War-Jaintia

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A language of Bangladesh

ISO 639-3
aml
Population

16,000 in Bangladesh (2003 SIL). 25% monolingual. Population total all countries: 41,900.

Location

Northeast along India border; Sylhet Division, Sylhet district, near Jaflong, Tamabil, Jaintiapur, and north of Raipur; Moulvi Bazar district, near Fenchuganj, Madhabkunda, Barlekha, Goalbari, Fultala, Alinagar, Islampur, Khajori, Rashidpur, Satgoan and Kamalganj. Also in India.

Language Maps
Language Status

6a (Vigorous).

Classification
Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Northern Mon-Khmer, Khasian
Dialects

War-Jaintia, War-Khasi. Lexical similarity: 86%–92% with dialects in Bangladesh; 83%–89% with War-Jaintia in India and Bangladesh; India variety 41%–45% with Pnar [pbv] (from scant data); 27%–35% with standard Khasi [kha]; 24%–28% with War dialect of Khasi.

Typology

SVO; prepositions; articles before noun heads; CV, CVC, CVV, V, VCV, CCV, CCVC; nontonal

Language Use

Vigorous. Home, village. Also use Khasi [kha], Bengali [ben], Sylheti [syl], or English [eng].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 40% Bengali; many are literate in standard Khasi [kha]. Using Latin script for War-Jaintia produces some pronunciation problems but eases transition into Khasi. Taught in primary schools. Grammar.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about War-Jaintia
Writing
Unwritten.
Other Comments

Learning standard Khasi [kha] is important due to affinity with the larger Khasi ethnic group. Standard Khasi has high prestige. Christian, traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

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