Ralte language

Ralte
Ralte
Region	India
Ethnicity	34,000 Ralte, Mizo
Native speakers	900 (2007)
Language family	Sino-Tibetan (Tibeto-Burman) Kuki-Chin Northeastern Ralte; ; ; ;
Language codes
ISO 639-3	ral
Glottolog	ralt1242

Ralte is a Kuki-Chin language of India. Fewer than a thousand Ralte people speak the language.

Geographical distribution

Ralte is spoken in the following locations (Ethnologue).

Mizoram (mainly Aizawl district, and also scattered in Lunglei district and Chhimtuipui district)
Manipur
Jampui Hills, North Tripura district, Tripura

Vocabulary

Below are comparative Swadesh lists of Ralte, Mizo, and Tedim from Otsuka (2016).

No.	Gloss	Ralte	Tedim	Mizo
1.	I	kei˩	kei˩˥	kei˩˥
2.	thou	naŋ˩	naŋ˩˥	naŋ˩˥
3.	he	a˩maʔ˥	a˥maʔ˩	a˥maʔ˩
4.	we	kei˩muʔ˥	kou˥˩	kei˩nī˥˩
5.	you	naŋ˩muʔ˥	nou˥˩	naŋ˩nī˥˩
6.	they	a˩muʔ˥	a˥māu˥˩	an˩nī˥˩
7.	this	hī˩hiʔ˥	hiʔ˥	hei˥˩hi˥
8.	that	tou˩˥hiʔ˩	tuaʔ˥	kʰā˥˩kʰa˥
9.	here	hi˩tou˥˩vaʔ˩	hiaʔ˥	he˥taʔ˩
10.	there	tou˥˩vaʔ˩	huaʔ˥	so˥taʔ˩
11.	who	kū˩˥hā˩˥	kua˥˩	tu˩ŋē˥˩
12.	what	ī˩˥hā˩˥	baŋ˥˩	e˩ŋē˥˩
13.	where	kʰoi˥˩aʔ˩hā˩˥	koi˩˥aʔ˩	kʰoi˥˩aʔ˩ŋē˥˩
14.	when	ī˩˥tik˩lāi˥˩	cik˩ciaŋ˥˩	eŋ˩tik˩lāi˥
15.	how	ī˩tin˥˩hā˩˥	baŋ˥˩cī˩	eŋ˩tin˥ŋē˥˩
16.	not	ou˥˩	lou˥˩	lou˩
17.	all	a˩rēŋ˩in˥˩	a˩vek˥pī˩˥	a˩vāi˩˥
18.	many	tam˩	tam˩˥	tam˩˥
19.	some	a˩kʰen˥˩	pōl˧xat˥	a˩ṭʰen˥
20.	few	tōm˥˩	tōm˧	tlēm˥
21.	other	daŋ˩	daŋ˩˥	daŋ˩˥
22.	one	pa˩kʰat˥	xat˩	pa˩kʰat˩
23.	two	pa˩niʔ˥	niʔ˩	pa˩n̥niʔ˩
24.	three	pa˩tʰum˥˩	tʰum˧	pa˩tʰum˥
25.	four	pa˩lī˥˩	lī˧	pa˩lī˥
26.	five	pa˩ŋā˥˩	ŋā˧	pa˩ŋā˥
27.	big	lian˩˥	lian˥˩	lian˩
28.	long	sāu˩	sāu˩˥	sei˥
29.	wide	zāu˥˩	zai˩˥	zāu˥
30.	thick	saʔ˩	saʔ˩	cʰaʔ˩
31.	heavy	hit˩	ɡik˩	rit˩
32.	small	nēu˩	nēu˩˥	tē˩˥
33.	short	tōi˩	tom˩˥	tōi˩˥
34.	narrow	zīm˥˩	toi˩˥	zīm˥
35.	thin	pan˥˩	pā˩˥	pan˥
36.	woman	mei˩˥sia˩	nu˩mei˩	m̥mei˩cʰia˥˩
37.	man	pa˩sal˩	pa˩sal˩˥	mi˩pā˩
38.	human	mi˩hiŋ˥˩	mi˥hiŋ˧	mi˩ɕiŋ˥
39.	child	nau˥˩paŋ˩	nāu˧paŋ˩˥	nau˥paŋ˩˥
40.	wife	zī˥˩	zī˧	nu˩pui˩˥
41.	husband	pa˩sal˩	pa˩sal˩˥	pa˩sal˩˥
42.	mother	nū˩	nū˩˥	nū˥˩
43.	father	pā˩	pā˩˥	pā˥˩
44.	animal	ham˥˩sā˩	ɡam˧sā˩˥	ram˥sā˥˩
45.	fish	sa˩ŋā˩	ŋa˥sā˩˥	sa˩ŋ̊ŋā˥˩
46.	bird	sa˩vā˩	va˥sā˩˥	sa˩vā˥˩
47.	dog	ui˩	ui˩˥	ui˩˥
48.	louse	hik˩	hik˩	ɕik˩
49.	snake	hūl˥˩	ɡūl˧	rūl˥
50.	worm	caŋ˥˩pāt˩	luŋ˩˥	caŋ˥pāt˩˥
51.	tree	tʰiŋ˩	siŋ˩˥	tʰiŋ˩˥
52.	forest	ham˥˩nuai˩	ɡam˧lak˥	ram˥n̥nuai˩˥
53.	stick	tiaŋ˩	ciaŋ˩˥xut˩	tiaŋ˩˥
54.	fruit	haʔ˥	ɡaʔ˩	raʔ˩
55.	seed	cī˩	xāi˥˩cī˩˥	tʰlāi˩cī˥˩
56.	leaf	naʔ˩	teʔ˩	n̥naʔ˩
57.	root	zuŋ˩	zuŋ˩˥	zuŋ˩˥
58.	bark	tʰiŋ˩hōŋ˥˩	siŋ˩˥hōŋ˧	tʰiŋ˩hōŋ˥
59.	flower	pāk˥˩	pāk˧	paŋ˩pār˥
60.	grass	kiak˩	lou˧pā˩˥, kiak˩˥	l̥lo˥bet˩
61.	rope	kʰāu˥˩	xāu˧	ɕui˩zēn˥
62.	skin	vun˩	vun˩˥	vun˩˥
63.	meat	sā˩	sā˩˥	sā˥˩
64.	blood	tʰī˩	sī˩˥	tʰī˩˥
65.	bone	huʔ˩	ɡuʔ˩	ruʔ˩
66.	fat	sa˩tʰāu˩˥	sa˥tʰāu˥˩	sa˩ɕiak˥˩
67.	egg	tui˥˩	tūi˧	tui˥
68.	horn	kī˩	kī˩˥	kī˥˩
69.	tail	mei˩	mei˩˥	mei˩˥
70.	feather	mul˩	mul˩˥	m̥mul˩˥
71.	hair	sam˩	sam˩˥	sam˩˥
72.	head	lū˥˩	lū˧	lū˥
73.	ear	beŋ˥˩	bil˩˥	beŋ˥
74.	eye	mit˩	mit˩	mit˩
75.	nose	nāk˩˥	nāk˥˩	n̥nār˥
76.	mouth	kam˥˩	kam˧	kā˥
77.	teeth	hā˥˩	hā˧	hā˥
78.	tongue	lei˥˩	lei˧	lei˥
79.	nail	tin˩	cin˩˥	tin˩˥
80.	foot	kēŋ˩pʰaʔ˥	xe˩pēk˩˥	ke˩pʰaʔ˩
81.	leg	kēŋ˩	xē˥˩	kē˩
82.	knee	kʰūp˩	xūk˩˥	kʰūp˥˩
83.	hand	kʰut˩	xut˩	kut˩
84.	wing	tʰā˩˥	xā˥˩	tʰlā˩
85.	belly	dul˩˥	ɡil˧pī˩˥	dul˩
86.	guts	hil˥˩	ɡil˧	rīl˥
87.	neck	ŋōŋ˥˩	ŋōŋ˧	ŋ̊ŋōŋ˥
88.	back	nuŋ˥˩zāŋ˥˩	nuŋ˧zāŋ˧	n̥nuŋ˥zāŋ˥
89.	breast	nōi˩	nōi˩˥	n̥nu˩tē˩˥
90.	heart	luŋ˥˩	luŋ˧	luŋ˥
91.	liver	tʰin˩˥	sin˥˩	tʰin˩
92.	to drink	nē˩	dōn˧	in˥
93.	to eat	cā˩	nē˩˥	ei˥
94.	to bite	pet˩	pet˩	seʔ˩
95.	to suck	cōp˥˩	tōp˩˥	fōp˥˩
96.	to spit	sia˥˩	sia˩˥	cʰāk˥˩
97.	to vomit	luak˩	lua˥˩	luak˥˩
98.	to blow	sēm˥˩	mūt˧	cʰēm˥
99.	to breathe	tʰō˩	nāk˧	tʰō˥˩
100.	to laugh	nī˥˩	nūi˧	nui˥
101.	to see	mū˩˥	mū˥˩	m̥mū˩
102.	to hear	tʰei˩˥	zā˩˥	ɕia˩˥
103.	to know	tʰei˩˥	tʰei˥˩	ɕia˩˥
104.	to think	ŋaiʔ˩tuaʔ˩	ŋaiʔ˩sun˥˩	ŋaiʔ˩tuaʔ˩
105.	to smell	nam˩˥	nam˥˩	n̥nīm˩
106.	to fear	lāu˩	lāu˩˥	l̥lāu˩˥
107.	to sleep	ip˩	iʔ˩mū˧	mū˥
108.	to live	hiŋ˥˩	hiŋ˧	ɕiŋ˥
109.	to die	tʰī˥˩	sī˧	tʰī˥
110.	to kill	tʰat˩	tʰat˩	tʰat˩
111.	to fight	thawh˥˩	lāi˩˥, ki˩sual˩˥	sual˥
112.	to hunt	ham˥˩ suak˥˩	ɡam˧ vāk˩˥	ram˥ vāk˥˩, ram˥ cʰuak˥˩
113.	to hit	vua˩˥	vua˥˩	vua˩
114.	to cut	tan˩	tan˩˥	tan˩˥
115.	to split	tʰēr˩	bāl˩˥kēk˩˥	tʰlēr˩˥
116.	to stab	sun˩˥	sun˥˩	cʰun˩
117.	to scratch	hiat˩	xuat˩˥	hiat˥˩
118.	to dig	lāi˩˥	tou˩˥	lāi˩, cou˩˥
119.	to swim	tui˩˥ leuʔ˩	tūi˩˥ pēk˧	tui˩˥ l̥leuʔ˩
120.	to fly	lēŋ˥˩	lēŋ˧	tʰlōk˥˩
121.	to walk	lēŋ˥˩	lam˩˥ siau˥˩	lēŋ˥
122.	to come	hoŋ˩ kel˥˩	oŋ˩˥ pai˧	lo˩ kal˥
123.	to lie	lum˩˥	lum˥˩	lum˩
124.	to sit	kʰuŋ˥˩	tū˧	ṭhū˥
125.	to stand	diŋ˥˩	diŋ˧	diŋ˥
126.	to turn	vik˩	pei˩˥	vir˩˥
127.	to fall	tā˩˥	kia˥˩	tlā˩
128.	to give	pia˩	pia˩˥	pē˩
129.	to have	nei˩˥	nei˥˩	nei˩
130.	to squeeze	hekˀ˩	sūk˧	herˀ˩
131.	to rub	nōt˩	nōt˩˥	nōt˥˩
132.	to wash	sil˩˥	sil˩˥	sil˩
133.	to wipe	sōp˩	sōp˩˥	ɕū˩
134.	to pull	bot˩	kāi˥˩	pot˩
135.	to push	sōn˩	sōn˩˥	nam˩˥
136.	to throw	dēŋ˥˩	dēŋ˧	paiʔ˩
137.	to tie	kanʔ˩	hēn˧	suiʔ˩
138.	to sew	kʰui˥˩	xū˧	ṭʰui˥
139.	to count	siar˥˩	sim˧	cʰiar˥
140.	to say	soi˩	ɡēn˩˥	soi˩˥
141.	to sing	sā˩˥	sā˥˩	zāi˥
142.	to play practical jokes	ciam˩˥niʔ˩dūn˩˥	ki˩ciam˥˩nui˩˥	in˩fiam˥
143.	to float	lāŋ˥˩	lām˧	lāŋ˥
144.	to flow	luaŋ˥˩	luaŋ˧	luaŋ˥
145.	to freeze	kʰaŋ˩	xal˥˩	kʰaŋ˥˩
146.	to swell	vūŋ˥˩	bōk˧	vūŋ˥
147.	sun	nī˥˩	nī˧	nī˥
148.	moon	tʰā˩˥	xā˥˩	tʰlā˩
149.	star	āk˥˩sī˩˥	āk˧sī˥˩	ar˥sī˩
150.	water	tui˩	tūi˩˥	tui˩˥
151.	rain	huaʔ˩	ɡuaʔ˩	ruaʔ˩
152.	river	lui˩˥	lūi˥˩	lui˩
153.	lake	dīl˩	tūi˩˥lī˧	dīl˩˥
154.	sea	tui˩fin˩riat˩	tūi˩˥pī˥	tui˩fin˥˩riat˥˩
155.	salt	cī˩˥	cī˥˩	cī˩
156.	stone	suaŋ˩	suaŋ˩˥	luŋ˩˥
157.	sand	tiau˥˩	seʔ˩nēl˩˥	tiau˥
158.	dust	vāi˥˩vut˩	lei˩˥vui˧	vai˥vut˩
159.	earth	lei˩	lei˩˥	lei˩˥
160.	cloud	sūm˩	mei˧	cʰūm˩˥
161.	fog	ro˩˥mei˩	xo˥mui˧	ro˩mei˩˥
162.	sky	vān˩˥	vān˥˩	vān˩
163.	wind	tʰī˥˩	huiʔ˩	tʰlī˥
164.	snow	vūk˥˩	vūk˧	vūr˥
165.	ice	vūk˩kʰal˩	tūi˩˥xal˥˩	vūr˥kʰal˥˩
166.	smoke	mei˩kʰū˩	mei˩˥xū˩˥	mei˩kʰū˥˩
167.	fire	mei˩	mei˩˥	mei˩˥
168.	ash	vāp˩	vut˩	vāp˩˥
169.	to burn	kāŋ˩˥	kāŋ˥˩	kāŋ˩
170.	road	lam˩pui˩	lam˩˥	koŋ˥
171.	mountain	tāŋ˥˩	mual˧	tlāŋ˥
172.	red	san˥˩	san˧	sen˥
173.	green	hiŋ˥˩	eŋ˧	ɕiŋ˥
174.	yellow	eŋ˥˩	nāi˧pāk˧	eŋ˥
175.	white	vāk˥˩	kāŋ˧	vār˥
176.	black	dum˥˩	vom˧	dum˥
177.	night	zān˩˥	zān˥˩	zān˩
178.	day	nī˥˩	nī˧	nī˥
179.	year	kum˩˥	kum˥˩	kum˩
180.	warm	lum˥˩	lum˧	lum˥
181.	cold	dāi˩˥	vot˩	vōt˥˩
182.	full	dim˩	dim˩˥	kʰat˩
183.	new	tʰar˥˩	tʰak˥	tʰar˥
184.	old	lui˥˩	lui˧	hlui˥
185.	good	pʰā˩˥	hoiʔ˩	ṭʰā˩
186.	bad	sual˩	sia˩˥	sual˩˥
187.	rotten	muat˩	muat˩˥	ṭoiʔ˩
188.	dirty	bolˀ˩loʔ˩	nīn˥˩	bolˀ˩l̥loʔ˩
189.	straight	ŋīl˥˩	taŋ˧	ŋīl˥
190.	round	bial˥˩	bēm˩˥	bial˥
191.	sharp	hiam˥˩	hiam˧	ɕiam˥
192.	dull	bil˩	mōl˩˥	bil˩˥
193.	smooth	nāl˩	nāl˩˥	nāl˩˥
194.	wet	nom˥˩	kōt˩˥	huʔ˩
195.	dry	kou˥˩	keu˧	rou˥
196.	correct	dik˩	mān˧, dik˩	dik˩
197.	near	nāi˩	nāi˩˥	n̥nāi˩˥
198.	far	lam˩lā˩	ɡam˧lā˩˥	l̥lā˥
199.	right	tak˩lam˩	tak˩lam˩˥	a˩diŋ˩˥lam˩˥
200.	left	a˩vei˩lam˩	vei˩˥lam˩˥	a˩vei˩˥lam˩˥
201.	at	aʔ˩	aʔ˩	aʔ˩
202.	in	aʔ˩	aʔ˩	aʔ˩
203.	with	tuah˩	toʔ˩	nēn˩
204.	and	leʔ˩	leʔ˩	leʔ˩
205.	if	cʰun˥˩	leʔ˩	cʰuan˥
206.	because	a˩vāŋ˩in˥˩	a˥hiʔ˩ciaŋ˩˥in˧	a˥vāŋ˩in˥
207.	name	miŋ˥˩	min˧	m̥miŋ˥

References

^ ^a ^b Ralte at Ethnologue (26th ed., 2023)

Otsuka, Kosei. 2016. A Basic Vocabulary and a Text of the Ralte Language. Asian and African Languages and Linguistics 10. 325–344.
Otsuka, Kosei. 2019. Verb stem alternation in Ralte. GENGO BUNKA KENKYU (STUDIES IN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE), Graduate School of Language and Culture Osaka University 45. 161–178.
Otsuka, Kosei. 2021. A phonological comparison of Ralte and Proto-Kuki-Chin Archived 23 January 2025 at the Wayback Machine. ARIAKE Kumamoto University Linguistic Papers 20. 21–38.

[e26-1] Ralte at Ethnologue (26th ed., 2023)

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