Apatani (Tanw Aguñ)

Apatani is a member of the Western Tani branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. It is spoken mainly in the Ziro valley in Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India, particularly in the villages of Hong, Hari, Biilla, Dutta, Hija, Mudang-Tage, and Bamin Michi in the Lower Subransiri district. There are also speakers of Tani in the states of Assam and Nagaland. In 2011 44,800 people spoke Apatani, which is also known as Apa or Tanw.

Until the early 21st century, there was no standard way to write Apatani. A number of spelling systems using the Latin alphabet have been proposed - the one shown below is the modified Roman Script (MRS) for Apatani. A new alphabet for Tani languages, known as the Tani Lipi, was invented in 2001.

Apatani alphabet (Tanw Kenwnanw)

Download an alphabet chart for Apatani (Excel format)

Notes

Apatani has a rising tone, which is indicated by an acute accent (á) in some texts, and a falling tone, which is indicated by a grave accent (à).
/ŋ/ is also written ng, /c/ is also written ch, and /ɨ/ is also written ii or ü

Hear the Apatani alphabet:

Sample text (John 1:1-5)

Kapyojaho aguñ hii dotii, ho aguñ Pinii agiñho dotii, ho aguñ hii Pinii tii.
Mo kapyo jaho hokii Pinii agiñho dutii;
kapane drih hii mohkokiila putii, ho mo nyima pa hang pumatii puto laka donii hiiniiñ heho.
Mohko sango hii dotii, ho sangohii miyu atañka hutoh.
Hutoh hii kamomi byohutii, ho kamohii hiimi domiñ lamatii.

Translation

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Sample videos in Apatani

Details supplied by Biswajit Mandal (biswajitmandal[dot]bm90[at]gmail[dot]com)

Information about Apatani | Numbers

Links

Information about Aptani
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apatani_language
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/apt
http://language.apatani.org
https://www.academia.edu/1846310/Dictionary_of_the_Apatani_Language

Tani Language Foundation
https://taniyuzin.wixsite.com/tani-foundation/

Tani languages

Apatani, Bokar, Bori, Galo, Hill Miri, Mising (Plains Miri), Nishi

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 19.07.24

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