Sino-Tibetan Languages — Definition

Definition

Sino-Tibetan is a broad conventional linguistic label associated with Chinese and many languages of the Himalayan and adjoining Asian regions. Indian sources often use Tibeto-Burman or Tibeto-Burmese terminology for relevant Himalayan and North-Eastern languages.

The source’s classification must be identified before making comparisons. The 2011 Census language paper places Bodo, Manipuri and Garo in its Tibeto-Burmese grouping, while Khasi and Assamese belong to other groups.

Geography, script and constitutional recognition answer different questions from linguistic ancestry, so none should be treated as a substitute for a language-family classification.