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TheKuki-Chin languages (also calledKukish^[2] orSouth-Central Tibeto-Burman languages) are a branch of theSino-Tibetan language family spoken in northeasternIndia, westernMyanmar and southeasternBangladesh. Most notable Kuki-Chin-speakingethnic groups are referred to collectively as theZo people which includes theMizo,Kuki,Chin andZomi people.

Kuki-Chin is alternatively calledSouth-Central Trans-Himalayan (orSouth Central Tibeto-Burman) by Konnerth (2018), because of negative connotations of the term "Kuki-Chin" for many speakers of languages in this group.^[3]

Kuki-Chin is sometimes placed underKuki-Chin–Naga, a geographical rather than linguistic grouping.

• Northwestern ("Old Kuki"):Chandel district of Manipur, India;Tamu Township of Sagaing Region, Myanmar.
• Northeastern ("Kuki-Zo"):Chandel district,Churachandpur district,Kangpokpi district,Noney district,Tamenglong district, andTengnoupal districts of Manipur, India;Tedim Township of Chin State, Myanmar;Tamu Township of Sagaing Region, Myanmar.
• Central: whole state ofMizoram, India;Pherzawl district of Manipur, India; parts ofCachar district and parts ofKarbi Anglong district of Assam, India; parts ofEast Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, India;Falam Township,Hakha Township, andThantlang Townships of Chin State, Myanmar;Kalay Township andKhampat area of Sagaing Region, Myanmar, parts ofChittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.
• Maraic: majority ofSiaha district ofMizoram, India; parts ofMatupi Township of Chin State, Myanmar.
• Southern:Kanpetlet Township,Matupi Township,Mindat Township,Paletwa Townships of Chin State, Myanmar; parts of theArakan Range of Rakhine State, Myanmar; parts ofChittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.
• Khomic:Paletwa Township of Chin State, Myanmar; parts ofChittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh.

TheKarbi languages may be closely related to Kuki-Chin, but Thurgood (2003) and van Driem (2011) leave Karbi unclassified within Sino-Tibetan.^[4][5]

The Kuki-Chin branches listed below are from VanBik (2009), with theNorthwestern branch added fromScott DeLancey, et al. (2015),^[6] and theKhomic branch (which has been split off from theSouthern branch) from Peterson (2017).^[7]

Darlong andRanglong are unclassified Kuki-Chin language.

The recently discoveredSorbung language may be mixed language that could classify as either a Kuki-Chin orTangkhul language.^[8]

Anu-Hkongso speakers self-identify as ethnicChin people, although their language is closely related toMru rather than to Kuki-Chin languages. TheMruic languages constitute a separate Tibeto-Burman branch, and are not part of Kuki-Chin.^[7]

Kenneth VanBik classified the Kuki-Chin languages based on sharedsound changes (phonological innovations) from Proto-Kuki-Chin as follows.^[9]

David A. Peterson's internal classification of the Kuki-Chin languages is as follows.^[10]

Peterson'sNortheastern branch corresponds to VanBik'sNorthern branch, while Peterson'sNorthwestern corresponds to theOld Kuki branch of earlier classifications.

• Lai languages
• Pau Cin Hau script
• Kuki-Chin Swadesh lists (Wiktionary)

• Button, Christopher (2011).Proto Northern Chin(PDF). STEDT Monograph. Vol. 10.ISBN 0-944613-49-7.OCLC 1013268663.
• Hill, Nathan W. (2014)."Proto-Kuki-Chin initials according to Toru Ohno and Kenneth VanBik".Journal of the Southeast Asian Linguistics Society.7:11–30.
• Lam Thang, Khoi (2001).A Phonological Reconstruction of Proto Chin(PDF) (MA thesis). Chiang Mai: Payap University.
• Mann, Noel; Smith, Wendy (2008)."Chin bibliography"(PDF). Chiang Mai: Payap University. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 23 April 2019.
• Dal Sian Pau, S. (2014).The comparative study of Proto-Zomi (Kuki-Chin) languages. Lamka, Manipur, India: Zomi Language & Literature Society. – Comparative word list ofPaite,Simte,Thangkhal,Zou,Kom,Paite orTedim, andVaiphei
• Smith, Wendy; Mann, Noel (2009)."Chin bibliography with selected annotations"(PDF). Chiang Mai: Payap University. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 30 October 2019.

• Tlângsam: Latest News in Hmar language – Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, NE India
• Recent Advances in Kuki-Chin Linguistics

• Kuki-Chin languages
• Languages of India
• Languages of Bangladesh

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