A short Youtube video on Bawm language of Bangladesh.
Also Known As:
Bawm, Banjogi, Bawng, Bawn, Bom, Chin (Bawm), Chin, Bawm
Dialects & Varieties
The Kuki-Chin Communities of Bangladesh: A Sociolinguistic Survey
Kim, Amy and Roy, Palash and Sangma, Mridul. 2011. The Kuki-Chin Communities of Bangladesh: A Sociolinguistic Survey. (SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2011-025.) SIL International. 126pp.
Vulnerable
80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
unknown
Native Speakers Worldwide
Speaker Number Trends
Speaker Number Trend 0
Almost all members of the community or ethnic group speak the language, and the number of speakers is stable or increasing.
0
Domains of Use
Domain Of Use 1
Used in most domains except for official ones such as government, mass media, education etc.
1
Transmission
Transmission -1
All members of the community, including children, speak the language.
-1
Speakers
Native or fluent speakers:
No results found.
Second-language speakers and learners
No results found.
Semi-speakers or rememberers
No results found.
Children:
No results found.
Young adults
No results found.
Older adults
No results found.
Elders
No results found.
Ethnic or community population
No results found.
Year information was gathered
No results found.
Comments on speakers
In Bangladesh, the Bawm use Bawm Chin among themselves and switch to Bangla, the national language of Bangladesh, or other neighboring languages such as when talking to non-Bawm speakers. Bangla, the official language, is the medium for education. However, there is a Bawm language education program which "is being run by their own efforts and is successful because of community members' cooperation. The result of this language education program is that Bawm children can freely read literature in their own language." (p.29)
Location and Context
Countries
Bangladesh
Location Description
The Bawm live in both Rangamati and Bandarban districts, but most are in Bandarban district. (p.11)
Government Support
No results found.
Institutional Support
There is not very much institutional support for Bawn Chin in Bangladesh communities.
Speakers' Attitude
very positive
Other Languages Used By The Community
Bangla; neighboring languages such as Marma and Lushai
Number of Other Language Speakers:
most
Domains of Other Languages:
None
Writing Systems
Standard orthography:
No results found.
Writing system:
latin scripts
Other writing systems used:
No results text.
Comments on writing systems:
No results found.
Recent Resources
Language Documentation, Research, and Archiving
Wordlist Appendix A
New Testament written in Bawm and also audio with speaking Bawm.