Meitei
PrintPrimary tabs
A language of India
1,760,000 in India (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 1,775,000.
Assam state: Cachar and Dima Hasao; Mainly Manipur state; Nagaland state: Dimapur, Kohima, Peren, Phek; Mizoram state: Aizwal and Kolasibi; possibly some in nearby states.
2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Manipur State (1992, Constitution, Amendment 71).
Meitei, Loi (Chakpa), Pang-gal (Manipuri Muslim, Pang-gan). Intelligibility of Meitei in Bangladesh is difficult. Those in Bangladesh may understand India Meitei better than vice versa possibly due to more language change in Bangladesh over the years. India Meitei is more standard. Intelligibility between dialects in Bangladesh definitely sufficient to understand complex and abstract discourse. Lexical similarity: 80%–86% between dialects in Bangladesh, 65%–70% between Bangladesh and India varieties.
SOV; postpositions; articles before noun heads; 25 consonants and 6 vowels; tonal (2 tones).
Also use Hindi [hin]. Used as L2 by Aimol [aim], Anal [anm], Chiru [cdf], Chothe Naga [nct], Gangte [gnb], Hmar [hmr], Inpui Naga [nkf], Kharam Naga [kfw], Koireng [nkd], Kom [kmm], Lamkang [lmk], Mao Naga [nbi], Maram Naga [nma], Monsang Naga [nmh], Moyon Naga [nmo], Purum [pub], Tarao Naga [tro], Thado Chin [tcz], Thangal Naga [nki].
Literacy rate in L1: 73% (2005 BI). Literacy rate in L2: 69% for Manipur (2001 census). Taught in primary schools. Literature. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1984–2016.
Mainly rural. 7 clans (Mangang (Ningthouja), Luwang. Khuman (Khumal), Moirang, Angom, Khaba-nganba, and Sarang-leisangthem). Hindu, Christian, Muslim, traditional religion.