Paite language

Paite
Paite
Native toIndia, Myanmar
RegionManipur, Mizoram, Assam, Chin State
EthnicityPaite/ Paite te
Native speakers
1,00,000+[1][2]
Latin
Language codes
ISO 639-3pck
Glottologpait1244
ELPPaite Chin

Paite is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Paite people. There are different Paite dialects; some notable Paite dialects are Bukpi, Lousau, Valpau, Dapzal, Tuichiap, Sukte, Dim, Lamzang and Sihzang. The language exhibits mutual intelligibility with the other languages of the region including Thadou, Hmar, Vaiphei, Simte, Kom, Gangte and other languages.[3] The name Paite could translate to 'the people who went', 'a group of people marching'. Paite refers to a group of people who enter today Manipur and Mizoram (India) crossing the run river (a river separating the two countries of India and Burma) during the pre colonial era, so the word Paite itself means "those who went out".... It is fairly necessary to note that there are amongst those group of people who do not leave today Burma and still settle there. They cannot be called Paite since they do not leave or set out, So to put an umbrella term on all the ethnic groups between two international countries the word "Zomi" is unifiedly used. They are a part of the Chin/Kuki/Mizo/Zomi (CHIKIMZO) [4]

The Paites in India have shaped and influence many languages and words used in Mizo/Duhlian/lusei language (Official language of Mizoram state) this is because the Mizo royal clan namely the Sailo clan are their descent. So the Sailo clan being Paite descent which through them shape the Mizo society to what it is today in culture, music, weaving patters, words similarity in languages and religion, superstition etc. all this during the Sailo reigning period. Another credit goes to major tribes like the Hmar, lai, lusei, etc.

  1. ^ "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues - 2011". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Religion Data of Census 2011: XXXI Mizoram Manipur and Nagaland".
  3. ^ Singh, Chungkham Yashawanta (1995). "The linguistic situation in Manipur" (PDF). Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area. 18 (1): 129–134. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Who are Paites?". Paite Nampuan | www.paite.org. Retrieved 7 March 2021.