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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > India > Miju-Mishmi

Miju-Mishmi

A language of India

ISO 639-3: mxj

Population  18,000. Population total all countries: 18,200.
Region  Arunachal Pradesh, Lohit District, 25 villages, high altitudes of east, upper Lohit and Dau valleys, area east of Haguliang, Billong, and Tilai valleys; Assam. Also in China.
Alternate names   Eastern Mishmi, Geman Dend, Gaman Deng, Kaman, Mishmi, Miji, Miju
Dialects  Conflicting reports about Miju-Mishmi [kjo] similarity to Idu-Mishmi [clk] and Digaro-Mishmi [mhu]. Reportedly intelligible but recorded Lexical similarity: is too low for this to be possible. Ethnically related, but may not be linguistically similar. Related to Kachin, Chin and Lepcha [lep] languages (Chowdhury 1996). Some linguists believe the language to also be similar to Jingpho [kac]. Lexical similarity 7% with Idu-Mishmi, 10% with Digaro-Mishmi (IICCC).
Classification  Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, North Assam, Tani
Language use  Some also use Digaru (Darang Deng [mhu]), Assamese [asm], Hindi, Nepali [nep], or English.
Language development  Literacy rate in L2: 40% for Mishmi. Grammar.
Writing system  Latin script.
Comments  A Scheduled Tribe, subgroup of Mishmi. Different from the Miji [sjl]. SOV; tonal, 4 tones which are reported to have a low functional load. Swidden agriculturalists. Buddhist, syncretism with traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

China

Language name   Geman Deng
Population  200 in China (1999 Sun Hongkai).
Region  Several townships in Chayu (Zayü) County, Nyingchi Prefecture, on tablelands either side of lower reaches of Chayu (Zayü) River in southeast corner of Tibet Autonomous Region, in their own small villages.
Language map  Southwestern China
Alternate names  Kaman, Keman, Miji, Miju, Mishmi
Language use  Vigorous. Used in the home. All ages. Most speakers also use Darang Deng [dat]. Some young people also use Chinese and/or Tibetan [bod].
Comments  Speakers are classified in the “Nationality Not Yet Determined” category. Traditionally hunter-gatherers; now agriculturalists. Traditional religion.