Suansu language from northeastern India

Abstract

This contribution introduces Suansu, an endangered Tibeto-Burman language spoken in Manipur, northeastern India. Suansu is virtually undescribed in the linguistic literature, and no previous attestations are known to date. This field report provides a first sketch of Suansu sociolinguistic profile, phonology and phonotactics, as well as basic information on Suansu nominal and verbal morphology. A preliminary comparative look at the languages spoken in the area suggests that Suansu does not align neatly with the set of traits commonly attested in the region, confirming the high linguistic diversity of the area and setting up the stage for further research.