Tibetan Language

Tibetan Language is used in Tibet Autonomous Region as well as Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture and Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Gannan, Qianghai Province and Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Region in Yunnan. And also in Pakistan, North Indian, Nepal and Bhutan people are speak Tibetan Language.
 

Three Dialects of Tibetan Language

There are three dialects in the Tibetan language. Central Tibetan languages, Khams Tibetan language, Amdo Tibetan Language. Only the Amdo Tibetan Language has no difference between the meanings of tone. Different dialects have some difficult on communication in some degree, but they use the same character system so the differences between the three dialects are not large.
 

There are differences between Chinese and foreign Tibetan languages.
 

History of Tibetan Characters

There are two origins of Tibetan Characters. Buddhist scholars believe that the Tibetan characters were created by Thon-mi Sam-bho-Ta, the official of Srongtsen Gampo, in the 7th Century. Bon scholars thought it totally evolved from hieroglyphic.

 

Tibetan Characters is vertical spelling structure. For translating Buddha Sanskrit, Tibetan Characters have congruent relationship with Sanskrit. It is the only language that could restore Sanskrit. In Sino-Tibetan language system, only Chinese Language created earlier than Tibetan Language. Other language as Tangut script and Burmese are created later than Tibetan Language.
 

Characters and Pronunciation

Tibetan writing system is essentially a standard text accompanying vowel, this letter represents the ancient Tibetan pronunciation, so the pronunciation and modern pronunciation may not fully fit.

 

•Tone
Tibetan texts are recorded Tibetan speech sounds in the 7th century and there was no tone at that time. Contemporary Tibetan Language takes Lhasa dialect as the standard pronunciation. There are four tones: tone value of 55 high level tones, 53 falling tone value, 12 low level tone value and rising tone value of 14. The original high level tone will be turned into a falling tone, while originally low level tones to become a rising tone.

 

There are 30 basic Tibetan single consonants, each letter is pronounced in the 7th century consonant plus vowel a. In contemporary Lhasa sound pronunciation has been changes in the law. The base word’s initial consonant are voiced stops, voiced fricatives and voiced affricates letter read into the corresponding voiceless consonants.

•Vowel

Tibetan Language has / a /, / i /, / u /, / e /, / o / five basic vowels. Each non-Tibetan letters attached to the subject as a vowel syllables, attach the top of the letter marked - which expressed as a vowel / i / syllables, attach the letter below standard - represent vowel is / u / syllables, attach the top of the letter mark - represent vowels as / e / syllables, and attach the top mark - expressed as a vowel / o / syllables. In Lhasa words, if a syllable / s /, / d /, / n ​​/, / l / is first added the word, vowel sound change to occur, / a / pronounced / ɛ / , / o / pronounced / ø /, / u / read as / y /, and / s /, / d / two, add the word is not pronounced, after adding the word / n ​​/ and in front of the Dollar tone synthesis nasal vowels.