Mixed Great Andamanese is a koiné language of the Northern Andamanese language based primarily on the Jeru dialect, with lexical and grammatical influence from other Northern Andamanese dialects (Bo, Kora and Cari).
Phonology
Vowels The Great Andamanese koiné has a seven-vowel system.
+ Vowels Front Central Back Close Close-mid Open-mid Open
Consonants +Consonants Labial Dental/Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Nasal Plosive Fricative Tap Approximant
Grammar It is a head-marking polysynthetic and agglutinative language with a SOV pattern. It has a very elaborate system for marking inalienability, with seven possessive markers reflecting different body-divisions. These markers appear as proclitics that classify a large number of nouns as dependent categories.
Vocabulary
Koiné vocabulary:
+ Gloss Great Andamanese Devanagari nest aaracha आराचा housefly ijibu ईजीबू snake (king cobra) ulukhu ऊलूखू chilli ekajira एकाजीरा deer airen ऐरेन fishing net ocho ओचो axe aulo औलो snail kalatop कालाटौप dugong kauroing कौरौईञ coconut khider खीदेर road ngorto ङौरतौ betelnut chaum चौम dolphin choa चोआ bat jibet जीबेट fish nyure ञूरे heron taka टाका tongue thatat ठातात sunset diu डीऊ black pig dirim raa डीरीम राऽ leaf taich तौच dew thun थून scorpion dikiraseni दीकीरासेनी mosquito nipho नीफो mushroom pata पाता crow phatkaa फाटका frog phorube फोरूबे rope pharako फाराको green turtle belotauro बेलोटौरौ grey pigeon mirit मीरीत rooster maucho मौचौ strewn leaves yephaay taich येफाऽय तैच bamboo rat रैट tusked male pig ratairlauto रातैरलौतो smoke lep लेप fire luro, wuro लूरो, वूरो waist jewellery shirbele शीरबेले snake shubi शूबी crocodile sarekateyo सारेकातेयो White-bellied Sea-Eagle karatchom करटचोम Pacific Golden Plover chelele चैलेले Oriental Honey Buzzard taulom-tut-bio टौलोम-तूत-बीओ Whimbrel chautot चौटोट Column in yellow denotes loanword derived from Hindi
Place names Vocabulary:
Contemporary name Present Great Andamanese name Andaman Islands Marakele South Andaman Island Sorobul Little Andaman Ilimu Tauro Strait Island Khringkosho Havelock Island (Swaraj Island) Thi Lar Siro Interview Island Bilikhu Tara Phong Neill Island (Shaheed Island) Tebi Shiro Baratang Island Boa Bluff Island Lurua Landfall Island Mauntenga Long Island Bol Phong Inglis Island Jirikta Phong Port Blair Laotara Nyo Diglipur Thitaumul Mayabunder Ret Phor Saddle Peak Puluga Chang
References