Teena29I554 at 20:55, 11 February 2026

2026-02-11T20:55:13Z

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{{Short description|Sino-Tibetan language spoken in India}}
{{Distinguish|Amailon}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Aimol
| altname =
| nativename =
| states = [[India]]
| region = [[Manipur]], [[Assam]]
| ethnicity = [[Aimol people|Aimol]]
| speakers = 3000
| date = 2011 census
| ref = e18
| familycolor = Sino-Tibetan
| fam2 = [[Tibeto-Burman languages|Tibeto-Burman]]
| fam3 = [[Kuki-Chin–Naga languages|Kuki-Chin–Naga]]
| fam4 = [[Kuki-Chin languages|Kuki-Chin]]
| fam5 = [[Northwestern Kuki-Chin languages|Northwestern]]
| iso3 = aim
| glotto = aimo1244
| glottorefname = Aimol
| dia1 = Sutpong
| dia2 = Khutai
| dia3 = Langrong
| script = [[Latin script|Latin]], [[Meitei script|Meitei]] (to lesser extent)
}}
'''Aimol''', also known as '''Aimual''', is a [[Kuki-Chin languages|Kuki-Chin]] language, belonging to the [[Northwestern Kuki-Chin languages|Northwestern]] or "Old Kuki" subfamily,<ref>
{{citation |first=Graham |last=Thurgood |chapter=Sino-Tibetan: Genetic and Areal Subgroups |title=The Sino-Tibetan Languages |editor1=Graham Thurgood |editor2=Randy J. LaPolla |edition=2 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=2016 |isbn=9781315399492 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PDglDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA22 |page=22}}
</ref>
spoken by the [[Aimol people|Aimol]] people of [[Manipur]], [[India]]. It is considered endangered and has less than 3,000 speakers worldwide as per 2011 census.<ref name=ELP >Endangered Languages Project - http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/3700</ref> most speakers also use [[Meitei language]] as their [[second language]] (L2) according to the [[Ethnologue]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meitei {{!}} Ethnologue |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mni/ |access-date=2023-05-03 |website=[[Ethnologue]] |language=en}}</ref>

==Geographical distribution==
Aimol is spoken primarily in the Tengnoupal district, Chandel district, Kangpokpi district, and Churachandpur districts of [[Manipur]].<ref name=Haokip>Haokip, P. (2011). The languages of manipur: A case study of the Kuki-Chin languages. Linguistics Of The Tibeto-Burman Area, 34(1), 85-118.</ref> Aimol is spoken in the following villages of [[Manipur]] state (''[[Ethnologue]]''). There are also small numbers of speakers in [[Assam]], [[Mizoram]], [[Tripura]], [[Nagaland]].

*[[Tengnoupal district]]: Aimol Khullen, Satu, Kumbirei, Chingnunghut, Aimol Tampak, Khodamphai, Aimol Ngairong, Chandonpokpi, Sibong (Khudengthabi), and Khomayai (Khunjai)
*[[Chandel district]]: Unapal
*[[Kangpokpi district]]: Tuikhang, Kharam Aimol
*[[Churachandpur district]]: Luichungbum (Louchulbung), Kha-Aimol

==Name==
The name of the language comes from the Aimol tribe of people who speak it. The word Aimol itself may come from the words ''Ai'' meaning "wild" and ''Mol'' meaning "hill".<ref name=Suantak>Suantak, K. (2011). Socio-Linguistic Paradigm of the Aimol. Language In India, 11(6), 36-49.</ref>

== Genealogical affiliation ==
Aimol is an [[Kukish languages|Old Kuki]] language. The language displays similar characteristics as other Old Kuki including [[Hmar language|Hmar]], [[Kom language (India)|Kom]], [[Koireng language|Koireng]], [[Kharam language|Kharam]], [[Purum language|Purum]], [[Chiru language|Chiru]], [[Chothe language|Chothe]], [[Tarao language|Tarao]], etc. However, most of the Old Kuki languages are not mutually intelligible with Aimol.<ref name=Suantak /> Additionally, Aimol is reportedly less influenced by Meitei, the lingua franca of the state of Manipur, as compared to the other neighboring languages.<ref name=Ruhemann>Ruhemann, B. (1948). The Relationship Terms of Some Hill Tribes of Burma and Assam. Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, 4, 155-198.</ref> Aimol is mutually intelligible with Kom. Speakers of the respective languages can understand each other when speaking in their own language. In terms of numeric structures, the two languages demonstrate extreme grammatical and structural similarities.<ref name=Haokip /><ref name=Suantak /> In the [[Linguistic Survey of India]], [[George Abraham Grierson|Grierson]] reported that all the Old Kuki languages, including Aimol, are all merely dialects of the same language. He also reported that these Old Kuki languages are closely related to the [[Kukish languages|Central Kuki]] languages.<ref name=Haokip /><ref name=LSI>Grierson, G. A. (1903). Linguistic Survey of India, 3. (reprint: 2005. Delhi: Low Price Publications).</ref>

== Status ==
The Aimol people are predominantly [[Christians|Christian]] and this community has helped with preserving the language. The [[New Testament]] has been translated, and there are significant audio samples of the language in the form of Bible studies and [[Gospel music|Gospel Songs]].<ref name="GRN">Global Recordings Network Aimol - http://globalrecordings.net/en/language/3822</ref> Aside from this there are several books as well as radio programs in Aimol.<ref name=":0" />

[[Meitei language|Meitei]] is the official language of Manipur and the lingua franca amongst the various tribes in the region. Most Aimol speakers are completely fluent in Meitei with many also speaking [[Hindi]] and [[English language|English]] for the same reasons. Meitei is the language of education with Aimo not being used in school and instead being used in the home.<ref name="Suantak" /><ref name="Haokip" /> The strong influence of the lingua franca is a considerable threat to the continued existence of Aimol and its survival in future generations. However, there have been efforts to preserve the Aimol culture, including the language.<ref name="TOI">Manipur tribe turns to music to preserve culture - The Times of India. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/Manipur-tribe-turns-to-music-to-preserve-culture/articleshow/24060212.cms/</ref><ref name=":0" />

The Aimol people themselves have a large amount of pride in their language and have taken effort to preserve it and encourage its usage.<ref name=":0" />

== Phonology ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Vowels<ref>{{Cite book |last=Okhup Aimol |first=Khochung |title=Aimol Dictionary (Aimual Chongbrianbuk) Amiol-English dictionary |isbn=978-93-5208-138-7 |pages=167 |language=en}}</ref>
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |[[Front vowel|Front]]
![[Central vowel|Central]]
! colspan="2" |[[Near-back vowel|Near-back]]
![[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
!Short
!Long
!Short
!Short
!Long
!Long
|-
![[Close vowel|Close]]
|[[Close front unrounded vowel|i]]
|[[Close front unrounded vowel|iː]]
|
|
|
|
|-
![[Near-close vowel|Near-close]]
|[[Close-mid front unrounded vowel|e]]
|
|
|[[Near-close near-back rounded vowel|ʊ]]
|[[Near-close near-back rounded vowel|ʊ:]]
|
|-
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|
|
|[[Mid central vowel|ə]]
|
|
|
|-
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-Mid]]
|
|[[Open-mid front unrounded vowel|ɛː]]
|
|
|
|[[Open-mid back rounded vowel|ɔ:]]
|-
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|
|[[Open front unrounded vowel|aː]]
|
|
|
|[[Open back rounded vowel|ɒ]]
|}

=== Phonotactics ===
Aimol has a relatively high consonant to vowel ratio of 4.5-1 and /CCVC/ [[Syllable structure|syllable]] structure.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SPPEL - Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages |url=https://www.sppel.org/aimolG.aspx |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=www.sppel.org}}</ref>

== Morphology and Syntax ==

=== Syntax ===
Aimol follows the traditional subject-object-verb word order, like the other [[Tibeto-Burman languages]], and uses postposition instead of preposition. Tone is an important feature of the language, as the certain pitch used can indicate multiple different words.

=== Pronouns ===
Aimol uses both suffixes and prefixes as pronouns, but the suffixes are only used in negative sentences.<ref name=":0" />
{| class="wikitable"
|+Prefix pronouns in Aimol<ref name=":0" />
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!1st person
|kə-
|kən-
|-
!2nd person
|nə-
|nən-
|-
!3rd person
|ə-
|ən-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Suffix Pronouns in Aimol<ref name=":0" />
!
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!1st person
| -kiŋ
| -siŋ
|-
!2nd person
| -ce
| -ceu
|-
!3rd person
| -k
| -u
|}

=== Gender ===
Aimol does not have [[grammatical gender]] but it lexically differentiates 3 genders: Male, Female, and Neuter. All words have Male and Female versions with the male version having the [[suffix]] /-pa/ and the female version having the suffiv /-nu/; in words with a neuter version the neuter version has neither suffix.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Language In India Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow |date=September 2017 |volume=17:9 |pages=2–12 |language=en |issn=1930-2940}}</ref>

Proper Names in Aimol that end in the suffixes:-pa, -tʰəŋ, -kʰup, -boi, -ŋir, -reŋ, -lal, soŋ, and -pu are considered to be male while those that end in:-nəi, -kim, -hui, -pi, -nu, and -kip are considered female. The suffix /-pu/ is an honorific suffix for men while /-pi/ is an honorific suffix for woman.<ref name=":0" />

For animals the suffix /-kʰoŋ/ is male for birds and /-cəl/ is male for animals, insects, and plants while the suffix /-pui/ is female. For plants the male marker is used for barren plants while the female marker is used for ripe ones.<ref name=":0" />
{| class="wikitable"
|+Gendered Suffixes in Aimol<ref name=":0" />
!Male
!Translation
!Female
!Translation
!Neuter
!Translation
|-
|suəkpa
|Male slave
|suəknu
|Female slave
|suək
|Slave
|-
|pəsəlnai
|boy
|numəinai
|girl
|N/a
|N/a
|-
|sehrat-cəl
|bull
|sehrat-pui
|cowl
|
|
|-
|watʰəpi-cəl
|Male Papaya
|watʰəpi-pui
|Female Papaya
|
|
|}

=== Plural ===
The suffix /-ŋai/ is used to pluralize nouns; it can be added to proper nouns to imply plurality, or added to [[Demonstrative|demonstrative pronouns]] to create plurality. The suffix /-ni/ is used after pronouns to pluralize them.<ref name=":0" />
{| class="wikitable"
|+Pluralization of nouns in Aimol<ref name=":0" />
!Singular
!Translation
!Plural
!Translation
|-
|naipəŋ
|Child
|naipəŋ-ŋai
|Children
|-
|coŋnu
|Chongu
|coŋnu-ŋai
|Chongu and her group
|-
|kəi
|I
|kəi-ni
|We
|-
|hiwǝhi
|This
|hiwa-ŋai-hi
|These
|}
Plurality can also be conveyed via deduplication with /tu-/ meaning "who is" and /tutu-/ meaning "who are" and /i-/ being able to be reduplicated to go from meaning "what thing" to meaning "what things".<ref name=":0" />

The final method of forming the plural is to use various words that convey plurality; these words include:/ətəm/ “many/much”, /əbo/ “pair”, /əbuk/ “pile”, /əreŋŋa/ “all”, /ərup/ “crowd”, /alo/ “bundle”, /awer/ “some”.<ref name=":0" />

There are very few written records of the Aimol language. Much of what has been recorded were samples from Grierson. Younger generations use Latin script, while older generations use "Manipuri written in Bengali script."<ref name="Haokip" /> Additionally, a version of the [[Bible]] has been recently completed and released.<ref name="Bible">Welcome to Bible Society of India Aimol New Testament http://www.bsind.org/aimol.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403055255/http://www.bsind.org/aimol.html|date=2013-04-03}}</ref> This should greatly benefit the translation and preservation process.

===Numerals===
Cardinal numbers in Aimol are formed by using simple addition and/or multiplication compounds. The numbers between 11-19 are formed by taking the word for ten ''som'' and the respective number between 1–9, and using the connective word ''ləj''. For example, the word for fifteen is ''som-ləj-raŋa'', which is formed by the words for ten-connective-five. The decade, century, and thousand numbers are formed by using a multiplication compound. To illustrate this principle further, the word for three hundred is {{Transliteration|aim|rethum}}, which is formed by the root ''re-'', and the word for three ''ənthum'' (the prefix ''ən-'' is dropped). Finally, for the numbers not divisible by 10, the two principles are combined. The word for 22 is ''somniləjthum'', which translate to ten-two-connective-two. In this instance, ''ten'' and ''two'' are multiplied to equal twenty which is connected to two.

====Ordinal Numerals====
Ordinal numerals are formed by adding the suffix ''cəŋnə'' to the base number. For example, second is expressed as ''ənni-cəŋnə'', meaning two-necessary suffix.

====Multiplicative Numerals====
Adding the prefix ''wəj-'' to a base numeral results in a multiplicative numeral. Fifth is expressed by ''wəj-rəŋə'', the prefix to the base word for 5.

====Fractional Numerals====
To express fractions, the prefix ''sem-'' is added to the denominator number, followed by the connective ''-ə-'', and then the word for the numerator. To express the fraction two-fifths, the word in Aimol is ''sem-rəŋə-ə-ənni''.

==Dialects==
The Langrong variety is distinct enough that some consider it a separate language. There are two dialects of Aimol proper, Sutpong and Khurai, which can perhaps be attributed to differing migration patterns, there are small differences between the two but they are completely mutually intelligible.

Most occurrences of Aimol writing are in Sutpong. This version makes use of glottal stops in word endings preceding by vowel sounds. Speakers of this dialect tend to take pride in speaking this dialect over Khurai.

Khurai usually does not use the glottal stops as is present in Sutpong. There is also less use of initial nasalized sounds in Khurai. There may be negative interpretations of the word ''Khurai'' which lead to the negativity with the dialect.<ref name=Haokip /> Additionally, the Khurai dialect is understood to borrow more words from Meitei and other neighboring languages, though it is indisputable that both dialects take from and are influenced by other languages.

== Sample Text ==
{| class="wikitable"
|+1st Thessalonians 1-2
!Aimol<ref>{{Cite book |title=New testament Aimol Language |publisher=[[Bible Society of India]] |year=2016 |pages=429}}</ref>
!English<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bible Gateway passage: 1 Thessalonians 1 - New International Version |url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Thessalonians%201&version=NIV |access-date=2025-03-22 |website=Bible Gateway |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|Paul, Silas hale Timothi ning Thessalonika biakrup mingai chunga pa pathian le Jisu Khrista jiang a om mi lungsiat thei nale lunghip na ha nan chunga na pek rase.
Keinin nangni ranga phat rakip a Pathian jiang lam na kan nei hale Pathian ha kan manpak.
|Paul, Silas[a] and Timothy,To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.
We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.
|}

==See also==
*[[Aimol people]]
*[[Kuki people]]
*[[Tibeto-Burman languages]]
*[[Linguistic Survey of India]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
#(2013, August 22). The Times of India:; Manipur sets up cell to develop state languages. Times of India, The (Mumbai, India)
#Bose, J.K. (1934). Social Organisation of the Aimol Kukis. Calcutta: Calcutta University Press.
#Bradley, D. (1997). Tibeto-Burman languages and classification. Papers in Southeast Asian linguistics No.14, Tibeto-Burman languages of the Himalayas, 1-72.
#Bradley, D. (2012). The Characteristics of the Burmic Family of Tibeto-Burman. Language and Linguistics, 13, 171–192.
#Haokip, T. (2012). Revisiting English education amidst various local languages: situation in Manipur State. Language In India, (9). 404.
#Hodson, T.C. (1913). Note on the Numeral Systems of the Tibeto-Burman Dialects. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, 315–336.
#Hyslop, G., Morey, S., & Post, M. (2011). North East Indian linguistics, 3. New Delhi: Foundation Books.
#Matisoff, J. (1995). Languages and dialects of Tibeto-Burman. Sino-Tibetan Etymological Dictionary and Thesaurus Project, Centers for South and Southeast Asia Studies, University of California, Berkeley.
#Needham, R. (1960). A Structural Analysis of Aimol Society. Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde Deel 116, 1ste Afl., ANTHROPOLOGICA, 81-108.
#Pramodini, N. (2011). Sharing the Future: The Language Situation in Manipur. Language In India, 11(5), 404–421.

==External links==
* [http://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/3700 Aimol Profile at the Endangered Languages Project]

{{Sino-Tibetan languages}}
{{Kuki-Chin–Naga languages}}
{{Languages of Northeast India}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Endangered languages of India]]
[[Category:Endangered Sino-Tibetan languages]]
[[Category:Languages of Manipur]]
[[Category:Kuki-Chin languages]]
[[Category:Subject–object–verb languages]]

Aimol language - Revision history

Teena29I554 at 20:55, 11 February 2026