Meitei

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
mni
Alternate Names
Kathe, Kathi, Manipuri, Meiteilon, Meiteiron, Meithe, Meithei, Menipuri, Mitei, Mithe, Ponna
Population

1,470,000 in India (2001 census). Population total all countries: 1,485,000.

Location

Manipur; Assam, Cachar, Karimganji; Nagaland; Tripura, West and North Tripura districts; Uttar Pradesh; West Bengal. Also in Bangladesh.

Language Maps
Language Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Manipur State (1992, Constitution, 71st Amendment).

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

Loi (Chakpa), Meitei, Pangal (Manipuri Muslim, Panal, Panan). Intelligibility of Meitei in Bangladesh is difficult. Those in Bangladesh may understand India Meitei better than vice versa possibly due to more language change in Bangladesh over the years. India Meitei is more standard. Intelligibility between dialects in Bangladesh definitely sufficient to understand complex and abstract discourse. Lexical similarity: 80%–86% between dialects in Bangladesh, 65%–70% between Bangladesh and India varieties.

Typology

SOV; postpositions; articles before noun heads; CV, CVC, CVV, VC, VCV; nontonal

Language Use

Also use Hindi [hin].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 73% (2005 BI). Literacy rate in L2: 69% for Manipur (2001 census). Taught in primary schools. Poetry. Radio programs. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1984–2011.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Meitei
Writing
Bengali script. Braille script. Meetei Mayek script.
Other Comments

Mainly rural. 6 clans (Ningthonia, Luwang, Angom, Moirang, Khabanaganba, Chonglei). Hindu, traditional religion, Muslim, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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