In defense of Kamarupan

Abstract

For some time now I have been using the term Kamarupan as a collective rubric for the dozens of Tibeto-Burman languages of Northeast India and adjacent areas of Western Burma? Bangladesh, and Tibet (see, e.g. JAM 1991) This is the center of linguistic diversity of the whole TB family, including subnuclei of languages that have been grouped into Kuki-Chin-Naga, Bodo-Garo (Barish), Mirish (Abor-Miri-Dafla), as well as several languages which cannot so far be classified (e.g. Meithei, Mikir, Mm, Sulong). This vast region has also been home to speakers of Tai (Ahom, Thai Khamti), Austroasiatic (Khasi, Santali), and Indo-Aryan languages, creating an ethnic and linguistic mosaic with a complicated history.