Changki Ao language

Changki Ao is one of the dialects of the Ao language. The term "Changki" refers to the name of a village where it is spoken, which is located in the Jangpetkong range, one of the six mountain ranges in the Ao region. It is the smallest of the three Ao languages, the other two being Chungli Ao, the prestige dialect, and Mongsen Ao. Changki has historically been considered a subgroup of Mongsen, but there are notable differences between the two; intelligibility between Changki and Mongsen may only be a recent phenomenon.

Location and prevalence

Using information from the 2011 Indian census, it was estimated that there could be around 10,000 speakers of Changki (and its varieties). This estimation derived from combining the populations of 8 villages and hamlets, in which researchers found Changki speakers (around 3,200 people), and an estimated 6,000-7,000 people from those villages that live in surrounding towns and cities.

Phonology

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (December 2025)

The following phonology is derived from Temsunungsang & Changkija (2025).

References