Tangkhul language

{{Short description|Sino-Tibetan language spoken in India}}

{{Contains special characters|Meitei}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2019}}

{{Infobox language

| name = Tangkhul

| nativename = Luhupa

| image = "Tangkhul" written in Meitei script.jpg

| imagecaption = Tangkhul written in Meitei script

| states = India

| region = Manipur, Nagaland

| ethnicity = Tangkhul people

| speakers = {{sigfig|142,000|2}}

| date = 2001

| ref = e18

| familycolor = Sino-Tibetan

| fam2 = Tibeto-Burman

| fam3 = Central Tibeto-Burman (?)

| fam4 = Kuki-Chin–Naga

| fam5 = Tangkhul–Maring

| fam6 = Tangkhulic

| dia1 = Ukhrul

| dia2 = Kupome (Luhupa)

| dia3 = Phadang

| iso3 = nmf

| glotto = tang1336

| glottorefname = East-Central Tangkhul Naga

| script =

• Latin script
• Meitei script (to lesser extent)

}}

Tangkhul is a Sino-Tibetan language of the Tangkhulic branch, spoken in different villages of Ukhrul district, Manipur, India. The term "Tangkhul" is derived from the Meitei language terms, {{transl|nmf|tāng}} ({{lang|mni-Mtei|ꯇꯥꯡ}}, {{gloss|scarce}}) and {{transl|nmf|khūl}} ({{lang|mni-Mtei|ꯈꯨꯜ}}, {{gloss|village}}).{{Cite book |last=Sanyu |first=Visier |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1D1uAAAAMAAJ&q=meitei+language+influence+on+tangkhul |title=A History of Nagas and Nagaland: Dynamics of Oral Tradition in Village Formation |date=1996 |publisher=Commonwealth Publishers |others=University of Michigan |isbn=978-81-7169-369-6 |pages=25 |language=en |quote=... a sparse nature of settlement that the Tangkhul tribe got its name. In Meitei language-literally, Tang means scarce and khul means village.}}

According to another theory, the term "Tangkhul" is derived from "Thankhul", meaning "Than village" in Meitei language.{{Cite book |last=Shimray |first=A. S. W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E1MwAQAAIAAJ&q=Meitei+language+Tang+Khul |title=History of the Tangkhul Nagas |date=2001 |publisher=Akansha Publishing House |isbn=978-81-87606-04-8 |pages=43 |language=en |quote=... the village which they lived was known by the name ' THANKHUL ' meaning Than - Village in Meitei language . Therefore , the name ' TANGKHUL ' is derived from Than - Khul ...}}{{Cite book |last=Lisam |first=Khomdan Singh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z6d-IyINtk4C&dq=Meitei+language+Tang+Khul&pg=PA516 |title=Encyclopaedia Of Manipur (3 Vol.) |publisher= Gyan Publishing House|year=2011 |isbn=978-81-7835-864-2 |pages=516 |language=en |quote=The name Tangkhul was given to them by the Meiteis. There are many legends regarding the origin of the word Tangkhul.}}{{Cite web |others=Government of India |title=History {{!}} Ukhrul District, Government of Manipur {{!}} India |url=https://ukhrul.nic.in/history/#:~:text=The%20name%20Tangkhul%20was%20given,means%20people%20with%20pierced%20earlobes. |website=National Informatics Centre |language=en, mni |quote=The name Tangkhul was given to them by their neighbours, the Meiteis. The northern Tangkhuls were also called the Luhupas.}}

Tangkhul became a written language for the first time in the year 1897, when William Pettigrew compiled "Tangkhul Primer and Catechism", during his Christian missionary activities.{{Cite web |last=S |first=Vangamla Salle K. |date=2023-11-26 |title=Manipur: Literature festival strives to promote Tangkhul language |url=http://www.eastmojo.com/manipur/2023/11/26/manipur-literature-festival-strives-to-promote-tangkhul-language/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=EastMojo |language=en-US}}

The Department of Language Planning and Implementation of the Government of Manipur offers a sum of {{INRConvert|5000|year=2013}}, to every individual who learns Tangkhul language, under certain terms and conditions.{{Cite web |title=Applications invited for local language training programme |url=https://www.ifp.co.in/manipur/applications-invited-for-local-language-training-programme |website=Imphal Free Press |language=en}}

Tangkhul shares 93%–94% lexical similarity with the Somra variety of Tangkhul, 31% with Tangkhul Naga spoken in India, 51%–52% with Akyaung Ari Naga, and 29%–32% with Koki Naga.{{Cite web |date=2016 |title=Myanmar |url=http://www.ethnologue.com/country/MM/languages |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010180533/http://www.ethnologue.com/country/MM/languages |archive-date=2016-10-10 |website=Ethnologue: Languages of the World}}