Alternate Names: Garrow, Mande, Mandi
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 ,.
Status Notes: Statutory provincial language in Meghalaya State (1950, Constitution, Articles 347), unscheduled language.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 889,000 in India (2001 census). Population total all countries: 1,009,000.
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. Radio programs. Films. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1924–1994.
Writing System: Bengali, Braille, Latin
Nation of Origin: India
Other Comments: A Scheduled Tribe. Christian.