Page Type: languageBiate | Ethnologue

BIU ISO 639-3

Biate

Biate Autonym

A language of India

ISO 639
biu
Alternate Names
Baite, Bedesa, Beite, Bete, Beteh, Biete, Hadem
Autonym
Biate
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 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.

Also Spoken in

Map

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