Tangkhul
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tangkhul is a tribe living in the regions around Manipur, Ukhrul District and Western Myanmar. They are also known as Hao.
Dialects: The most common dialect spoken, and used as a lingua franca is also called Tangkhul. However, there are many other dialects spoken; in fact the diversity of dialects within the area that the Tangkhul occupy is fascinating with almost every village having a different dialect. Neighbouring villages may share similarities but a villager from the southern part of the Tangkhul area would not be able to understand the dialects spoken by those in the north.
It is not known how Tangkhul, which is spoken by Hunphun (the traditional name of Ukhrul) village and which closely resembles the dialect spoken by the neighbouring Langdang and Shirui villages, became the most common dialect among the Tangkhuls or how it came to be called Tangkhul. It is suspected that it largely has to do with Ukhrul as the center of education in the early part of the 20th century, as also the fact that the Bible was first translated into the Hunphun dialect which later came to be called Tangkhul.
Classification Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Kuki-Chin-Naga, Naga, Tangkhul
Language development: Literacy rate in first language: Because of the diversity in dialects, it would be difficult to have a fair, standardize language to gauge the literacy level. However if the knowledge of Tangkhul is taken as an indicator, most young Tangkhuls are losing their grasp of the language, often preferring to use English to describe more complex ideas. English is taught in schools and the number of people able to read the Roman script is high. Almost all young people can read and write the Roman script; older people would be less proficient. Literacy rate in other language: 70% Meitei, English. Taught in primary schools. Roman script. Magazines. Newspapers. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1976.
