The Nagas occupy the mountainous ranges forming Assam’s eastern frontier with Burma. Though believed to have sprung from a common stock, they are now divided into many independent tribes, often hostile, and speaking distinct dialects. Their languages display marked affinity to Burmese, Bhutanese, Tibetan, and especially to the Miri and Abor tongues of the Assam–Tibet border. Scholars note that differences between Naga dialects are scarcely greater than those among Tartar dialects. Excluding the Angamis of the extreme south, three main families of dialects are identified: (1) Namsang, Bor-Duor, and Joboka; (2) Mulung and Tablung; and (3) Tengsa, Nogaung, and Khari. These tribes inhabit regions from Jaipur and Sibsagor to Jorhat, where they gather in large numbers for trade, particularly in the cold season. Estimates suggest that the Nagas connected with Jorhat alone number around two hundred thousand. Vocabulary specimens collected by missionaries and officials provide valuable insight into their speech, culture, and intertribal relations.
