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Thadou or Thado Chin is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Northern Kuki-Chin-Mizo sub-branch. It is spoken mainly by the Thadou people and also the other Zo people/Kuki people tribes as their second language, as well as first in Northeast India (specifically in Manipur, Assam , Mizoram , Nagaland and also in Tripura). 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.

Thadou language is the second most spoken language in Manipur and was given the recognition of second language and main language in the Manipur hills during the British period.

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
    • Kamjong district
    • Noney district
  • Assam
    • Karbi Anglong (Mikil Hills)
    • NC hills (Dima Hasoa)
  • Nagaland
    • Peren district
    • phek district
    • Dimapur district
  • Mizoram
• Myanmar
  • Chin state
  • Sagaing region
  • Kachin State

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
• Guite
• Kholhou
• Changsan
• Singsit
• Hanghal/Lhanghal
• Doungel
• Milhiem
• Dimngel
• Lunkim
• Lhoujem
• Lotjem
• Saimar

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) [REDACTED]
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.
3. "Meitei | Ethnologue". Ethnologue. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
4. "Just 4 people keep a language alive". The Hindu. 18 July 2012. 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. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
6. "Just 4 people keep a language alive". The Hindu. 18 July 2012.
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

• Did you know Thado Chin is severely endangered? (n.d.). Retrieved 10 March 2017, from http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/5702
• Haokip, P. (2011). Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area. THE LANGUAGES OF MANIPUR: A CASE STUDY OF THE KUKI-CHIN-MIZO LANGUAGES*, 34.1 (April), 85-118. Retrieved 9 March 2017, from https://dx.doi.org/10.15144/LTBA-34.1.85
• History. (n.d.). Retrieved 9 March 2017, from http://thethadou.webs.com/history.htm
• MultiTree: A Digital Library of Language RelationshipsMultiTree: A Digital Library of Language Relationships. (n.d.). Retrieved 8 March 2017, from http://multitree.org/codes/tcz.html
• "Thadou." Encyclopedia of World Cultures. . Retrieved 3 May 2017 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/thadou
• Thado Chin. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 March 2017, from http://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/thad1238
• Thado Chin Rosary Prayers. (n.d.). Retrieved 7 March 2017, from http://www.marysrosaries.com/Chin_Thado_prayers.html
• Thadou Kuki language. (n.d.). Retrieved 10 March 2017, from https://globalrecordings.net/en/language/759
• The Thadou (or Thado). (n.d.). Retrieved 9 March 2017, from http://www.myanmarburma.com/attraction/174/the-thadou-or-thado
• Where on earth do they speak Chin, Thado? (n.d.). Retrieved 10 March 2017, from http://www.verbix.com/maps/language/ChinThado.html
• St George International Ltd. (n.d.). Retrieved 4 May 2017, from http://www.stgeorges.co.uk/blog/learn-english/how-many-people-in-the-world-speak-english

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