Standard Indian Nagamese Bible

Standard Indian Nagamese Bible (NAGISV)

Overview

The Standard Indian Nagamese Bible is a 2019 New Testament translation in Nagamese, produced by Bridge Connectivity Solutions Pvt. Ltd. as part of their Indian Standard Version (ISV) series. [1] The translation is released under a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike 4.0 license, making it freely available for distribution and adaptation. [1] Nagamese is an Assamese-lexified creole language that serves as the primary lingua franca among the diverse ethnic groups of Nagaland in northeastern India, where over twenty indigenous Naga tribes speak mutually unintelligible languages. [2]

Language and People

Naga Pidgin (ISO 639-3: nag) is spoken natively by approximately 30,000 people, but used as a second language by an estimated 80-90% of Nagaland’s approximately 2.2 million residents. [2] India, Map 5. [Glottolog: naga1394]

Nagamese developed as a pidgin language through contact between Naga hill tribes and Assamese traders in barter trade centers in the plains of Assam. [2] It expanded significantly after the 1930s, driven by missionary-led education and inter-tribal schools that used Assamese as the medium of instruction. [2] Although English is the official language of Nagaland, Nagamese functions as the socially neutral common language used in parliament meetings, religious gatherings, education, and healthcare. [2] Bridge Connectivity Solutions, the publisher, is an Indian technology company specializing in Bible translation and digital Scripture engagement across India’s many language groups, distributing translations through the VachanOnline platform. [3]

References