Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 1, 2026

Kharam language

Kharam is a Kuki-Chin language, belonging to the Northwestern or "Old Kuki" subfamily. According Ethnologue, Kharam shares a high degree of mutual intelligibility with Purum. The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.

Last revised
Aug 1, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
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135 w
Citations
3
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Kharam
Native toIndia
RegionManipur
EthnicityKharam people
Native speakers
(1,400 cited 2000)1
Language codes
ISO 639-3kfw
Glottologkhar1288  Kharam

Kharam is a Kuki-Chin language, belonging to the Northwestern or "Old Kuki" subfamily.2 According Ethnologue, Kharam shares a high degree of mutual intelligibility with Purum. The speakers of this language use Meitei language as their second language (L2) according to the Ethnologue.3

Geographical distribution

Kharam is spoken in the following locations of Manipur (Ethnologue).

  • Kangpokpi district: Purum Likli, Purum Khulen, Purum Khunou, Waicheiphai, and Moibung Likli villages
  • Chandel district: Lamlang Huipi, Chandanpokpi, Khongkhang Chothe, Loirang Talsi, Salemthar, Zat’lang, and New Wangparan villages
References

References

  1. Kharam at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Thurgood, Graham (2016), "Sino-Tibetan: Genetic and Areal Subgroups", in Graham Thurgood; Randy J. LaPolla (eds.), The Sino-Tibetan Languages (2 ed.), Taylor & Francis, p. 22, ISBN 9781315399492
  3. "Meitei | Ethnologue". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2023-05-03.