Sak language

Sak (also known as Cak, Chak, or Tsak) is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Sal branch spoken in Bangladesh and Myanmar by the Chak people.

Geographical distribution

Cak is spoken in Bangladesh by about 3,000 people and in Rakhine State, Burma by about 1,000 people according to Ethnologue. In Bangladesh, Cak is spoken in Baishari, Naikhyongchari, and Dochari (Huziwara 2018). In Rakhine State, Burma, Sak is spoken in Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathedaung, and Mrauk U townships (Huziwara 2018). The Baishari dialect is the most conservative one (Huziwara 2018).

According to Ethnologue, in Bangladesh, Chak is spoken in 14 villages in:

Chittagong Division: Baishari, Bandarban, Bishar Chokpra
Southern Naikhongchari area in the Arakan Blue Mountains

Phonology

Consonants

Sounds /tsÃÂ°, kÃÂ°, w/ mainly occur from loanwords.
/ts, tsÃÂ°, dz/ is also heard as [tÃÂ, tÃÂÃÂ°, dÃÂ] among other dialects.
[ÃÂ²] occurs as a realization of the consonant sequence /ÃÂj/.

Vowels

[ÃÂ] only occurs in minor syllables or as a result of vowel reduction of /a/.

Numerals

Sak uses a decimal-based numeral system. Sak uses two sets of numerals: an indigenous system, and another system borrowed from Arakanese, often used for numbers beyond ten.

Writing system

A new script for the Sak language was devised by Mong Mong Cak and disseminated in 2013. Previously, Bengali and Burmese scripts were used on an ad hoc basis. The Cak script is a Brahmic-style abugida with 33 consonants and 11 vowels represented.