Car (Pū)

Car is a member of the Nicobarese branch of the Austroasiatic language family. It is spoken on Car Nicobar, the northernmost of the Nicobar Islands, part of the Indian Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In 2001 there were perhaps 5,000 speakers of Car - the exact number is unknown as the India Census does not indicate how many people speak each of the Nicobarese languages. The language is considered critically endangered by UNESCO.

Car is also known as Car Nicobarese, Nicobar or Pû. It is distantly related to Khmer and Vietnamese, and has borrowed elements from languages such as Achenese, which is spoken in northern Sumatra in Indonesia, about 150km from the Nicobar Islands.

A way to write Car with the Latin alphabet was devised by George Whitehead, an Anglican missionary, in the late 19th century. It is still used to this day. Whitehead also published a dictionary of the language in 1925. Car is also sometimes written with the Devanagari alphabet.

Car alphabet and pronunciation

Devanagari alphabet for Car alphabet

Download an alphabet chart for Car (Excel)

Sample texts

Sample text in Car in the Devanagari alphabet

Mi-im raneh An ngam Ṙô; hol ngam Tēv An ngam Ṙô; Tēv An inrē ngam Ṙô.
Anga-aṅ mi-im raneh, nö hol ngam Tēv
Vahīlö Ò në taṙòkhöre chehen; öt hĕng hang, töt vahīlö Ò, nö i në tövīlöngö.
In Ò an ngam nômö; ngam nômö nö Hanātö tarik.
Yang ngam Hanātö nö el sinngūlö; ngaich ngam sinngūlö, nö öt kô tö e.

Source: https://www.bible.com/en-GB/bible/1060/JHN.1.NBRE

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.

John 1:1-5, source: https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-1/#3

Sample videos in Car

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

Information about Car | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about Car
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_language
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_(langue)
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Кар_(язык)
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/caq
https://www.routledge.com/blog/article/discover-the-worlds-endangered-languages
Dictionary of the Car-Nicobarese Language

Nicobarese languages

Car, Chaura, Nancowry, Shompen

Languages written with the Devanāgarī alphabet

Aka-Jeru, Angika, Athpare, Avestan, Awadhi, Bahing, Balti, Bantawa, Belhare, Bhili, Bhumij, Bilaspuri, Bodo, Bhojpuri, Braj, Car, Chamling, Chhantyal, Chhattisgarhi, Chambeali, Danwar, Dhatki, Dhimal, Dhundari, Digaro Mishmi, Dogri, Doteli, Gaddi, Garhwali, Gondi, Gurung, Halbi, Haryanvi, Hill Miri, Hindi, Ho, Jarawa, Jaunsari, Jirel, Jumli, Kagate, Kannauji, Kham, Kangri, Kashmiri, Khaling, Khandeshi, Kharia, Khortha, Korku, Konkani, Kullui, Kumaoni, Kurmali, Kurukh, Kusunda, Lambadi, Limbu, Lhomi, Lhowa, Magahi, Magar, Mahasu Pahari, Maithili, Maldivian, Malto, Mandeali, Marathi, Marwari, Mewari, Mundari, Nancowry. Newar, Nepali, Nimadi, Nishi, Onge, Pahari, Pali, Pangwali, Rajasthani, Rajbanshi, Rangpuri, Sadri, Sanskrit, Santali, Saraiki, Sirmauri, Sherpa, Shina, Sindhi, Sunwar, Sylheti, Tamang, Thakali, Thangmi, Wambule, Wancho, Yakkha, Yolmo

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 23.04.21

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