Falam (Lai ṭong)

Falam is a member of the Kuki-Chin branch of the Tibeto-Burman language family. It is spoken by about 107,000 people mainly in Falam Township in Chin State in western Myanmar, and also in Mizoram State in the northeast of India.

Falam is also known as Falam Chin, Laizo or Lai. Dialects include Taisun, Zanniat, Khualsim, Lente, Zahau and Laizo. It is closely related to Hakha (Chin) and other Central Chin languages.

Falam is written with the Latin alphabet in Myanmar, and with the Bengali alphabet in India. There appear to be several spelling systems using the Latin alphabet. Most young people and some older people can read Falam. There is a Falam translation of the Bible, it is taught in schools, and there are some radio programmes.

Falam alphabet and pronunciation

Notes

h is pronounced [ʔ] at the end of syllables.
g, j, w, x and y are only used in words borrowed from other languages.

Download a Falam alphabet chart (Excel)

Corrections provided by Michael Peter Füstumum

Sample text (The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4)

Jesuh in an hnenah, “Thla nan cam tikah hitiin nan ti pei: ‘Kan Pa, Na hmin thianghlim cu upat si ko seh, Na Uknak thleng hram seh.
Nitin kan ṭulmi rawl in pe aw.
Kan parih sualnak a tuahtu pawl kan ngaithiam bangin, kan sualnak in ngaithiam ve aw. A harmi hniksaknak ah in thlengter hlah aw,’ tiah nan ti pei,” tiah a ti.

Source: https://www.myanmarbs.org/r/index.html

Translation (English)

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Sample video in Falam

Information about Falam | Tower of Bable

Links

Information about Falam
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falam_language
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falam_(langue)
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/cfm/
https://www.webonary.org/chinfalam/overview/introduction/
Chin Writers' Handbook

Kuki–Chin–Naga languages

Biete, Falam, Hakha, Karbi, Kom, Mizo, Mongsen Ao, Paite, Tedim, Zotung, Zou

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 20.11.23. Last modified: 27.11.23

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