Henan-OiratAn Extinguishing Mongolic Dialect in

Qinghai Oirat-Mongols from Jungaria The Jungarian Empire, early 17th century:

1. Tsoros (Jungar) 2. Torgut 3. Dörböt 3. Hoshut Migrations:

1. Dörböt and Torgut→ Volga estuary c. 1627

2. Hoshut → Amdo 1637

3. Torgut from Volga →Jungaria→ Alsha 1771

The Hoshut in Amdo

1635 the 5th Dalai lama calls the Hoshut to fight Cogtu taiji

The Hoshut settle down in the Caidam

Some Torgut and Coros join them

1666 (?) a small pack of Oirats move

The Migration

Took 23 years (?) First stop: Gonghe,

Mongol village Arrival, 1689 ? Labrang monastery

1709

Administration

Before 1954, four banners (qi): Qinwang, Lajia, Dacan, and Tuerhu (Torgut)

After 1954, Six townships (5 xiang, 1 zhen):

Dacan – Saierlong Tuerhu – Duosong,

Kesheng

Number of Speakers Today

Total population: c. 30 000 Speakers restricted to: County center,

Kesheng, Saierlong, Duosong (?). Mongolian speakers, Oyrat speakers, Henan

Oyrat speakers 1985-1995 Language restoration project with

teachers from IMAR and Haixi Command and fluency

Kesheng and Saierlong

Kesheng Everybody able to

hold simple conversation over 45

Few truly fluent speakers

Few younger speakers

Some speakers have moved to the center

Saierlong Only 3 authentic

speakers None is truly fluent 2 not authentic

speakers: Tserendorji and a 36yld woman speaking Haixi

Damba and Tserendorji

Gezang

Tamki

Gelog

The Characteristic Feautres of Henan Oyrat

Basically Oyrat, branch of Haixi (Deed Mongol) Strong Amdo-Tibetan influence on phonology b→ w, d→l, Tib. bod→wol, HO. bürged→wәrgil š→ђ, šüd →ђәdә ö and ü, disappear (ә, e, I) Suffixes, and tenses unknown from other M.

varieties

Restoration Efforts

1985-95 Mongolian language teachers from Haixi and IMAR

“Mongol” appearance of the county Teachers quit but left some speakers Society for Mongolian Traditions in Henan Given up language restoration

Survival?

Only a handful of fluent speakers remain They speak Tibetan with their children My estimation: 500 ppl able to converse in HO. My expectation: some increase Mongolian

speakers but extinction of HO.