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Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area
Vol. 46:1 (2023) ► pp.138–163

Suansu language from northeastern India

A field report

ORCID logo | University of Zurich

This contribution introduces Suansu, an endangered Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Manipur, northeastern India. Suansu is virtually undescribed in the linguistic literature, and no previous attestations are known to date. This field report provides a first sketch of Suansu sociolinguistic profile, phonology and phonotactics, as well as basic information on Suansu nominal and verbal morphology. A preliminary comparative look at the languages spoken in the area suggests that Suansu does not align neatly with the set of traits commonly attested in the region, confirming the high linguistic diversity of the area and setting up the stage for further research.

Keywords: Suansu, Tibeto-Burman, Manipur, language documentation
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Sociolinguistic context
    • 2.1Location
    • 2.2Number of speakers, language use and level of endangerment
  • 3.Previous literature
  • 4.Fieldwork, data and limitations of this study
  • 5.Linguistic profile
    • 5.1Phonology
    • 5.2Phonotactics
      • 5.2.1Syllable structure
      • 5.2.2Rhyme patterns
      • 5.2.3Word structure
      • 5.2.4Tonemes
    • 5.3Pronominal paradigm
    • 5.4Nominal morphology
    • 5.5Verbal morphology
  • 6.Suansu and the languages of the Ukhrul district
  • 7.Summary and outlook
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • Abbreviations
  • References
Published online: 12 May 2023
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https://doi.org/10.1075/ltba.22005.iva
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