Consonant Systems of Chiru and Dukpa: A Case Study

Chiru is a language spoken by the Chiru, one of the tribal communities of the state of Manipur. It has been recognized by the Government of India as scheduled tribe. The total population of Chiru is 8599 according to 2011 Census Report. The language is considered to be endangered. Dukpa people are mainly inhabited in the Buxa Tiger Reserve Hills of Alipurduar district of West Bengal, and Dukpa is the language spoken by them. According to the 2011 Census conducted for Kalchini Block, the total population of Dukpa is 1951. Both the languages, i.e. Chiru and Dukpa belong to Tibeto-Burman language family.