Lotha language

language
familycolor=Sino-Tibetan
name=Lotha
nativename=Chizima, Choimi, Hlota, Kyong, Lhota, Miklai, Tsindir, Lutha, Lotha, Tsontsii
states=Nagaland, India
region=West-central Nagaland, Workha district
speakers=80,000 (1997)
fam2=Tibeto-Burman
fam3=Kuki-Chin-Naga
fam4=Naga
iso2=sit|iso3=njh

The Lotha language is spoken by approximately 80,000 people in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland. It is centered in the small district of Wokha (capital Wokha). This district has many villages such as Merapani, Englan, Pakti and others, where the language is widely spoken and studied. It belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages, which are primarily concentrated in that region. The language resembles its northern neighbor Ao, as well as the Meitei language spoken in the state of Manipur.

Lotha is written in the Latin alphabet, introduced by the British and American missionaries in the late 19th century. It is a medium of education up to the post-graduate level in the state of Nagaland. It is also the language in which the church sermons are preached. The Bible has been translated into the Lotha language, adding significantly to its vocabulary, which had already been deeply influenced by Assamese and Hindi. The language has been carried to all parts of the country by the waves of emigrants, most of whom are students and this has led to further enrichment of the language, which it is hoped will ensure the survival of the language for generations to come.

External links

* [http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=njh Ethnologue report for Lotha] .
* [http://www.rosettaproject.org/rosetta/A1/archive/sino-tibetan/asia/naga-lotha-kyong/gen-v1 Translation of the beginning of the Book of Genesis in Lotha] .