Nagaland in the north eastern frontiers of India is a linguist’s paradise where not less than 23 different indigenous languages are spoken in full vigor. Though English is the official language in Nagaland, It is Nagamese (a pidgin/creole arising out of Assamese, Hindi, English and various Naga languages) which rules the roost across the state. Though the origin of Nagamese is unknown, it is evident from the accounts of Lt. Bigges (Tour Diary 1841) that this pidgin was in vogue before the British soldiers set their feet in the Naga Hills. The earliest record of Nagamese is found in Hutton (1921) with a few lexical items and phrases in the pidgin. Hutton (1921) says
‘the Assamese as spoken in the Naga Hills is peculiarly well adapted for the reproduction of Naga idioms as a vehicle of interpretation. It makes a better lingua franca for the Hills than Hindustani or English would, the substitution of which for Assamese has been occasionally suggested.’
Hutton is referring to Nagamese when he is writing of Assamese of Naga Hills. Similarly Haimendorf (Von Furer Haimendorf, The Naked Nagas, 1939, London) writes
‘Fortunately many people including children spoke fluently Nagamese, the lingua franca of entire Naga Hills’.
The spread of Nagamese according to Sreedhar (M.V. Shreedhar, 1985, Standardized Grammar of Naga Pidgin, Mysore) is due to several factors. He cites the construction of roads, penetration of Marwari traders in far flung areas, and various state and central agencies bringing Non-Nagas in Nagaland as the primary reason for the spread of Nagamese. It is absolutely clear that neither colonization nor subjugation was responsible for the birth of Nagamese.
Today Nagamese is used for diverse inter-lingual communication situations such as Schools, markets, hospitals, legislative assembly, and even in churches. Moreover the emergence of a unified Naga identity irrespective of tribal affiliations has led to situations where it has acquired the role of a mother tongue for the children born out of wedlock of people from two different communities. Nagamese is increasingly used in informal conversation though formal discourse is still done in English or any other indigenous language. Youth use it profusely among themselves on the streets of Kohima, Dimapur, Mokukchung and outside Nagaland etc.
Knowing a little of Nagamese in Nagaland comes handy when one decides to visit this beautiful state in the Far East. Nagamese is like a song you would like to sing time and again.
Here are some SURVIVAL PHRASES in Nagamese based on Dr. N. Khashito Aye’s book titled Nagamese: the Lingua Franca of Nagaland, 2007 (published by Christian Education Ministry, Sugar Mill, 5th Mile, Dimapur- 7977112, Nagaland).
SURVIVAL PHRASES in NAGAMESE
|
English |
Nagamese |
Hindi |
|
Please come in |
aahibi |
आईए। |
|
Please sit down |
bohibi |
बैठिए। |
|
Where do you live? |
aapuni kot thaake? |
आप कहाँ रहते/रहती हैं? |
|
My house is in Agra |
mor laagaa ghar Agrate aase |
मेरा घर आगरा में है। |
|
What is your name? |
aapuni laagaa naam ki aase? |
आपका क्या नाम है? |
|
My name is Prakash |
mor laaga naam prakaash aase |
मेरा नाम प्रकाश है। |
|
How are you? |
kenekaa aase? |
आप कैसे हैं? |
|
I am alright |
Bhaal hi aase |
मैं ठीक हूँ। |
|
What happened? |
ki hoise? |
क्या हुआ? |
|
What is the price of this? |
itu kiman dam ase? |
इसका दाम क्या है? |
|
lower down the price |
olop kom koribi |
कुछ कम कीजिए। |
|
That will do |
hoise |
हाँ यह ठीक है। |
|
I don’t want |
amaake naalaage |
मुझे नहीं चाहिए। |
|
At what time you will come? |
aapuni kimaan baajite aahibo? |
आप कितने बजे आएंगे। |
|
I will come tomorrow at 8 o’clock |
aami kaali aat bajite aahibo |
मैं कल आठ बजे आउंगा। |
|
Please drive the car |
gaari chalaabi |
गाड़ी चलाईए। |
|
Drive slowly |
aaste chalaabi |
धीरे चलाईए। |
|
Stop |
rukhibi |
रोकिए। |
|
Turn it |
ghuraabi |
घुमाईए। |
|
To the left |
left phaale |
बाईं ओर। |
|
To the right |
right phaale |
दाईं ओर। |
|
This way |
itu phaale |
इस तरफ। |
|
That way |
hitu phaale |
उस तरफ। |
|
Which way? |
kun phaale? |
किस तरफ? |
|
Go straight |
sida jabi |
सीधा जाईए। |
|
Do you like it? |
aapuni itu bhal laage? |
क्या यह आपको पसंद है? |
|
Where are you going? |
aapuni kot jabo? |
आप कहाँ जा रहे/रही हैं? |
|
I am going to market |
moi market jai aase |
मैं बाज़ार जा रहा हूँ। |
|
Where has he gone? |
taar kot jaise? |
वह कहाँ गए/गई हैं? |
|
I will come tomorrow |
aami kali aahibo |
मैं कल आउंगा। |
|
Vitsaho and kitoka have come |
vitshao aaru kitoka aahise |
वित्साहो और कितोका आए हैं। |
And I end this piece with a Nagamese Love song by Kevilinuo Vizo:
Moi laagaa darling
Moi laagaa darling bishi sunder,
Tai laagaa bosti moi najaane,
Beraai beraai kenaa thing bekhaaise
Biyanpabi salam di aase
Ek din noholie, dui din noholie
Love kuribo etu time te koi dibo de,
Eki logote rastaa rastaa beraabo,
Itu din rukhi aase darling.
Post photo courtesy: http://miyzone.blogspot.com/2007/08/different-houses-nagaland-heritage.html

