Lotha language
| Lotha | |
|---|---|
| Native to | Nagaland, India |
| Region | West-central Nagaland, Workha district |
| Ethnicity | Lotha Naga |
Native speakers | 170,000 (2001 census)[1] |
Sino-Tibetan
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | njh |
| ELP | Lotha Naga |
The Lotha (Lhota) language is spoken by approximately 166,000 people in the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland. It is centered in the small district of Wokha (capital Wokha). This district has more than 114 villages such as Pangti, Maraju (Merapani), Englan, Baghty (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 script, 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 an influence of Assamese and Hindi. The language has been carried to all parts of the country by the waves of emigrants.
References
- ^ Lotha at Ethnologue (17th ed., 2013)
