Sino-Tibetan language family Sino-Tibetan (also referred to as Trans-Himalayan) is a language family, family of more than 400 languages, second only to Indo-European languages, Indo-European in number of native speakers. Around 1.4 billion people speak a Sino-Tibetan languag ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...

ethnic group An ethnicity or ethnic group is a group of people with shared attributes, which they collectively believe to have, and long-term endogamy. Ethnicities share attributes like language, culture, common sets of ancestry, traditions, society, re ...

Zo people The Zo people is a term to denote the ethnolinguistically related speakers of the Kuki-Chin languages who primarily inhabit northeastern India, western Myanmar, and southeastern Bangladesh. The dispersal across international borders r ...

Chin The chin is the forward pointed part of the anterior mandible (List_of_human_anatomical_regions#Regions, mental region) below the lower lip. A fully developed human skull has a chin of between 0.7 cm and 1.1 cm. Evolution The presence of a we ...

Churachandpur district Churachandpur District (Meitei language, Meitei pronunciation: ''/tʃʊraːˌtʃaːnɗpʊr/''), is one of the 16 List of districts of Manipur, districts of the Indian state of Manipur populated mainly by Kuki-Zo people. The name honours former M ...

Tengnoupal district Tengnoupal district :/teŋ-nə́u-pəl/) is a district in Manipur, India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the ...

Mizoram Mizoram is a states and union territories of India, state in northeastern India, with Aizawl as its Capital city, capital and largest city. It shares 722-kilometres (449 miles) of international borders with Bangladesh to the west, and Myanmar t ...

Cachar district Cachar district is an administrative districts of Assam, district in the state of Assam in India. After independence, the pre-existing undivided Cachar district was split into four districts: Dima Hasao district, Dima Hasao (formerly North Cachar ...

Karbi Anglong district Karbi Anglong district is an District, administrative unit in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Assam. It is an autonomous district administered by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) according to the provisions ...

Thantlang Township Thantlang Township () is one of the nine Townships of Myanmar, townships in Chin State. Thantlang is the administrative town of inclusive nine circles (also called mountain ranges) attributed to the geographical and dialectical arrangements of the ...

Kalay Township Kale Township is a township in Kale District in the Sagaing Division of Burma, Burma (Myanmar). The principal town is Kalay.Khampat area of Sagaing Region, Myanmar, parts of

Chittagong Hill Tracts The Chittagong Hill Tracts (), often shortened to simply the Hill Tracts and abbreviated to CHT, refers to the three hilly districts within the Chittagong Division in southeastern Bangladesh, bordering India and Myanmar (Burma) in the east: Kh ...

of Bangladesh. * Maraic: majority of Siaha district of

Mizoram Mizoram is a states and union territories of India, state in northeastern India, with Aizawl as its Capital city, capital and largest city. It shares 722-kilometres (449 miles) of international borders with Bangladesh to the west, and Myanmar t ...

, India; parts of

Matupi Township Matupi Township (; also batupui Township) is a township of Matupi District in the Chin State of Burma (Myanmar).Southern:

Kanpetlet Township Kanpetlet Township () is a Townships of Myanmar, township of Mindat District in the Chin State of Myanmar. Its principal town is Kanpetlet. There are 26 village-tracts and 117 villages in the township, only about 13 villages have access to motor r ...

,

Matupi Township Matupi Township (; also batupui Township) is a township of Matupi District in the Chin State of Burma (Myanmar).Mindat Township, Paletwa Townships of Chin State, Myanmar; parts of the Arakan Range of Rakhine State, Myanmar; parts of

Chittagong Hill Tracts The Chittagong Hill Tracts (), often shortened to simply the Hill Tracts and abbreviated to CHT, refers to the three hilly districts within the Chittagong Division in southeastern Bangladesh, bordering India and Myanmar (Burma) in the east: Kh ...

of Bangladesh. * Khomic: Paletwa Township of Chin State, Myanmar; parts of

Chittagong Hill Tracts The Chittagong Hill Tracts (), often shortened to simply the Hill Tracts and abbreviated to CHT, refers to the three hilly districts within the Chittagong Division in southeastern Bangladesh, bordering India and Myanmar (Burma) in the east: Kh ...

of Bangladesh.

Internal classification

The

Karbi language The Karbi language () is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken by the Karbi (also known as Mikir or Arlêng) people of Northeastern India. It is also called Hills Karbi to differentiate it from Plains Karbi (Amri Karbi) which is variously treated a ...

s may be closely related to Kuki-Chin, but Thurgood (2003) and van Driem (2011) leave Karbi unclassified within Sino-Tibetan. The Kuki-Chin branches listed below are from VanBik (2009), with the '' Northwestern'' branch added from Scott DeLancey, et al. (2015), and the '' Khomic'' branch (which has been split off from the ''Southern'' branch) from Peterson (2017). *Kuki-Chin ** Central: Mizo (Duhlian), Bawm (Sunthla and Panghawi), Falam (Hallam, Ranglong, Darlong, Hauhulh, Simpi, Hualngo, Chorei),

Thor Thor (from ) is a prominent list of thunder gods, god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred g ...

(Tawr), Hmar, Hrangkhol, Biate (Biete),

Hakha Hakha (, ; formerly rendered Haka) is the capital of Chin State in Myanmar. Hakha is located in the northeast of Chin State, with a total area of about . The city of Hakha is located on a plateau at more than above sea level. Although relative ...

(Lai/Pawi, Mi-E, Zokhua), Pangkhua, Saihriem, Laizo/ Tlaisun, Khualsim, Zanniat, Zahau, Sim ** Maraic:

Mara Mara or MARA may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Mara (''Doctor Who''), an evil being in two ''Doctor Who'' serials * Mara (She-Ra), fictional characters from the ''She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'' and ''The New Advent ...

(Tlosai , Hawthai , Hlaipao ), Zophei, Senthang, Zotung (Lungngo, Calthawn, Innmai), Lautu ** Northeastern (Northern): Suantak-Vaiphei, Zo (Zou), Paite,

Tedim Tedim (, , (Tedim language, Zo: ''Tedim Khuapi'', pronounced ; is a town and the administrative seat of Tedim Township in Chin State, Myanmar. It is the second largest town in Chin State, after Hakha (the capital city of Chin State). The town's f ...

, Thado (Kuki), Gangte, Simte, Vaiphei, Sizang,

Ralte The Ralte or Galte tribe are a sub-tribe of Mizo people The Mizo people, historically called the Lushais, are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group primarily from Mizoram in northeastern India. They speak Mizo, one of the state's official languages ...

, Ngawn ** Southern: Shö (Asho/Khyang, Chinbon), Thaiphum, Daai (Nitu), Mün, Yindu, Matu, Welaung (Rawngtu), Kaang, Laitu,

Rungtu Rungtu (Rungtu Chin), also known as Taungtha (), is a moribund Kuki-Chin language of Burma spoken by the Taungtha people. It is spoken in 35 villages in Htilin, Kyaukhtu, and Saw townships, Magway Region. There are 3 dialects, namely Northern ...

, Songlai, Sumtu ** Khomic: Khumi (Khumi proper and Khumi Awa), Mro, Rengmitca, etc. ** Northwestern ("Old Kuki"): Monsang, Moyon, Lamkang, Aimol, Anal, Tarao, Koireng (Kolhreng), Chiru, Kom, Chothe, Purum, Kharam, Darlong and Ranglong are unclassified Kuki-Chin language. The recently discovered Sorbung language may be mixed language that could classify as either a Kuki-Chin or Tangkhul language (Mortenson & Keogh 2011).David Mortenson and Jennifer Keogh. 2011.
Sorbung, an Undocumented Language of Manipur: its Phonology and Place in Tibeto-Burman
, in ''JEALS'' 4, vol 1. Anu-Hkongso speakers self-identify as ethnic

Chin people The Chin peoples (, ) are collection of ethnic groups native to the Chin State, Myanmar that speak the Kuki-Chin-Mizo languages, which are closely related but mutually unintelligible. The Chin identity, as a pan-ethnic identity, is a modern c ...

, although their language is closely related to Mru rather than to Kuki-Chin languages. The

Mruic languages Mruic or Mru–Hkongso is a small group of Sino-Tibetan languages consisting of two languages, Mru and Anu-Hkongso. Their relationship within Sino-Tibetan is unclear. Peterson & Wright (2009)Peterson, David A. and Jonathan Wright. 2009. ''Mru- ...

constitute a separate Tibeto-Burman branch, and are not part of Kuki-Chin.

VanBik (2009)

Kenneth VanBik's (2009:23) classified the Kuki-Chin languages based on shared sound changes (phonological innovations) from Proto-Kuki-Chin as follows. *Kuki-Chin ** Central: *k(ʰ)r-, *p(ʰ)r- > *t(ʰ)r-; *k(ʰ)l-, *p(ʰ)l- > *t(ʰ)l-; *y- > *z- *** Pangkhua? *** Lamtuk Thet: Lamtuk, Ruavan *** Lai ****

Hakha Hakha (, ; formerly rendered Haka) is the capital of Chin State in Myanmar. Hakha is located in the northeast of Chin State, with a total area of about . The city of Hakha is located on a plateau at more than above sea level. Although relative ...

:

Hakha Hakha (, ; formerly rendered Haka) is the capital of Chin State in Myanmar. Hakha is located in the northeast of Chin State, with a total area of about . The city of Hakha is located on a plateau at more than above sea level. Although relative ...

,

Thantlang Thantlang (, ; also Thlantlang or Htantlang in Burmese transliteration) is a town and the administrative center of Thantlang Township in Chin State, western Myanmar (formerly Burma). Names Thantlang was formerly known as Thlan Tlang ("Cemeter ...

, Zokhua **** Falam: Bawm, Bualkhaw, Laizo, Lente, Khualsim, Khuangli, Sim, Tlaisun, Zanniat *** Mizo **** Mizo: Fanai, Hualngo, Lushai, Khiangte **** Hmar: Khosak, Thiek, Lawitlang, Khawbung, Darngawn, Lungtau, Leiri ** Maraic: *kr- > *ts-; *-ʔ, *-r, *-l > -Ø; *-p, *-t, *-k > *-ʔ; *θ- > *s- ***

Mara Mara or MARA may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Mara (''Doctor Who''), an evil being in two ''Doctor Who'' serials * Mara (She-Ra), fictional characters from the ''She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'' and ''The New Advent ...

****Tlosai *****Saikao *****Siaha ****Hlaipao *****Heima *****Lialai *****Vahapi/Zyhno ****HawThai *****Sizo ******Ngaphepi ******Sabyu ******Chapi *****Lyvaw ******Lochei ******Tisih ******Phybyu *** Lautu ****Hnaro ****Chawngthia *** Zophei ****Vytu ****Sate/Awsa *** Senthang ****Khuapi ****Surkhua *** Zotung *h- > *f-; *kr- > *r-; *khl- > *kh-, *l-; *c(^h)- > *t(^h)-/*s-; *y- > *z-/*z(^h)-; *w- > *v- ****Calthawng ****Innmai ****Lungngo/Tinpa **Peripheral: *r- > *g- *** Northern: *θ- > *ts-; *kl- > *tl-; *-r > *-k **** Thado/ Kuki,

Tedim Tedim (, , (Tedim language, Zo: ''Tedim Khuapi'', pronounced ; is a town and the administrative seat of Tedim Township in Chin State, Myanmar. It is the second largest town in Chin State, after Hakha (the capital city of Chin State). The town's f ...

, Khuangsai, Paite Vuite, Chiru **** Sizang, Guite, Vaiphei,

Ralte The Ralte or Galte tribe are a sub-tribe of Mizo people The Mizo people, historically called the Lushais, are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group primarily from Mizoram in northeastern India. They speak Mizo, one of the state's official languages ...

, *** Southern (Southern Plains): *-r > *-y **** Khumi: Khomi, Wakung **** Cho-Asho *****Asho *****Cho: Matu; Chinpon; Daai, Nghmoye, Ngmuun, Mkaang

Peterson (2017)

David A. Peterson's (2017:206)Peterson, David. 2017. "On Kuki-Chin subgrouping." In Picus Sizhi Ding and Jamin Pelkey, eds. ''Sociohistorical linguistics in Southeast Asia: New horizons for Tibeto-Burman studies in honor of David Bradley'', 189-209. Leiden: Brill. internal classification of the Kuki-Chin languages is as follows. *Kuki-Chin ** Northwestern ("Old Kuki"): '' Purum, Koireng, Monsang'', etc. **Central *** Core Central *** Maraic **Peripheral *** Northeastern ("Northern") *** Khomic: ''Khami/ Khumi, Mro-Khimi, Lemi, Rengmitca'', etc. *** Southern ****''Cho'' ****Daai'' ****''Hyow''/'' Asho'' Peterson's ''Northeastern'' branch corresponds to VanBik's ''Northern'' branch, while Peterson's ''Northwestern'' corresponds to the ''Old Kuki'' branch of earlier classifications.

References

Bibliography

* George van Driem (2001) ''Languages of the Himalayas: An Ethnolinguistic Handbook of the Greater Himalayan Region.'' Brill, . * VanBik, Kenneth. 2009. ''Proto-Kuki-Chin: A Reconstructed Ancestor of the Kuki-Chin Languages''. STEDT Monograph 8. .

External links

Tlângsam: Latest News in Hmar language – Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, NE India

Recent Advances in Kuki-Chin Linguistics
{{Languages of Northeast India Languages of India Languages of Bangladesh

Geographical distribution

Internal classification

VanBik (2009)

Peterson (2017)

See also

References

Bibliography

Further reading

External links