Page Type: languageGaro | Ethnologue

GRT ISO 639-3

Garo

Mande Autonym

A language of India

ISO 639
grt
Alternate Names
Garrow, Mandi
Autonym
Mande
Population
1,150,000 in India (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 1,270,000.
Location:
Assam state: Goalpara, Kamrup, and Karbi Anglong districts; Meghalaya state: Garo Hills district; Nagaland state: Kohima district; Tripura state: south Tripura district, Udaipur sub-district; north Tripura district, Kailasahar and Kamalpur sub-districts; west Tripura district, Sadar sub-district; West Bengal state: Jalpaiguri and Koch Bihar districts.
Language Status
2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Meghalaya State (1950, Constitution, Articles 347), unscheduled language.
Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Sal, Boro-Garo
Dialects
A’beng (A’bengya, Am’beng), A’chick (A’chik, A’we, Chisak, Dual, Matchi), Dacca, Ganching, Kamrup. A’chick is the standardized dialect in India. A’beng dialect used in Bangladesh, but is not mutually intelligible. Reportedly most similar to Koch [kdq].
Typology
SOV; postpositions; case-marking (9 cases); numeral classifiers; tense markers; 16 consonant and 5 vowels; non-tonal.
Language Use
Awe dialect, spoken in Assam, has few remaining speakers. Most use standard Garo. Used as L2 by Atong [aot], Hajong [haj], Koch [kdq], Lyngngam [lyg], Rabha [rah], Ruga [ruh].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 55% for Meghalaya (2001 census). General level of education is low compared to Khasi [kha]. Taught in primary schools. Literature. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1924–1994.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Garo
Writing
Bengali (Bangla) script [Beng]. Braille script [Brai], used since 1998. Latin script [Latn].
Other Comments
Christian.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Garo
User Population
120,000 in Bangladesh (2005).
Location
Dhaka division: Dhaka, Jamalpur, Madhupur, Netrokona, Sherpur districts; enclaves north, southwest and northwest of Mymensingh city; Sylhet division: Sylhet and Sunamganj districts.
Dialects
Abeng, Achik, Brak, Chibok, Dual.
Language Status
5 (Dispersed)
Other Comments
Abeng dialect is spoken but writing is in Achik. Christian, Hindu, traditional religion.
View other languages of Bangladesh

Map

Location: Assam state: Goalpara, Kamrup, and Karbi Anglong districts; Meghalaya state: Garo Hills district; Nagaland state: Kohima district; Tripura state: south Tripura district, Udaipur sub-district; north Tripura district, Kailasahar and Kamalpur sub-districts; west Tripura district, Sadar sub-district; West Bengal state: Jalpaiguri and Koch Bihar districts.