Great Andamanese indigenous language-Andaman island 

There are two indigenous languages on Andaman island :

Great Andamanese:

(spoken by a small community on the Andaman Islands)

Ongan

(spoken by the Onges tribe in the Andaman Islands)

This article is focused on the Great Andamanese language

Great Andamanese (Andaman Islands): 

The Great Andamanese language is critically endangered. Most of the original languages are extinct, and what survives is now a mixed language.

• Great Andamanese is an indigenous language of the Andaman Islands, part of the Austroasiatic language family. It was once the dominant language of the Great Andamanese people, but it has significantly declined over time.

• Linguistic Background of the Great Andamanese Language

  The Great Andamanese language is not a single language but a family of closely related languages spoken by theGreat Andamanese tribes of the Andaman Islands in India. These languages belong to the Andamanese language family, specifically the North Andamanese subgroup.

  1. Classification and Dialects

  Historically, the Great Andamanese language family consisted of around

  10 distinct languages, including:

  • Aka-Jeru
  • Aka-Bo
  • Aka-Kede
  • Aka-Kol
  • Aka-Cari (Aka-Chari)

  (Note: “Aka” means “language” or “tongue” in Great Andamanese.)
  These languages were mutually intelligible to varying degrees, functioning like dialects of a larger linguistic group. However, each was distinct enough to be considered its own language.

  2. Linguistic Features

  • Agglutinative Structure: Great Andamanese languages are agglutinative, meaning they form words by stringing together morphemes (smallest units of meaning), each adding specific grammatical information.
  • Noun Class System: They feature a unique noun class system based on body parts. For example, objects are classified according to their shape or function, relating to body parts like the head, hand, or leg.
  • Pronoun System: The pronoun system is complex, distinguishing between inclusive and exclusive forms of “we” and having distinct forms for singular, dual, and plural.

  3. Current Status

  Today, the Great Andamanese language is critically endangered. Most of the original languages are extinct, and what survives is a mixed language derived from several Great Andamanese tongues. It’s heavily influenced by Hindi and English due to contact with mainland India.
  As of the last known reports, only a handful of speakers remain, with efforts to preserve the language focusing on documentation and revitalization.

1. Speaker Population:
   

   At its peak, Great Andamanese was spoken by several thousand people, but today only a handful of elderly speakers remain. Efforts to preserve the language are being made, although the number of fluent speakers is very low.

2. Cultural Context:

   • Great Andamanese was used in rituals, oral traditions, and songs, and is a key part of the indigenous culture of the Andaman Islands.
   • The language reflects the community’s traditional knowledge of the forest, sea, and survival techniques.

3. Challenges:

   • The Great Andamanese language has almost disappeared as a result of colonization, displacement, and the spread of Hindi and Bengali. The last fluent speakers are elderly, and younger generations are not learning the language. The Great Andamanese language is critically endangered.

4. Preservation Efforts:

   • Linguists and anthropologists are working to document the language through written records and audio recordings of the remaining speakers.
   • A language revitalization project has been launched to teach the language to younger members of the Great Andamanese tribe using the recordings and materials produced by researchers.
   • The Andaman and Nicobar administration is promoting the preservation of Great Andamanese culture, including language, through educational programs and cultural events.

Read more about India’s endangered languages: