Milang language

Milang
Holon
Dalbo
Region	Arunachal Pradesh
Native speakers	around 2,000 (date missing)
Language family	Possibly Sino-Tibetan Siangic Milang
Language codes
ISO 639-3	None (mis)
Glottolog	mila1245

Milang is a Siangic or Tani language of Upper Siang district, Arunachal Pradesh, India. It is spoken in the 3 villages of Milang, Dalbing, and Pekimodi, located in Mariyang Subdivision, Upper Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh (Tayeng 1976).

Classification

Milang has traditionally been classified as the most divergent of the Tani languages, hence ultimately Sino-Tibetan. Post & Blench (2011) reclassified it as Siangic, on the basis of clear correspondences with the Koro language in vocabulary that may not ultimately be of Sino-Tibetan origin. The implication is that Milang may, like other Siangic languages, harbour a non-Sino-Tibetan substrate, or may be a non-Sino-Tibetan language with Sino-Tibetan features acquired through prolonged contact, perhaps with the neighbouring and much larger Padam tribe, who speak an Eastern Tani language.

References

• Modi, Milorai (2007). The Millangs. Itanagar: Himalayan Publishers. ISBN 81-86393-72-2.
• Post, Mark W. and Roger Blench (2011). "Siangic: A new language phylum in North East India", 6th International Conference of the North East India Linguistics Society, Tezpur University, Assam, India, Jan 31 – Feb 2.
• Tayeng, Aduk (1976). Milang phrase-book. Shillong: The Director of Information and Public Relations, Arunachal Pradesh.

External links

• ELAR archive of documentation of Milang