 Nouns 4 2 Echo formation 5 Numeral system 6 Neighboring languages 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksDemographics EditGtaʼ is spoken by 3 000 people primarily in Malkangiri district Odisha as well as adjoining areas of Koraput district 2 According to Anderson 2008 it is spoken by less than 4 500 people Ethnologue reports the following locations Odisha 47 villages Kudumulgumma block and Chitrakonda block of Koraput district and Malkangiri district south of Bondo Hills some in Khairput block East Godavari district Andhra PradeshClassification and dialects EditThe Gtaʼ language belongs to the South Munda subgroup of the Munda branch of the Austroasiatic language family 1 Within South Munda Gtaʼ is generally considered to be the first branch off a node that also subsumes the Remo and Gutob languages this subgroup of South Munda is known as Gutob Remo Gataq It is phonologically and morphologically divergent within that branch 3 Gtaʼ has two main varieties namely Plains Gtaʼ and Hill Gtaʼ Phonology EditGtaʼ has the 5 canonical vowels a e i o u and sometimes a sixth vowel ae To this can be added several nasalized counterparts a o ũ and sometimes ĩ Gtaʼ has the following consonants 2 Bilabial Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar GlottalStop voiceless p t ʈ c k ʔvoiced b d ɖ ɟ ɡFricative s hNasal m n ŋApproximant lFlap ɾ ɽGrammar EditNouns Edit Nouns in Gtaʔ are primarily marked for case number and possession 4 Nouns also have two forms one a free full form the other a bound short form These latter occur only when the noun is compounded with another noun or a verb for derivational purposes and are hence labeled combining forms The combining form usually involves removing an affix or shortening the noun in some way Free form Combining form Glossncu cu oilgsi si lousegbe be beargnar gar bamboo stripremwa re personEcho formation Edit Gtaʔ is also notable for its use of echo words There are four broad categories of echo forms 5 a forms indicating gross variety i forms indicating diminutive or tender variety u a forms indicating variety different from a related category partially changed forms indicating inferior variety a forms indicating grossness and i forms indicating tenderness The phonological rules for deriving one type of echo word are as follows 5 Echo words are formed by changing only the vowels of the base word The echo word must differ from the base word The vowel of univocalic base words is reflected as either a or i in the echo word For base word u e o the vowel a is preferred while for base word ɛ the vowel i is preferred The vowels of disyllabic base words are reflected in the echo word as follows Both vowels are reflected as either a or i or Only one of the base word vowels is reflected as a or i while the other is reflected unchanged or The first vowel V1 changes to u while the second V2 changes to a In the case of trisyllabic base words one two or all three of the vowels in adjacent syllables are reflected as either a or i The echo forms of compound words irrespective of their vocalic structure are derived as follows In the case of compound verbs consisting of two verb stems one or both stems undergo change depending on their relationship with each other Nominal combining forms occurring with verb stems change independently those attached to noun stems change only at par with the main stem In verbal constructions incorporating a prefix both the prefix and the stem change as a unit Combining forms of nouns occurring with verb stems can be echoed independently of the verb stems those occurring with noun stems either remain intact or change at par with the main stems Numeral system EditGta numeral system is vigesimal 6 1 muiŋ 21 mũikuɽi muiŋ ekustɔra2 mbar 22 mũikuɽi mbar3 ɲji 23 mũikuɽi ɲji4 o 24 mũikuɽi ho5 malʷe 25 mũikuɽi malikliɡˀ6 tur 26 mũikuɽi turukliɡˀ7 ɡul 27 mũikuɽi gukliɡˀ8 tma aʈʈa 28 mũikuɽi tomakliɡˀ mũikuɽi tma9 sontiŋ nɔʈa 29 mũikuɽi sontiŋkliɡˀ10 ɡʷa dɔsʈa 30 mũikuɽi ɡʷa 20 10 tirisʈa11 ɡʷamiŋ eɡaʈa12 ɡombar baroʈa13 ɡoɲji teroʈa14 ɡoho coudoʈa 40 mbarkuɽi 2 20 calistɔra15 ɡomal pɔndrɔʈa 50 mbarkuɽi ɡʷa pɔcas16 ɡotur soloːʈa 60 ɲjikuɽi 3 20 saʈe17 ɡogu sɔtroʈa 70 ɲjikuɽi ɡʷa suturi18 ɡotma aʈɾa 80 ōkuɽi 4 20 19 ɡososiŋ unisʈa 90 ōkuɽi ɡʷa20 ɡosolɡa kuɽitɔra kuɽeta 100 malkuɽi 5 20 soetɔraNeighboring languages EditGtaʔ echo formation shows some striking similarities with echo formation in neighboring Munda languages such as Remo and Gorum as well as in the Desia dialect of Oriya spoken in the Koraput Munda region The most conspicuous feature they have in common with Gtaʔ is that echo words in all three of these languages are also derived from base words by changes in the vowels alone 5 References Edit a b Gta at Ethnologue 25th ed 2022 a b c The Munda languages Anderson Gregory D S London Routledge 2008 p 682 ISBN 9780415328906 OCLC 225385744 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link Zide Norman H 1976 A Note on Gtaʔ Echo Forms Oceanic Linguistics Special Publications University of Hawai i Press pp 1335 1343 ISSN 0078 3188 JSTOR 20019204 Anderson Gregory D S 8 April 2015 The Munda Languages ISBN 9781317828860 a b c Mahapatra K Echo Formation in Gtaʔ PDF Ghosh Arun n d Numeral Systems of the World s Languages Archived 2014 04 21 at the Wayback MachineFurther reading EditAnderson Gregory D S n d Gtaʔ Didey Language Munda Languages Project Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages Archived 2016 03 05 at the Wayback Machine Anderson Gregory D S 2001 A new classification of South Munda Evidence from comparative verb morphology Indian Linguistics 62 1 21 36 Anderson Gregory D S 2008 Gtaʔ In Gregory D S Anderson ed The Munda Languages London New York Routledge Language Family Series 682 763 Bauer Christian 1993 Review of Robert Parkin A guide to Austroasiatic speakers and their languages Oceanic Linguistics Special Publication no 23 ix 198 xv pp Honolulu University of Hawaii Press 1991 In Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies vol 56 issue 1 February 1993 pp 193 194 DeArmond R 1976 Proto Gutob Remo Gtaq Stressed Monosyllabic Vowels and Initial Consonants Austroasiatic Studies Part I 13 213 227 Munda n d Retrieved February 15 2015 Odden D 1987 Arguments against the Vowel Plane in Gtaʔ Linguistic Inquiry 18 3 523 529 Parkin R 1988 Marriage Behaviour and Generation among the Munda of Eastern India Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie 113 1 69 80 Sidwell P amp Jenny M 2014 The Handbook of Austroasiatic Languages 2 vols Leiden Brill Stampe D 1965 Recent Work in Munda Linguistics I International Journal of American Linguistics 31 4 332 341 Zide N 1976 A Note on Gtaʔ Echo Forms in P Jenner L Thompson and S Starosta eds Austroasiatic Studies University of Hawaii Press Honolulu External links EditOnline Gtaʔ Dictionary Chatterji Online Gtaʔ Dictionary Mahapatra Toshiki Osada s Munda Site with information on Gtaʼ Gutob Ho Mundari Gta Audio Recording Gta Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gtaʼ language amp oldid 1143122296, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
