TRIBES AND DIALECTS OF NORTH EAST INDIA

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India’s northeast is the country’s easternmost region both geographically and administratively. Northern India is home to a huge variety of linguistic, cultural, and ethnic groupings. In the most diverse area in the most diverse country, there are numerous plains and hill tribal communities, each with its own customs, traditions, and ways of life, languages, and dialects.

It is said to as the homeland of a brother and seven sisters. Assam region, Meghalaya region, Manipur region, Mizoram region, Nagaland region, and Tripura region are among the states. Additionally included in the North Eastern Region is Sikkim, the eighth state in India. Arunachal Pradesh has the most land area, followed by Tripura, which has the least. North-East India is highly renowned for its numerous ethnic groups, historical practices, tribal culture, and linguistics.  

  1. Arunachal Pradesh:

Regarding linguistic variety, there are approximately 15 languages spoken in Arunachal Pradesh, and these languages are divided into five major language families: Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman, Austro-Asiatic, and Tai-Kadai. These, however, are not recognized as official languages by their respective governments.

The rapid rate of regional development is putting enormous strain on the independent tribal groups. As a result, several of these dialects and languages that include beloved civilizational discourses are already “susceptible” to “moribund”.

For design thinking, cognition, and developing the mind-set required for holistic growth, a mother tongue is essential. Additionally, studying a foreign language might make a person feel inferior to their own culture and history, but learning in their mother tongue can help them become more aware of their cultural characteristics. Thus, learning in one’s mother tongue is crucial for enhancing educational quality.

 

Dialects in Arunachal Pradesh 

  • Apatani
  • Bangni-Tagin
  • Bori
  • Chakma
  • Deori
  • Digaro
  • Mishmi
  • Gallong
  • Hajong
  • Hindi
  • Idu Mishmi
  • Karbi
  • Khamti
  • Koro
  • Miju
  • Milang Mising
  • Nefamese
  • Nishi
  • Nocte
  • Padam dialect
  • Singpho dialect
  • Tangam
  • Wancho
  • Yano

 

  1. Assam:

The Indian state of Assam is located in the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys, in the north-eastern southern region of the eastern Himalayas. The state shares borders with Nagaland and Manipur to the east, Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan to the north. Both Assam tea and Assam silk are recognized trademarks of the state.

Regarding linguistic variety, Assam is home to approximately 23 different languages that fall into no less than five different language families, including Dravidian, Tai-Kadai, Austro-Asiatic, Tibeto-Burman, and Indo-Aryan. Assamese has Old Indo-Aryan dialect roots, while the exact circumstances of its birth and growth are still unknown. It is commonly acknowledged that Assamese and the Kamatapuri lects derive from the Kamarupi dialect of Eastern Magadhi Prakrit, despite the fact that some researchers contest a close relationship between Assamese and Magadhi Prakrit.

Dialect in Assam

  • Assamese
  • Bodo
  • Bengali
  • Miishing
  • Karbi
  • Rabha
  • Tiwa
  • Tai-Phake
  • Tai-Aiton
  • Tai-Khamti
  • Manipuri
  • Khasi
  • Garo
  • Hmar
  • Kuki

 

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  1. Meghalaya:

United Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills, and Garo Hills were cut off from the state of Assam to form Meghalaya. The districts of Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia Hills were combined to create Meghalaya on January 21, 1972. Meghalaya was a new state that had previously been a part of Assam. The state is bordered on its southern, western, and northern sides by Mymensingh and Sylhet in Bangladesh, Rangpur in Bangladesh, and the State of Assam in India. English is Meghalaya’s national tongue.

The three main languages in Meghalaya are Khasi, Pnar, and Garo, with English serving as the official state language. The development of the Khasi, Pnar, and Garo dialects and languages was significantly influenced by Christian teachers.

One of the relatively few varieties of the Mon-khmer family of languages still spoken in India is thought to be the Khasi language. It’s interesting to learn that many words in the Khasi language have been influenced by Indo-Aryan languages, with Hindi and Bengali being the two most significant examples. Additionally, the Khasi language didn’t have its own script when it first emerged.

Dialects in Meghalaya

  • Khasi
  • Jaintia
  • Garo
  • Santhali
  • Nicobarese
  • Boro
  • Koch
  • Kuki
  • Burmese
  • Naga
  • Kuki
  • Vietnamese

 

 

  1. Manipur:

Manipur is a charming tiny state that is well-known for its Switzerland-like natural beauty and the abundance of beautiful flora and animals. Since its founding, nothing has impacted Manipur, and its inhabitants are still kind and uncomplicated individuals who are content with their life in the hills and valleys. Knowing their language makes it easier for travellers to communicate with locals and learn about their customs and culture.

The language is spoken by people in Manipur and the north-east of India. Manipuri is spoken by some individuals in parts of Bangladesh and even Myanmar. The people of Manipur are also fluent in English and other languages.

The Meitei Mayek is the name of the script used by the Manipuri people. The Sino-Tibetan languages’ Kuki-Chin group is where the language first appeared. The language has been spoken since the eleventh century, and its own script was used until the eighteenth. However, the script became popularized as the Bengali script during the British era and is still in use today. However, the old script is returning to its roots, and Manipuris are working hard to resuscitate it before it loses favor.

Dialects in Manipur

  • Maiteis
  • Kuki-chin (Zomi)
  • Tangkhul
  • Kuki
  • Lusai
  • Hmar
  • Paite
  • Thadou
  • Hrangkhol
  • Paite
  • Purum
  • Zeme
  • Chiru
  • Gangte
  • Kom
  • Tibeto

 

  1. Mizoram:

The Mizo people are found in the Chin State of Myanmar and the Indian state of Mizoram. They converse in Mizo, also known as Mizo awng, a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language that belongs to the Tibeto-Burman linguistic family. The colonial designations of Duhlian and Lushai were given to the Mizo language because the Duhlian people were the first Mizos whom the British encountered during their colonial expansion. The Mizo language is mostly based on the Lusei dialect, while many words have also been adapted from adjacent Mizo sub-tribes and sub-clans.

Dialects in Mizoram

  • Aso,
  • Chho
  • Halam
  • Hinar
  • Lai
  • Lusei
  • Mara
  • Miu
  • Khumi
  • Paite
  • Thado
  • Kuki
  • Mizo
  • Biate
  • Chakma
  • Falam
  • Hakha Chin

 

  1. Nagaland:

Nagaland officially joined the Indian Union as the sixteenth state on December 1st, 1963. It shares common boundaries with Assam to the west, Myanmar (Burma) to the east, Arunachal Pradesh and a section of Assam to the north, and Manipur to the south.

The State is split up into sixteen Administrative Districts, each of which is home to a significant tribe and a number of minor tribes. Every tribe has a different personality from the others in terms of traditions, language, and apparel.

Although the majority of the population speaks Nagamese, there are several more languages spoken in Nagaland. The group of Tibetan and Burmese languages includes the Nagaland languages. The use of Sanskrit terms is one of the intriguing features of the Naga languages. The majority of the inhabitants in Nagaland are from the tribes, and they speak a language called Nagamese that is a combination of Assamese and the fundamental Naga languages.

 

Dialects in Nagaland

  • Nagamese
  • Tenyidie
  • Konyak
  • Chang
  • Lotha
  • Ao
  • Phom Sema
  • Angami
  • Rengma
  • Chakhesang
  • Sumi
  • Sangtam
  • Yimchunger
  • Zeliang
  • Kuki
  • Pochury

 

  1. Tripura:

Tripura was made a union territory on September 1, 1956, was made a province of India on October 15, 1949, and was accepted as a state on January 21, 1972. Significant interethnic warfare occurred in Tripura in the 1980s, largely as a result of local demands for an independent tribal homeland.

Even before the Mahabharata era, this polity had historical significance. The official languages of this state are Bengali and the Tripuri dialect Kokborok. Bengali has always had a huge impact in Tripura because a sizable portion of the population is Bengali.

Dialects in Tripura

  • Tripuri
  • English
  • Bengali
  • Chakma
  • Hindi
  • Mogh
  • Manipuri
  • Falam
  • Garo
  • Bishnupriya Manipuri
  • Bawm
  • Darlong

 

 

  1. Sikkim:

The Namgyal-Chogyal dynasty ruled Sikkim as a Buddhist monarchy from 1642 to 1975. Frequently, the little kingdom had to defend itself from attacks by Nepal. In 1835, British India bought Darjeeling, which had previously been a part of Sikkim.

Sikkimese is a part of the Sino-Tibetan language family, is classified as a Tibetic language, and is a descendant of Old Tibetan. For the most of its history, Sikkimese was primarily an oral language; it wasn’t until 1975, when Sikkim joined India that a written form of the language began to develop.

Dialects in Sikkim

  • Nepali
  • Bhotia
  • Lepcha
  • Gurung
  • Limbu
  • Magar
  • Mukhia
  • Newari
  • Rai
  • Sherpa
  • Tamang

Additional tribes and languages spoken in North Eastern India.

 

  1. Garo:A Sino-Tibetan tongue spoken in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya.
  2. Khasi: Khasi is the primary tongue in Meghalaya and the only member of the Austric language family.
  3. Limbu:This Sino-Tibetan language is spoken in sections of India, particularly Darjeeling and Sikkim, as well as Eastern Nepal.
  4. Apatani:Arunachal Pradesh’s renowned Ziro valley is home to the Apatani people, who speak this language.
  5. Wancho:Speaking in the Kanyok language of northeastern India. a dialect spoken in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nagaland’s rural areas.
  6. Bori:This Tani language is spoken by indigenous tribal tribes in Arunachal Pradesh.
  7. Khunggoi:Khunggoi is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Tangkhul branch. It was created in the village of Khangoi and is now utilized in a number of locations throughout Manipur and Nagaland.
  8. Rengma:The Sino-Tibetan language is spoken by the Rengma tribe in Nagaland and parts of Assam.
  9. Sumi:The Sumo Naga tribe speaks this Sino-Tibetan language. a sizable ethnic group in Nagaland.
  10. Chang:Chang is a language that is used in 36 villages in Nagaland and has Sino-Tibetian, Sal, and Konyak family roots and influences.

These languages are spoken in various forms by the 145 tribes of the North East region, each with unique linguistic characteristics.