- Source: Lyngngam language
Lyngngam is an Austroasiatic language of Northeast India closely related to Khasic languages. Once listed as a dialect of Khasi, Lyngngam has in recent literature been classified as a distinct language and believed to be former Garo speakers. Lyngngam speakers have food and dress similar to the neighboring Garo people. Garos consider Lyngngam ancestors to belong to the Garo Megam tribe, from which the Lyngam tribe emerged. Garo Megam tribe is also referred by name, Chisak Megam. Lyngngam Male Traditional dance outfits and customs are similar to that of Garo Tribe. As per Garo Oral Traditions Megam/Lyngngam people are said to be part of Garo Tribe.
Phonology
= Consonant inventory
=The following table lists the consonants attested in Lyngngam.
The main difference with the Khasi language is that Lyngngam does not possess the voiced aspirated series. Furthermore, Lyngngam does not have the phoneme /ç/. Words which have /ç/ in Khasi typically have /c/ or /s/ in Lyngngam, as in the following pairs of cognates:
= Vowel inventory
=The following table lists the vowel inventory of the language. The only vowels showing a length distinction are /i/ and /a/, in contradistinction to Khasi, where length is distinctive for all vowels.
Words with diphthongs in Khasi have monophthongs in Lyngngam, as in the following pairs of cognates:
References
Nagaraja, K.S. (1996). "The status of Lyngngam" (PDF). Mon-Khmer Studies. 26: 37–50. Retrieved 9 March 2014.