Read on Twitter![A thread on Northeast India. #India #Northeastindia #NorthEast[Will keep adding more content]](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ds7fClVU8AAprPe.jpg "A thread on Northeast India. #India #Northeastindia #NorthEast[Will keep adding more content]")
First thing one must understand is that NE is one of the most heterogeneous places in India, probably in the world too.
This small region of about 8 states has around 220 langugages belonging to different families. https://twitter.com/porbotialora/status/987785039969705985?s=19
This small region of about 8 states has around 220 langugages belonging to different families. https://twitter.com/porbotialora/status/987785039969705985?s=19
Languages here belong to different families like Tai, Tibeto-Burman, Indo-Aryan, Austroasiatic and some Dravidian too.
Examples:
Tai : Siamese (Central Thai), Ahom, Phake, Aiton, Khamti, etc
Austroasiatic : Khmer, Vietnamese, (Ka Ktien) Khasi, Pnar (Jaintia)
Examples:
Tai : Siamese (Central Thai), Ahom, Phake, Aiton, Khamti, etc
Austroasiatic : Khmer, Vietnamese, (Ka Ktien) Khasi, Pnar (Jaintia)
Indo-Aryan : Axomiya (Assamese), Bisnupriya Manipuri, Kamatapuri, etc
Dravidian : Thamizh (pronounced as Tamil), Kurukh (Yes, small numbers stay in Assam).
Tibeto-Burman : This is the most vast branch and the langugages of this family are not mutually intelligible with Mandarin
Dravidian : Thamizh (pronounced as Tamil), Kurukh (Yes, small numbers stay in Assam).
Tibeto-Burman : This is the most vast branch and the langugages of this family are not mutually intelligible with Mandarin
Just to give an idea how vast this family is, here is a map.
So, will try to give a gist ;)
So, will try to give a gist ;)
Tibetic : Tibetan, Ladakhi, Zanskari, Balti, Dzongkha (Bhutanese), Drenjong (Sikkimese/Bhutia)
Lolo Burmish : Bamar (Standard Burmese), Arakanese.
Karenic : Padaung (Kayan - you know those Burmese women with long gold hoops around their neck?), Pao
Lolo Burmish : Bamar (Standard Burmese), Arakanese.
Karenic : Padaung (Kayan - you know those Burmese women with long gold hoops around their neck?), Pao
Rung : Magar, Kiranti (both spoken in Nepal, Sikkim, Darjeeling), etc
Tani : Mishing, Nishi (spoken around Upper Assam and Arunachal)
Qiang : Zhaba, Queyu (spoken around Yunan)
Bodo-Garo : Bodo, Kokborok (Tripuri), Garo, Koch, Deori, Rabha, Dimasa, etc ( family lol
)
Tani : Mishing, Nishi (spoken around Upper Assam and Arunachal)
Qiang : Zhaba, Queyu (spoken around Yunan)
Bodo-Garo : Bodo, Kokborok (Tripuri), Garo, Koch, Deori, Rabha, Dimasa, etc ( family lol
)
Konyak : Konyak, Wancho, Nokte, etc The most spoken of the Naga tribes' langugages. [Fun fact : Nagas have like 46 tribes and each have their own language]
Naga : Ao, Tanghkhul, Zeme, Rongmai [ Some Naga langugages are suspected to be of different families altogether]
Naga : Ao, Tanghkhul, Zeme, Rongmai [ Some Naga langugages are suspected to be of different families altogether]
Meitei : Meiteilon (Manipuri) is a Tibeto-Burman langugage which is the lingua franca of the state of Manipur.
Kuki-Chin : Lushai (Mizo), Hmar, Kom, Zomi (Zou) etc. [Some Naga langugages like Purum, Kharam are also classified under this]
Kuki-Chin : Lushai (Mizo), Hmar, Kom, Zomi (Zou) etc. [Some Naga langugages like Purum, Kharam are also classified under this]
Another thing in the region is the phenomenon of linguistic shift.
An ethnic group speaking langugage of one family may shift to another in due course of time.
Mongoloid Nepalis originally spoke Tibeto-Burman langugages but many now speak Gorkhali (Nepali).
An ethnic group speaking langugage of one family may shift to another in due course of time.
Mongoloid Nepalis originally spoke Tibeto-Burman langugages but many now speak Gorkhali (Nepali).
Ahoms originally spoke Ahom (Tai) when they arrived but now speak predominantly Axomiya (Indo Aryan). Mongoloid Axomiyas are descendants of detribalized people who assimilated into the Assamese society.
Adding my threads about songs here. [Will keep expanding as I add more btw] https://twitter.com/porbotialora/status/1068176451755683840?s=19
