Sora language is an Austroasiatic language primarily spoken by the Sora people, a tribal community residing in the Indian states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. It belongs to the Munda branch of the Austroasiatic language family, which is primarily spoken in the eastern parts of South Asia. The Sora language is characterized by its unique phonology, grammar, and vocabulary.
Phonetically, Sora is known for its extensive consonant inventory and a relatively smaller vowel system. It exhibits a diversity of phonological features like voice contrasts, nasalization, and tones, which play a significant role in distinguishing meanings within words.
Grammatically, Sora has a rich system of noun and verb morphology. Nouns are inflected for number, case, and gender, while verbs display complex inflections to indicate tense, mood, aspect, and voice. The language follows a subject-object-verb word order and employs postpositions rather than prepositions to indicate various grammatical relations.
Lexically, Sora has a wide vocabulary covering different domains like kinship terms, natural environment, daily activities, and religious concepts. The language is also known for its metaphorical expressions and idiomatic phrases, contributing to its distinctiveness and cultural significance.
Despite the cultural and linguistic diversity within the Sora community, efforts are being made to document, preserve, and promote the Sora language. Various organizations, researchers, and community-led initiatives have been working on language revitalization projects, developing writing systems, and creating resources to ensure the survival and continuity of the Sora language for future generations.
