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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > Bhutan > Tshangla

Tshangla

A language of Bhutan

ISO 639-3: tsj

Population	157,000 in Bhutan. The lower population estimate of 140,000 is nearer the official number given by the government and also keeps the total population of the country closer to the total of 672,425. Population total all countries: 175,200.
Region	East and southeast Bhutan, especially Tashigang and Dungsam. Also in China, India.
Alternate names	Menba, Monpa, Sangla, Sarchapkkha, Shachobiikha, Shachopkha, Sharchagpakha, Sharchhop-kha, Tsangla, Tshalingpa
Dialects	Standard variety in Tashigang. Lexical similarity: 40%–50% with Bumthangkha [kjz], 48% with Dzongkha [dzo], 41% with Adap [adp].
Classification	Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Bodish, Tshangla
Language use	Trade language.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 47% (SIL, 2003). Literacy rate in L2: Below 1%. Radio programs. Grammar. Bible portions: 2000.
Writing system	Latin script. Tibetan script, used in India. Tibetan script, Uchen style.
Comments	Called ‘Schachop’ in Dzongkha, ‘Sharchhokpa’ (pl.). Not the same as Tsanglo (Angami Naga) of Assam, India. May also be classified as North Assam, Monpa. SOV; numbers and adjectives follow noun head; singular-dual-plural personal pronouns; nontonal. Buddhist.

Also spoken in:

China

Language name	Tshangla
Population	7,000 in China (2000 census). Majority are monolingual. Ethnic population: 8,923.
Region	Southeast Tibetan Autonomous Region, Linzhi Prefecture, Motuo (Medoz, Medog) County, Beibeng, Motuo, Bangxing, and Dexing districts; Dongjiu District, Linzhi (Ngingchi) County.
Language map	China
Alternate names	Canglo Monba, Cangluo Menba, Cangluo Monba, Central Monpa, Menba, Monba, Monpa, Motuo Menba, Sangla, Tsangla Monba, Tsanglo
Language use	Vigorous. All domains, except for Buddhist scriptures which are recited in Classical Tibetan. Positive attitude. A few also use Central (Lhasa) Tibetan [bod] or Mandarin Chinese [cmn].
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: A minority are literate in either Tibetan script or Chinese script.
Comments	Classified as Moinba (Menba) nationality. Different from Angami Naga [njm] of India. Their speech is nearly identical to that of eastern Bhutan, except for the loss of initial voicing and tonogenesis in Tibet. Differs from Tawan Monba [twm] in phonology, vocabulary, and grammar and is not mutually intelligible. Agriculturalists: rice. Buddhist (Lamaist).

India

Language name	Tshangla
Population	11,200 in India. 8,200 in Kameng District; 3,000 in West Siang.
Region	West Arunachal Pradesh, Kameng District, Dirang area, Namsu, Tempang, Sangti, Bishing villages; West Siang District, former Padma-bkod region, Tuting, Mechuka circles, Mechuka, Opu, Bona, Galling, Korfu, Dorgling Halung, Tuting villages.
Alternate names	Tsangla, Sangla, Cangluo Menba, Memba, Menba, Monba, Monpa, Motuo, Central Monpa, Sharchopkha, Dirang
Language use	Some also use Boga’er Luoba [adi], Adi [adi], Hindi, or English.
Comments	A Scheduled Tribe. Chowdhury (1996) separates Memba (Tshangla) and Khamba as different tribes in Siang District, both separate from Monpa, in Kameng District. Swidden agriculturalists: rice, wet cultivation. Buddhist.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

ANDVIK, Erik E., author. 1993. "Tshangla verb inflections: a preliminary sketch."

ANDVIK, Erik E., author. 1999. Tshangla grammar.

ANDVIK, Erik E., author. 2003. "Tshangla."

ANDVIK, Erik E., author. 2010. A Grammar of Tshangla.