Mongghul
Mongolic (Shirongol, Monguoric)
Mongghul (also Mangghuer or Tu) is a Mongolic language of northeast Tibet (Amdo Tibetan cultural zone) spoken by the Tu (土族) nationality of Qinghai and Gansu provinces, China. Despite being officially classified as one ethnic group ("Tu") by China, Mongghul and Mangghuer are sufficiently distinct that linguists treat them as separate languages of the Shirongol Mongolic branch. Heavy influence from neighboring Amdo Tibetan (Khams Tibetan area) and Northwest Chinese; loanwords from Persian via the historical Silk Road.
Where it is spoken
20 core words in Mongghul
Water
usu
/usu/
Fire
ghal
/ʁal/
Sun
nara
/nara/
Moon
sara
/sara/
Mother
ana
/ana/
Father
ada
/ada/
Eat
idi-
/idi/
Drink
uu-
/uː/
Love
durala-
/durala/
Heart
jürige
/dʒyriɡe/
Tree
modu
/modu/
House
ger
/ɡer/
Dog
noghui
/noʁui/
Cat
mau
/mau/
Hand
ghar
/ʁar/
Eye
nidu
/nidu/
Hello
amur sain
/amur sain/
Thank you
bayarla-
/bajarla/
One
nige
/niɡe/
Good
sain
/sain/
Sources
Words compared
Compared with related Mongolic (Shirongol, Monguoric) languages
| Meaning | Mongghul | Middle Mongol | Classical Mongolian | Mongolian | Kalmyk | Buryat | Inner Mongolian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | usu /usu/ | ᠤᠰᠤᠨ /usun/ | ᠤᠰᠤᠨ /usun/ | ус /us/ | усн /usn/ | уһан /uhan/ | ᠤᠰᠤ /usu/ |
| Fire | ghal /ʁal/ | ᠭᠠᠯ /ɣal/ | ᠭᠠᠯ /ɡal/ | гал /ɡal/ | гал /ɡal/ | гал /ɡal/ | ᠭᠠᠯ /ɡɑl/ |
| Sun | nara /nara/ | ᠨᠠᠷᠠᠨ /naran/ | ᠨᠠᠷᠠᠨ /naran/ | нар /nar/ | нарн /narn/ | наран /naran/ | ᠨᠠᠷᠠ /nɑrɑ/ |
| Moon | sara /sara/ | ᠰᠠᠷᠠ /sara/ | ᠰᠠᠷᠠ /sara/ | сар /sar/ | сар /sar/ | һара /hara/ | ᠰᠠᠷᠠ /sɑrɑ/ |
| Mother | ana /ana/ | ᠡᠭᠡ /eke/ | ᠡᠬᠡ /eke/ | ээж /eːdʒ/ | ээҗ /eːdʒ/ | эхэ /exe/ | ᠡᠬᠡ /eχe/ |
| Father | ada /ada/ | ᠡᠴᠢᠭᠡ /etʃiɡe/ | ᠡᠴᠢᠭᠡ /et͡ʃiɡe/ | аав /aːw/ | аав /aːv/ | эсэгэ /eseɡe/ | ᠠᠪᠤ /ɑβu/ |
| Eat | idi- /idi/ | ᠢᠳᠡ /ide/ | ᠢᠳᠡ- /ide-/ | идэх /idex/ | иде /ide/ | эдеэлхэ /edeːlxe/ | ᠢᠳᠡᠬᠦ /ideχʉ/ |
| Drink | uu- /uː/ | ᠤᠭᠤ /uɣu/ | ᠤᠭᠤ- /uɣu-/ | уух /uːx/ | уу /uː/ | ууха /uːxa/ | ᠤᠤᠬᠤ /uːχu/ |
| Love | durala- /durala/ | ᠳᠤᠷᠠ /dura/ | ᠬᠠᠶᠢᠷᠠ /xajira/ | хайр /xajr/ | дурлх /durlx/ | дуран /duran/ | ᠬᠠᠢᠷᠠ /χɑir/ |
| Heart | jürige /dʒyriɡe/ | ᠵᠢᠷᠦᠭᠡ /dʒiryke/ | ᠵᠢᠷᠦᠬᠡ /d͡ʒirüke/ | зүрх /dzyrx/ | зүркн /zyrˈkən/ | зүрхэн /zyrxen/ | ᠵᠢᠷᠦᠬᠡ /dʒirʉχe/ |
| Tree | modu /modu/ | ᠮᠣᠳᠤᠨ /modun/ | ᠮᠣᠳᠤ /modu/ | мод /mod/ | модн /moˈdn̩/ | модон /modon/ | ᠮᠣᠳᠤ /mɔdu/ |
| House | ger /ɡer/ | ᠭᠡᠷ /ɡer/ | ᠭᠡᠷ /ɡer/ | гэр /ɡer/ | гер /ɡer/ | гэр /ɡer/ | ᠭᠡᠷ /ɡer/ |
| Dog | noghui /noʁui/ | ᠨᠣᠬᠠᠢ /noqai/ | ᠨᠣᠬᠠᠢ /noxai/ | нохой /nɔxɔj/ | ноха /noxa/ | нохой /noxoj/ | ᠨᠣᠬᠠᠢ /nɔχɑi/ |
| Cat | mau /mau/ | ᠮᠢᠭᠤᠢ /miɣui/ | ᠮᠠᠭᠣ /maɣu/ | муур /muːr/ | миис /miːs/ | миисгэй /miːsɡej/ | ᠮᠤᠤᠷ /muːr/ |
| Hand | ghar /ʁar/ | ᠭᠠᠷ /ɣar/ | ᠭᠠᠷ /ɡar/ | гар /ɡar/ | һар /ɣar/ | гар /ɡar/ | ᠭᠠᠷ /ɡɑr/ |
| Eye | nidu /nidu/ | ᠨᠢᠳᠦᠨ /nidyn/ | ᠨᠢᠳᠦ /nidü/ | нүд /nyd/ | нүдн /nyˈdn̩/ | нюдэн /ɲuden/ | ᠨᠢᠳᠦ /nidʉ/ |
| Hello | amur sain /amur sain/ | ᠠᠮᠤᠷ /amur/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ ᠤᠤ /sajin uu/ | сайн уу /sajn uː/ | менд /mend/ | сайн байна /sajn bajna/ | ᠰᠠᠢᠨ ᠪᠠᠢᠨᠠ /sɑin bɑinɑ/ |
| Thank you | bayarla- /bajarla/ | ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠷᠯᠠᠪᠠ /bajarlaba/ | ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠷᠯᠠᠯᠠ /bajarlala/ | баярлалаа /bajarlalaː/ | ханҗанав /xandʒanav/ | баярлаа /bajarlaː/ | ᠪᠠᠶᠠᠷᠯᠠᠯᠠ /bɑjɑrlɑlɑ/ |
| One | nige /niɡe/ | ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠨ /niɡen/ | ᠨᠢᠭᠡᠨ /niɡen/ | нэг /neɡ/ | негн /neɡn/ | нэгэн /neɡen/ | ᠨᠢᠭᠡ /niɡe/ |
| Good | sain /sain/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ /sain/ | ᠰᠠᠶᠢᠨ /sajin/ | сайн /sajn/ | сән /sæn/ | һайн /hajn/ | ᠰᠠᠢᠨ /sɑin/ |
Part of LangMap — a linguistic visualization project. This is a static, crawlable summary; the interactive maps offer pronunciation audio, filters, and a globe view.