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.