Biate

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
biu
Alternate Names
Baite, Bedesa, Beite, Bete, Beteh, Biete, Hadem
Autonym
Biate
User Population

19,000 (IMA 1997).

Location

Assam state: North Cachar Hills district; Manipur state; Meghalaya state: Jaintia hills district; Mizoram state: Aizawl district, Darlawn, New Vervek, and Ratu villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

5* (Developing).

Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Kuki-Chin, Central, Mizo
Dialects

None known. Reportedly similar to Hrangkhol [hra], and similar enough to Mizo [lus] and Hmar [hmr] that they can be read with comprehension.

Language Use

Home, village, church. Also use English [eng]. Also use Hindi [hin], especially in Assam. Also use Khasi [kha], in Meghalaya. Also use Mizo [lus]. Also use War-Jaintia [aml], in Meghalaya. Used as L2 by Sakachep [sch].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: 56%. Literature. Bible: 1985–2005.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Biate
Writing

Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

An ethnic subgroup of the Mizo. Not the same as the Biate dialect of Chin Thado [tcz] (Breton 1997). Christian.