Tarao language

Tarao
Tarao Naga
Taraotrong
Native to	India
Region	Manipur
Ethnicity	Tarao people
Native speakers	(870 cited 2000)[1]
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Kuki-Chin Northwestern Kuki-Chin[2] Tarao
Language codes
ISO 639-3	tro
Glottolog	tara1313
ELP	Tarao Naga
Torao is classified as Critically Endangered language by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger[3]

Tarao, Taraotrong or Tarau is a Kuki-Chin language, belonging to the Northwestern or "Old Kuki" subfamily.^[2] It is marginally (70%) intelligible with Chothe.^{[4][verification needed]} The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.^[4]

Locations

According to the Ethnologue, Tarao is spoken in Heikakpokpi, Leishokching, and Khuringmul Laiminei villages in the Palel area of Chandel district, Manipur, as well as in Sinakeithei village of Ukhrul district, Manipur.

Singh (2011:109)^[5] lists the Tarao villages as Tarao Khullen (Tarao Laimanai), Leishok Ching, Khuringmul, and Heikamul in Chandel District, Manipur. There are also about 8 families in Shajkeithel, Ukhrul District. The 2001 census reported a population of 870 Tarao people.^[6]

References

1. Tarao at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
2. Thurgood, Graham (2016), "Sino-Tibetan: Genetic and Areal Subgroups", in Graham Thurgood; Randy J. LaPolla (eds.), The Sino-Tibetan Languages (2 ed.), Taylor & Francis, p. 22, ISBN 9781315399492
3. Moseley, Christopher; Nicolas, Alexander, eds. (2010). Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger (PDF) (3rd ed.). Paris: UNESCO. pp. 43–47. ISBN 978-92-3-104096-2. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022.
4. "Meitei | Ethnologue". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
5. Singh, Ch. Yashawanta. 2011. "Linguistic Ecology of Tarao." In Singh, Shailendra Kumar (ed). Linguistic Ecology of Manipur. Guwahati: EBH Publishers.
6. "Did you know Tarao Naga is endangered?". Endangered Languages. Retrieved 2023-05-12.