In
passing, we might also have a look at the phonological systems of
the Assamese and Naga languages on the one hand, and the Naga
Pidgin, on the other. Assamese has eight oral vowels which include
four back and four front, each having its nasalized counterpart.
Most of the Naga languages, on the other hand have two vowels each
in the front, back and the central region with 2-3 tones occurring
with each vowel. Except for the occurrence of the tones, the vowel
system in the Naga pidgin is similar to that of the Naga languages.
With regard to the consonants within the stop series, Assamese shows
in the manner of articulation a two-way place of articulation, a
four-way opposition in aspiration. In the place of articulation, a
four-way opposition is found giving rise to a total of 16 stops even
though the Naga languages show a four-way opposition in the place of
articulation, only the unaspirated stops show oppostion in voice.
The unvoiced stops show an additional opposition in aspiration. The
Ao and some other Naga languages do not show opposition in
voice even with the unapirated stops, i.e., at the phonemic level,
the voiced stops are not found in Ao and Sema and the other Naga
languages. These features of the Naga languages are reflected in the
different varieties of Naga Pidgin.
Only a few languages in the southern Naga Pidgin1
show a four-way opposition in the manner of articulation with the
stops. Most of the varieties show the absence of the voiced
aspirated stops. The central group Tdoes not have even the voiced
unaspirated series except b. The nasals show a three-way opposition
in both the languages in contact, viz., naga languges and Asamese
and also with the Naga Pidgin. but only the Naga languages have the
aspirated nasals. The fricatives in Assamese show a three-way
oppostion in the place of articulation, viz., dental velar and
glottal, of which the dental has a voiced counterpart, i.e., s, z, x
and h. Most of the Naga languages show a three-way opposition with
regard to the fricatives. Some in addition have voiced dental and
velar fricatives. Though both the languages in contact have voiced
fricatives, the Naga Pidgin does not have any voiced fricatives. In
addition, it also differs in respect of the place of articulation of
the fricatives from the both the languages in contact, i.e., while
it has dental, palatal and glottal fricatives, it does not have a
velar fricative.
If we compare the features of the Naga Pidgin with the Assamese,
the upper language in this case, one could certainly see in Naga
Pidgin simpler forms in certain categories. While referring to the
1The souther group consists of the speakers
of Angami, Kachari (creole speakers), zemi, liagmei, Rongmei, Sema,
Kheza, Chokri & Mao, all located in the Kohima district. This
area was under the control of British officers since 1878. Capt:
Jenkins Pemberton’s 1832 visit to Angami area was the first visit
of any European to Angami area. The central group consists of the
speakers of Ao, Lotha and Yimchunger.
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