Kamarupan languages

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July 17, 2026

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The Kamarupan group is a classification of Tibeto-Burman languages spoken in northeastern India and adjacent regions of Myanmar and Bangladesh. This group includes languages previously categorized under Kuki-Chin-Naga, Abor-Miri-Dafla (Mirish), and Bodo-Garo (Barish). Languages like Karbi, Meitei, and Mru were not included in earlier classifications but are now considered part of Kamarupan.1

The Mirish languages within this group show significant lexical differences from general Tibeto-Burman languages, particularly in their numerals. The Kamarupan languages are considered a central area of diversification for the entire Tibeto-Burman family, with the Indian state of Nagaland alone hosting approximately 90 Tibeto-Burman languages and dialects.1

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Tibeto-Burman languages
The Kamarupan group
The Conspectus assigns the very numerous Tibeto-Burman languages of northeastern India and adjacent regions of Myanmar and Bangladesh to the Kuki-Chin-Naga, Abor-Miri-Dafla (what Shafer called Mirish), and Bodo-Garo (Shafer’s Barish) groups. Several other important languages of this area, including Karbi (Mikir), Meitei (Manipuri),…
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The Conspectus assigns the very numerous Tibeto-Burman languages of northeastern India and adjacent regions of Myanmar and Bangladesh to the Kuki-Chin-Naga, Abor-Miri-Dafla (what Shafer called Mirish), and Bodo-Garo (Shafer’s Barish) groups. Several other important languages of this area, including Karbi (Mikir), Meitei (Manipuri),…
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Tibeto-Burman languages
Tones
in Qiangic, Himalayish, and Kamarupan is more varied. These latter groups comprise both tonal and nontonal languages; even the tonal languages among them tend to have systems that are on the rudimentary side, often with only two or three contrasts, or with the tone-bearing unit larger than a single…
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in Qiangic, Himalayish, and Kamarupan is more varied. These latter groups comprise both tonal and nontonal languages; even the tonal languages among them tend to have systems that are on the rudimentary side, often with only two or three contrasts, or with the tone-bearing unit larger than a single…
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