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The people residing in the southern part of the Jaintia Hills District, in the border area along international border with Bangladesh, preferred to call themselves as “WAR  Jaintia”, or simply “War”. Of course all the people in Khasi and Jaintia Hills who are inhabiting the southern slopes facing border areas with Bangladesh are known as ”WAR”. Being from the same Tribe as their brethen-U Khynriam , U Pnar & U Bhoi ,the Wars also have the same tradition and lifestyle, though there may be some variation here and there.

 **The Word "War" (Pronounce ’a’ as in ‘mar’) means Hill Slopes and in  Khasi literature it may mean ‘Sharinglum’. The word ‘War’ refers particularly Hill-Slopes of both Jaintia and Khasi facing the plains of Bangladesh. The people inhabiting these Hill-Slopes (War-land) are hence Called ‘Ki War’. For this reason ‘Ki-War’ refuse to be Called ‘ Ki Pnar’or ‘Pnars’, a name which some unscrupulous Writers Call them, War Jaintia, normally Comprise of villages from the those of Jarain, Thangbuli and Chkentalang down to the border with Bangladesh. People living along the National Highway 44 (NH 44) beyond river Lukha at Kuliang, Amkiang, Dona, Ratacherra can also be termed as ‘Wars’ by virtue of the Hill-Slopes facing Bangladesh and most people there, are of War-land.

Dialects: Rev. T. Rodborne was of opinion that the War Jaintias could be broadly divided into  five sections from the geographical point of view of their settlement and dialects spoken by them. One particular factor which differentiates the War Jaintia’s from their brethren- U Khynriam,U Pnar & U Bhoi is their dialect. In the War area of Jaintia hills, people of different villages speak different dialect which are totally different from the language/dialect spoken by the brethern. But unlike the different dialect spoken by different Naga tribes, the War Jaintia’s have no problem in understanding each other. The difference is, therefore, not that very wide except of course, in pronunciation and in naming thigs. A Khasi or a Jaintia (non-war) would find it very difficult to follow or understand any of the dialects except those who daily come into contact with the people, that too with great difficulty. The following story may help to prove this. R.S. Lyngdoh in his book- Ka History ka Thoh Ka Tar, Bynta I, told of a story of one business man who went to different markets both in Khasi and Jaintia Hills. This business man did not have much difficulty in understanding the various dialects spoken at different markets that he visited. But when he went to the market at Dawki, he shook his head with disappointment for he could not understand or follow a single word spoken by the War Jaintia’s at Dawki market. This obviously proves the wide gulf of difference of dialects of the War Jaintia’s from their other bretherns. (Even the much celebrated one particular sentence which many local scholars tried to translate into one of the War dialect is full of mistakes!). But they (War) have no problem in understanding and speaking both Khasi and Jaintia languages.

**War ‘langugage’ commonly known as Amwi Dialect is based (according to available literature) from the dialect of the villages of Jarain and Thangbuli. As Sohra dialect is to Khasi Literature, Amwi dialect is to War Jaintia. The tongue (pronunciation of Words) slightly changes from one village to another as one proceeds down east and west.

**However one may find some totally different words from among groups of Villages. The common Amwi Word for ‘what’ is ‘I-ae’ (pronounce I as in ‘in’ ae as in American ‘can’), but the people of Syndai and Trangblang, Muktapur will say it " Ibae-I", "Do" in English, is ‘Ni’ or ‘krom’ in Amwi but in Syndai-Trangblang term it is ‘kbiah’.

**The 'Juprow' or 'Jeprew' in general Amwi for 'Person'.Psaduwar -Kharkhana people near Muktapur will say it 'Myrso'(pronouce 'so'through the nostril).

**The inhabitants of Darang and Shnongpdeng near Dawki on the bank of Umngot river speak a language akin to that of Khasi-Wars,picking just a few words from Amwi dialect.They have many words of their own which are strange to Amwi;even to most Khasi-War dialects like the following examples:-

**The people of Hawaii Bhoi Village near Muktapur speak a kind of Bhoi tongue. Thus when the people of (a) Hawai Bhoi; (b) Pasadwar-Kharkhana (c) Darrang-Shnongpdeng respectively speak among themselves, others of Amwi dialect will not find it easy to follow them. Amtapoh near Nongtalang and Syntong(Amlanai) people near Pdengshakap entirely speak the War Khasi dialect. It may be noted that Amwi Dialect Closely resembles that of Jirang (in Khasi Hills bordering Kamrup-Assam).

**The base Amwi dialect (including tongues of Mawlong, Ammutong, Pantadong, Sohkha, Twah-u-Sdiah, Amjalong, Jong-Mu-Chen, Amsohtai) is not easy to put into Roman Script Writings for want of correct Vowells and even some consonants; where as tongues of Lamin, Nongtalang, Amkoi, Nongbareh, Khonglah, Padu are rather easier for the purpose.

David Roy, a Khasi writer, wrote that the  origin of Khasi literature is from the War Umwi (Amwi) dialect. H. Bareh  suggested that the Amwi dialect of Khasi group is more MONKMER than Khasi in construction……… and it constitutes a proper link between Khasi and Monkmer ………. ;this suggestion finds support when we remember that the first Khasi Tribes settled in the eastern parts of Jaintia Hills.      

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