Nga La language

Last updated
Matu
Matupi Chin
Region Burma, India
Ethnicity Matupi
Native speakers
30,000 (2012) [1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3 hlt
Glottolog ngal1291

Matu, also known as Matu Chin, Batu, or Nga La, is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language spoken in Matupi township, Chin State, Burma, and also in Mizoram, India by the Matu people. Matu is the most commonly spoken language in Matupi Township outside of Burmese language, which is the official language of Myanmar.

The Matu dialects share 78%–89% lexical similarity. [2] Matu shares 65%–76% lexical similarity with Rawngtu Chin, and 66%–71% with Thaiphum Chin. [2]

Dialects

Ethnologue lists the following dialects of Matupi, Chin State. Matu from Mizoram, India is reportedly not intelligible with various tribal ethnicities of Matupi in Myanmar.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matupi Township</span> Township in Chin State, Burma

Matupi Township is a township of Matupi District in the Chin State of Burma (Myanmar). Matupi is the administrative center for the township.

Strictly speaking, Lai are the people belonging to the Lai Autonomous District Council of Mizoram. Outside this area they are scattered in Mizoram and many Lai people in Mizoram more than LADC area Lai people outside LADC area some Lai people prefer the name Pawi. Some state they are same as Lusei, North-East India, Hakha, Thantlang, and Falam of Chin State, Myanmar. Lai people can also be found outside their main dominant area. From a historical point of view, Lai is one of a dominant tribe of the so-called Chin-Kuki-Mizo, the community is scattered in different parts of the world, mainly concentrating in Mizoram, Chin Hills of Burma, South Bangladesh .

Hakha Chin, or Laiholh, is a Kuki-Chin language spoken by 446,264 people, mostly in Myanmar. The total figure includes 2,000 Zokhua and 60,100 Hakha speakers. The speakers are largely concentrated in Chin State in western Myanmar and Mizoram in eastern India, with a small number of speakers in south-eastern Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mro-Khimi people</span> Ethnic group in Myanmar

The Mro-Khimi people, also known as Mro, Awa Khami Mro, Wakim, Mro Chin or Awa Khami, are one of the 135 ethnic groups recognized by the government of Myanmar. They are identified as a sub-group of Chin people. They live widely in some parts of northern Rakhine state, Chin state, the townships of Matupi and Paletwa, and the regions of Samechaung and Michaung. They are Tibeto-Burman and have their own language, culture and customs which are still in existence. For Chin specifically, the Mro People are one of 53 sub-groups identified by the government of Myanmar. According to the Rakhine Chronicles, the Mro people were the first people who enter Rakhine land. They call themselves as Khami. It means 'human'. Mro people has their own language, culture. There are more than 100 clans.

The Lai languages or Pawih/Pawi languages are various Central Kuki-Chin-Mizo languages spoken by the Lai people or Pawi. They include “ Laiṭong” (Falam-Chin) spoken in Falam district, Laiholh (Hakha-Chin) spoken around the Haka (Hakha/Halkha) capital of Chin State in Burma (Myanmar) and in the Lawngtlai district of Mizoram, India. In Bangladesh, a related language is spoken by the Bawm people. Other Lai languages are Mi-E, and the Zokhua dialect of Hakha Lai spoken in Zokhua village.

Falam Chin is a Kuki-Chin language in Falam Township, Chin State, Myanmar, and also in Mizoram, India.

Mro-Khimi is a Kuki-Chin language of Burma spoken by the Mro-Khimi people. The Mro-Khimi varieties share 91% to 98% lexical similarity. Mro-Khimi is 86%–90% lexically similar with the Likhy variety of Eastern Khumi, 81%–85% with Lemi variety of Eastern Khumi, and 77%–81% with Kaladan Khumi.

Khumi or Khumi Chin, is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language of Burma, with some speakers across the border in Bangladesh. Khumi shares 75%–87% lexical similarity with Eastern Khumi, and 78-81% similarity with Mro-Khimi.

Senthang is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language of Burma. The Senthang dialects share 79% to 95% lexical similarity.

Daai, which borders the Mün and Ütbü language groups, is a Kuki-Chin-Mizo language of Burma. It is spoken in 142 villages in Kanpetlet, Matupi, Mindat, and Paletwa townships in Chin State, Burma (Ethnologue).

Welaung, also known as Rawngtu Chin, is a purported Kuki-Chin-Mizo languages of Burma. It is spoken in Mindat township, Chin State, as well as in 2 villages of Htilin township, Magway Region.

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Anu-Hkongso is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken between the Kaladan and Michaung rivers in Paletwa Township, Chin State, Burma. It is closely related to Mru, forming the Mruic language branch, whose position within Sino-Tibetan is unclear. It consists of two dialects, Anu (Añú) and Hkongso.

Lutuv, widely known as Lautu Chin, is a Kuki-Chin language spoken in 16 villages in Matupi townships, Thantlang townships and Hakha townships, Chin State, Myanmar. The Lautu Chin dialects share 90%–97% lexical similarity. Lautu Chin has 87%–94% lexical similarity with Mara Chin, 82%–85% with Zophe Chin, 80%–86% with Senthang Chin.

Kaang is a Kuki-Chin language spoken by about 35,000 people in Mindat Township and Matupi Township, Chin State, Burma. There are three sub-groups under Kaang, namely Zo Kaang, Puei Kaang, and Cum Kaang. Kaang has 73% to 80% lexical similarity with Welaung, 77% to 79% similarity with Müün Chin, and 67% to 80% with Daai Chin.

Laitu is a Kuki-Chin language of Burma. It is partially intelligible with Sumtu Chin. In Sittwe District, Rakhine State, Laitu is spoken in Minbya, Mrauk-U, and Myebon townships, and is also spoken in Paletwa township, Chin State. Laitu has 91-96% lexical similarity with Sumtu Chin and Songlai Chin, 85-89% similarity with Chinbon Chin, and 82-84% lexical similarity with Asho.

Rungtu, 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 Rungtu, Central Rungtu, and Southern Rungtu.

Songlai is a Kuki-Chin language of Burma. It is 90% lexically similar to Laitu Chin, but not mutually intelligible. Dialects are Doitu, Hettui, Mang Um (Song), and Lai.

Makury, or Makury Naga, is a Naga language of India and Myanmar. Shi (2009:3) and Saul (2005:25) suggest that Makury may be an Ao language. The Makury dialects share 93% lexical similarity.

Thaiphum is a Southern Kuki-Chin language spoken in 4 villages of Matupi township, Chin State, Burma. Thaiphum is partially intelligible with neighboring languages, such as the Eastern Khumi varieties of Khenlak, Asang, and Rengcaa. Thaiphum has 72%–75% lexical similarity with Eastern Khumi, 69%–71% with Khumi, 65%–68% with Mro-Khimi, and 66%–71% with Matu Chin.

References

  1. ↑ Matu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. 1 2 "Myanmar". Ethnologue: Languages of the World. 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-10-10.


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