Biete

Print

A language of India

ISO 639-3
biu
Alternate Names
Baite, Bete, Biate
Population

19,000 (IMA 1997).

Location

Northeast Mizoram, Aizawl district, Darlawn, Ratu, and New Vervek villages; Assam, Cachar Hills; Manipur; Meghalaya, Jaintia hills district.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Sal, Kuki-Chin-Naga, Kuki-Chin, Northern
Dialects

Similar to Hrangkhol [hra], and similar enough to Mizo [lus] and Hmar [hmr] that they can be read with comprehension.

Language Use

Home, village, church. Also use Mizo [lus]; in Meghalaya they also use Khasi [kha] and War Jaintia [aml]. In Assam they use Hindi [hin].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 56%. Bible: 2005.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Biete
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

A Scheduled Tribe. An ethnic subgroup of the Mizo. Not the same as the Biate dialect of Chin Thado [tcz] (Breton 1997). Christian.