Ethnologue

Nyishi

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Bangni, Dafla, Daphla, Lel, Nishi, Nisi, Nissi, Nyising

Autonym

Nil

Population

230,000 (2001 census). 23,000 speakers of Bangni dialect (Van Driem 2007).

Location

Arunachal Pradesh state: lower Subansiri district.

Language Maps

Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification

Dialects

Aka Lel, Bangni, Nishang. Reportedly similar to Tagin [tgj]. Apatani [apt] may be a dialect.

Language Use

All domains. Also use Miji [sjl]. Used as L2 by Miji [sjl], Puroik [suv].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 37%—46% (2001 census). Grammar. NT: 2002.

Language Resources

Writing

Bengali (Bangla) script [Beng]. Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Nisi is a Scheduled Tribe. Nisi has been used as a cover term for western Tani languages. Traditional religion, Christian, Hindu.