Gorum language


Gorum, or Parengi, is a nearly-extinct minor Munda language of India.

Names

The name Gorum most likely comes from an animal/people prefix go- and root -rum meaning 'people', and is possibly related to the ethnonym Remo.
Parengi, or Parenga, is of obscure origin.

Status

Gorum is 60% endangered, it is very likely that it might soon be extinct majority of the people under 30 years cannot understand the language. In addition those who know it are likely to deny knowing it. This language seems to have been first researched in 1933, that being the earliest scholarly reference.

Origins

While Gorum is a member of the Munda family, it has taken some things from Dravidian, a language spoken nearby. For example, they tend to doubly inflect on certain types of AVC structures. Another derivation from the Munda language is the use of some Glottals being "creeky voiced"

Distribution

Gorum speakers are located in the following areas of eastern India.
Gutob is spoken to the north of Gorum, and Gta to the west of Gorum.