Thadou (Thadou pao)

Thadou is a member of the Kuki-Chin-Naga branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. It is spoken by about 313,000 people in the states of Manipur, Assam and Nagaland in the northeast of India, and in the Chin Hills in Chin State in the northwest of Myanmar.

Thadou is also known as Thadou-Kuki, Thado, Thado-Pao, Thado-Ubiphei, Thado, Thaadou Kuki, Kuki or Chin. Thadou speakers called their language Thadou pao ("Thadou language"). Dialects include Hangshing, Khongsai, Kipgen, Saimar, Langiung, Sairang, Thangngeo, Haokip, Sitlhou and Singson. It is closely related to Paite, Hmar, Simte, Kom, Gangte, and other langauges spoken in Manipur.

According to Thadou legend, they once had their own script, which they wrote on leather scrolls known as Savun Lekhajol. While the scrolls were being dried in the sun, a dog ate them and thus they lost their script.

Thadou was first documented by missionary Lt. R. Stewart in 1857. In 1927, the Bible was translated into Thadou by Dr. C. Crozier, a Christian missionary, and his wife, M.B. Crozier. Since then, a number of other books in and about the language have been published, and it is taught in schools and universities in Manipur.

Thadou alphabet and pronunciation

Download a Thadou alphabet chart (Excel)

Sample text (Lord's Prayer)

Chuin aman amaho jah-a, nangho natao tengule, Van'a um ka Pau, namin kijahen, nagam hunglhung hen, van'a nalung chan akim bangin, leija jong nalungchan kimhen,
Tunin kaneh khop dingu anneh neipeuvin.
Kalei bateu kangaidam bangun, keiho batjong ngaidamin. Chule lhepna-a neipuilut hih-un, agilouva konin neihuh doh jouvin; tiuvin ati.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1879/LUK.11.THADBSI

Translation

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Sample videos

Information about Thadou | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about Thadou
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thadou_language
https://www.scribd.com/document/659015122/Marykim-Haokip-Grammar-of-Thadou-Kuki-a-descriptive-study-JNU-2014
http://www.jneis.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/6.1.3.pdf
https://www.academia.edu/108598713/THADOU_MORPHOPHONEMICS
https://www.academia.edu/3757657/The_languages_of_Manipur_A_case_study_of_the_Kuki_Chin_languages

Kuki-Chin-Naga languages

Biete, Chiru, Falam, Hakha, Karbi, Kom, Mizo, Mongsen Ao, Paite, Tedim, Thadou, Zeme, Zotung, Zou

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 13.09.24. Last modified: 13.09.24

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