Page Type: languageKoch | Ethnologue

KDQ ISO 639-3

Koch

A language of India

ISO 639
kdq
Alternate Names
Koc, Kocch, Koce, Kocha, Kochboli, Konch
Population
36,400 in India (2011 census), increasing. No monolinguals. Total users in all countries: 42,400.
Location:
Assam state: Goalpara and Nagaon districts; Meghalaya state: West Garo Hills district; Bihar, Tripura, and West Bengal states.
Language Status
6a (Vigorous).
Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Sal, Boro-Garo, Koch
Dialects
Harigaya, Margan (Dasgaya), Tintekiya, Wanang. Tintekiya in Meghalaya is intelligible with same dialect in Bangladesh; Tintekiya not intelligible with other Koch dialects; Koch-Rabha and Harigaya are mutually intelligible with Wanang; Dasgaya and Harigaya are mutually intelligible; these form a dialect chain (Koch-Rabha-Wanang-Harigaya-Dasgaya-Tintekiya). Lexical similarity: 90% between Tintekiya Koch of India and Bangladesh; Tintekiya: 44%–55% with other Koch dialects; Kock: 31%–39% with Rongdani Rabha [rah], 13%–17% with Garo [grt]. Lexical borrowing is heavier when it comes to high register vocabulary; Koch has borrowed words from Bangla [ben], Assamese [asm] and Hajong [haj].
Language Use
Vigorous. Non-Koch in Koch villages normally speak Koch. Only 6 of the 8 endogamous groups still speak their mother tongue: Tintekiya, Wanang, Harigaya, Dasgaya, Chapra, and Koch-Rabha. Sankar and Satpariya have no known speakers. All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Assamese [asm]. Also use Bengali [ben]. Also use Boro [brx]. Also use English [eng]. Also use Garo [grt]. Also use Hajong [haj]. Also use Hindi [hin]. Also use Nepali [npi]. Also use Rabha [rah].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: Approximately 75% in any of the following languages: Assamese [asm], Bangla [ben], Garo [grt], English [eng], Hindi [hin], Rabha [rah], or Bodo [brx]. Show a growing interest toward education (Singh 1994b). Literature. Dictionary.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Koch
Writing
Bengali (Bangla) script [Beng].
Other Comments
Koch-Rabha belongs to Koch linguistically and ethnically but claims identity with the Rabha for political reasons. Traditional religion, Christian, Hindu.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Koch
User Population
6,000 in Bangladesh (2006 SIL).
Location
Dhaka division: north Sherpur district.
Dialects
Tintekiya, Chapra, Margan.
Language Status
6a (Vigorous)
View other languages of Bangladesh

Map

Location: Assam state: Goalpara and Nagaon districts; Meghalaya state: West Garo Hills district; Bihar, Tripura, and West Bengal states.