Ao is a prominent language spoken in which state?

Ao is the language of the Ao Naga tribe, one of the major Naga tribes of Nagaland. The Aos live mainly in Mokokchung district, which is regarded as the cultural and intellectual centre of the Aos. Ao belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family and has two main dialects, Chungli and Mongsen.

The Aos were among the first Naga tribes to accept Christianity, after the American Baptist missionary Edward Winter Clark started work among them in 1872 at Molungkimong (Dekahaimong). Missionaries wrote the Ao language in the Roman (Latin) script. Today, most Naga languages are written in the Roman script.

The Ao people celebrate the Moatsu festival in the first week of May, after sowing, and the Tsungremong festival in August, after the harvest.

Language situation in Nagaland:

Nagaland has 17 major Naga tribes, including the Ao, Angami, Sema (Sumi), Lotha, Konyak, Chakhesang, Rengma, Phom and Chang. Each tribe has its own language, and many are not understood by other tribes.

Because of this diversity, English is the official language of Nagaland. Nagaland adopted English as its official language in 1967.

People from different tribes usually communicate in "Nagamese", a creole language based on Assamese, which serves as the lingua franca (common language) of the state.

The Hornbill Festival, held every year in the first week of December (1-10 December) at Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima, showcases the culture of all the Naga tribes. Nagaland became the 16th state of India on 1 December 1963.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Mizoram's main language is Mizo.
• ✗Meghalaya's main languages are Khasi and Garo.
• ✗Arunachal Pradesh has many tribal languages, such as Adi, Nyishi and Apatani, and uses English as its official language.