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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). The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

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). 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. 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.

Geographical distribution

Thadou is spoken in the following locations (Ethnologue).

• Northeast India
  • Manipur
    • Chandel district
    • Churachandpur district
    • Senapati district
    • Kangpokpi district
    • Tengnoupal district
    • Pherzawl district
  • Assam
    • Karbi Anglong (Mikil Hills)
    • NC hills (Dima Hasoa)

Dialects

Ethnologue lists the following dialects of Thadou, the names of which mostly correspond to clan names. There is high mutual intelligibility among dialects.

• Lupho
• Lupheng
• Misao
• Hangsing
• Chongloi
• Khongsai
• Kipgen
• Langiung
• Sairang
• Thangngeo
• Haokip
• Sitlhou
• Touthang
• Haolai
• Singson (Shingsol)
• Hanghal
• Lhouvum
• Mate
• Lhungdim
• Baite

The Saimar dialect is only spoken by 4 people in one village, which is located in Tripura.

Phonology

Consonants

• /p t k/ are heard unreleased as in word-final position.
• /ts/ is heard as more apical [ts̺] when occurring before front and central vowels.
• /x/ can have a cognate of an aspirated velar plosive [kʰ] in the dialect spoken in Burma.
• /ɬ/ can have an allophone of [l̥] in word-medial position.

Vowels

References

1. ^ Thadou–Kuki at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
2. 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.
3. "Meitei | Ethnologue". Ethnologue. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
4. "Just 4 people keep a language alive". The Hindu. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
5. 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.
6. "Just 4 people keep a language alive". The Hindu. 18 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
7. Haokip, Marykim (2014). Grammar of Thadou-Kuki: A Descriptive Study. New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

Further reading

• Haokip, Pauthang (April 2011). "The Languages of Manipur: A Case Study of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo Languages" (PDF). Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area. 34 (1): 85–118. doi:10.15144/LTBA-34.1.85. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
• "History". thethadou.webs.com. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
• "Thado Chin". Endangered Languages Project. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
• "Thado Chin". Glottolog. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
• "Thado Chin Rosary Prayers". marysrosaries.com. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
• "Thadou". Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Retrieved 3 May 2017 – via Encyclopedia.com.
• "Thadou Kuki language". globalrecordings.net. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
• "The Thadou (or Thado)". Retrieved 9 March 2017.
• "Where on earth do they speak Chin, Thado?". verbix.com. Retrieved 10 March 2017.

v t e Sino-Tibetan branches
Western Himalayas (Himachal, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim)	West Himalayish Tamangic Newaric Newar Baram–Thangmi Kiranti Dhimalish Dhimal Toto Lhokpu Lepcha Greater Magaric Magaric Magar Kham Chepangic Chepang Bhujel Raji–Raute Dura–Tandrange
Eastern Himalayas (Tibet, Bhutan, Arunachal)	Bodish Tibetic East Bodish Tshangla Basum Nam? Gongduk ʼOle Tani Chamdo
Myanmar and Indo- Burmese border	Karbi Kuki-Chin Mruic Mru Hkongso Pyu Taman "Naga" Ao Angami–Pochuri Meitei Tangkhulic Zeme Sal Boro–Garo Konyak Jingpho–Luish
East and Southeast Asia	Sinitic Bai Tujia Nungish Karenic Gong Kathu Cai–Long Caijia Longjia Luren Burmo-Qiangic Qiangic Gyalrongic Ersuic Naic Lolo-Burmese Mondzish Burmish Loloish
Dubious (possible isolates) (Arunachal)	Hrusish Hruso Mijiic Kho-Bwa Puroik Miju–Meyor Songlin Greater Siangic Siangic Koro Milang Idu–Taraon
Proposed groupings	Central Tibeto-Burman Kuki-Chin–Naga Macro-Bai Mahakiranti Rung Tibeto-Burman Tibeto-Kanauri
Proto-languages	Proto-Sino-Tibetan Proto-Tibeto-Burman Proto-Loloish Proto-Karenic Proto-Min Proto-Hakka
Italics indicates single languages that are also considered to be separate branches.

• Languages of Manipur
• Languages of Tripura
• Endangered languages of India