RCML Launches Apatani Language Documentation Project in Ziro
The first phase of RCML’s field research in Ziro aims to generate empirical data on Apatani grammar and its socio-cultural dimensions amid concerns over language shift and assimilation.
ZIRO- The RIWATCH Centre for Mother Languages (RCML) has begun the first phase of field research in Ziro, Lower Subansiri district, as part of an extensive project aimed at documenting and preserving the Apatani language, an indigenous language of Arunachal Pradesh.
The field research began on August 6 and is scheduled to continue until August 13, 2026. The research team comprises Dr. Mechek Sampar Awan, Dr. H. Kapginlian, Ms. Ama Pinky Kago and Ms. Sapna Lingi.
The team was welcomed in Ziro by Hage Komo, General Secretary of the Tanii Supun Dukun, and Takhe Duri, Assistant General Secretary of the organisation.
During their interaction, representatives of Tanii Supun Dukun assured the RCML team of their cooperation in the research initiative. They also committed to helping the researchers access knowledgeable native resource persons, providing necessary resources and sensitising local communities about the importance of promoting, preserving and revitalising the Apatani language.
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The fieldwork is intended to generate empirical data for a comprehensive descriptive study of Apatani. According to RCML, the research will focus on documenting the grammatical structure of the language, examining its linguistic characteristics through evidence-based research and studying its socio-cultural dimensions.
A significant aspect of the study is its examination of Apatani in the context of ongoing language shift and assimilation into larger language communities. The research is therefore not limited to recording linguistic structures but also seeks to understand the broader socio-cultural circumstances surrounding the language.
The study forms part of a research project titled “Descriptive Grammatical Analysis of Apatani: Documenting an Endangered Tani Language of North East India.” The project is supported by the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Division, Ministry of Education, Government of India.
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RCML said the documentation programme will be conducted in multiple phases, with the ongoing fieldwork representing its first phase. The project is expected to generate research material that can contribute to the longer-term documentation, preservation and revitalisation of Apatani.
The involvement of Tanii Supun Dukun is also expected to facilitate access to native speakers and community knowledge, which are important components of field-based language documentation.
The project comes against the backdrop of concerns over the gradual shift of indigenous languages towards larger and more dominant languages. By systematically documenting Apatani’s grammatical and linguistic features alongside its socio-cultural dimensions, the research seeks to create an evidence base for future efforts to preserve and revitalise the language.
