Alternate Names: Kathe, Kathi, Manipuri, Meiteilon, Meiteiron, Meithe, Meithei, Menipuri, Mitei, Mithe, Ponna
Dialects: Loi (Chakpa), Meitei, Pangal (Manipuri Muslim, Panal, Panan). Intelligibility of Meitei in Bangladesh is difficult. Those in Bangladesh may understand India Meitei better than vice versa possibly due to more language change in Bangladesh over the years. India Meitei is more standard. Intelligibility between dialects in Bangladesh definitely sufficient to understand complex and abstract discourse. Lexical similarity: 80%–86% between dialects in Bangladesh, 65%–70% between Bangladesh and India varieties.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 1,470,000 in India (2001 census). Population total all countries: 1,485,000.
Language Use: Also use Hindi [hin]. Used as L2 by Aimol [aim], Anal [anm], Chiru [cdf], Chothe Naga [nct], Gangte [gnb], Hmar [hmr], Inpui Naga [nkf], Kharam Naga [kfw], Koireng [nkd], Kom [kmm], Lamkang [lmk], Mao Naga [nbi], Maram Naga [nma], Monsang Naga [nmh], Moyon Naga [nmo], Purum [pub], Tarao Naga [tro], Thado Chin [tcz], Thangal Naga [nki].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 73% (2005 BI). Literacy rate in L2: 69% for Manipur (2001 census). Taught in primary schools. Poetry. Radio programs. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1984–2011.
Typology: SOV; postpositions; articles before noun heads; CV, CVC, CVV, VC, VCV; nontonal.
Writing System: Bengali, Braille, Meetei Mayek
Nation of Origin: India
Other Comments: Mainly rural. 6 clans (Ningthonia, Luwang, Angom, Moirang, Khabanaganba, Chonglei). Hindu, Christian, Muslim, traditional religion.