| Thadou–Kuki | |
|---|---|
| Thado Chin, Thadou, Kuki | |
| Thadoupao | |
| Native to | India |
| Region | Manipur |
| Ethnicity | Kuki people, natively to the Thadou tribe. |
Native speakers | 350,000 (2011–2017)[1] |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | tcz |
| Glottolog | thad1238 |
| ELP | Thado Chin |
Thadou, Kuki, or Thado Chin is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Northern Kuki-Chin sub-branch. It is spoken by the Thadou people in Northeast India (specifically in Manipur and Assam).[2] The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.[3]
The language is known by many names, including Thado, Thado-Pao, Thado-Ubiphei, Thādo, Thaadou Kuki, or just Kuki or Chin.
There are several dialects of this language: Hangshing, Khongsai, Kipgen, Saimar, Langiung, Sairang, Thangngeo, Haokip, Sitlhou, Singson (Shingsol).[1] The Saimar dialect was reported in the Indian press in 2012 to be spoken by only four people in one village in the state of Tripura.[4] The variety spoken in Manipur has partial mutual intelligibility with the other Mizo-Kuki-Chin languages varieties of the area including Paite, Hmar, Vaiphei, Simte, Kom and Gangte languages.[5]
- ^ a b Thadou–Kuki at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
- ^ Mahapatra, Bijaya P.; Padmanabha, P. (December 1989). The Written Languages of the World: A Survey of the Degree and Modes of Use : Book 2, Non-Constitutional Languages. Pr De L'Universite Laval. p. 1311. ISBN 978-2-7637-7196-0. Archived from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
- ^ "Meitei | Ethnologue". Ethnologue. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "Just 4 people keep a language alive". The Hindu. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
- ^ Singh, Chungkham Yashawanta (1995). "The linguistic situation in Manipur" (PDF). Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area. 18 (1): 129–134. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
