Dimasa

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
dis
Alternate Names
Dimasa Kachari, Grau Dima, Hills Kachari, Magrau
Autonym
Grao Dima
User Population

137,000 (2011 census).

Location

Assam state: north Cachar district and Cachar hills; Karbi Anglong and Nagaon districts; Nagaland state: Haflong district; Meghalaya and Mizoram states.

Language Maps
Language Status

5* (Developing).

Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Sal, Boro-Garo, Dimasa-Kokborok
Dialects

Hasao, Hawar, Dembra, Dijuwa, Humri, Semsa, Walgong. Related to Kachari [xac].

Typology

SOV; agglutinative; tonal; honorific.

Language Use

Largely assimilated into Bengali [ben] and Assamese [asm] communities (Van Driem 2007). Some also use Assamese [asm], especially in Karbi Anglong and Nagaon districts (Longmailai 2012). Some also use Bengali [ben], especially in Cachar plains (Longmailai 2012). Some also use Nagamese [nag], especially in Nagaland with speakers of other languages (Longmailai 2012). Also use English [eng]. Used as L2 by Sakachep [sch].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 60% in Assam (2001 census). Literature. Dictionary. NT: 2005.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Dimasa
Writing

Bengali (Bangla) script [Beng]. Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Some ethnic Dimasa speak other languages as L1: Mikir Karbi [mjw], Bengali [ben], and Assamese [asm]. Hindu, Christian, traditional religion.