Central Kuki-Chin languages

Central Kuki-Chin is a branch of the Kuki-Chin languages. Central Kuki-Chin languages are spoken primarily in Mizoram, India and in Hakha Township and Falam Township of Chin State, Myanmar.

Central Kuki-Chin
Central Chin
Geographic distribution	Myanmar and Northeast India
Ethnicity	Mizo and Chin
Linguistic classification	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Central Tibeto-Burman (?) Kuki-Chin–Naga Kuki-Chin Central Kuki-Chin
Language codes
Glottolog	cent2330  (Central Kuki-Chin)

Official use

Mizo is the official language of Mizoram State, India.

Classification

VanBik (2009:23) classifies the Central Kuki-Chin languages as follows.

Central Kuki-Chin

• Pangkhua?

• Laamtuk Thet (Tawr): Laamtuk, Ruavaan dialects

• Lai languages

• • Hakha cluster: Halkha, Farrawn, Thantlang, Mi-E, Zokhua

• • Falam cluster: Bawm, Bualkhaw, Laizo, Lente, Khualsim, Khuangli, Sim, Tlaisun, Zanniat

• Mizo languages

• • Mizo cluster: Fanai, Hualngo, Lusei, Khiangte, Renthlei

• • Hmar cluster: Hmar

VanBik (2009) is unsure about the classification of Pangkhua, and tentatively places it within Central Kuki-Chin.

Sound changes

VanBik (2009) lists the following sound changes from Proto-Kuki-Chin to Proto-Central Chin.

• Proto-Kuki-Chin *k(ʰ)r-, *p(ʰ)r- > Proto-Central Chin *t(ʰ)r-

• Proto-Kuki-Chin *k(ʰ)l-, *p(ʰ)l- > Proto-Central Chin *t(ʰ)l-

• Proto-Kuki-Chin *y- > Proto-Central Chin *z-

See also

• Lai languages