Dinthar in Aizawl
Some people often translate Mizo as 'highlander' which is not entirely erroneous but wrong. Translating 'mizo' as 'highlander' is an over the top literal translation of two mizo words, Zo and Mi. Sure, Zo means highland and Mi means a man/human in the mizo language, but Mizo is a name and you don't translate it literally for the same reason you don't translate "Zawhte" (cat in Mizo) as 'creature that walks on a narrow path', you translate "Zawhte" as "Cat" in the English language because that is what it is.
The correct translation of Mizo is actually 'Zo person'. And among those who still like to claim that Mizo means highlander includes the government of Mizoram.
The actual word for 'highlander' or 'pahadi' in the mizo language is "Tlangmi" not Mizo or Zomi.
The Zo in Mizo actually denotes an ethnicity and an identity. While the root word of Zo is highland, Zo is also a culture, hence things that have to do with Zo culture and identity have the suffix and prefix Zo attached to them. For example Zo-Zial, Zo thuam, Zo dan, Zo tawng. Likewise a Human belonging to zo culture and identity is called a Mizo. The Zo in Mizo denotes a culture and belongingness and not the highland in which he/she lives in. It is an adjective just like big, Small, Black and White, just as how White is both the characteristic and identity of a Whiteman, Zo is the identity and characteristic of a Zo person ( Mizo ) . Mizo people are called Mizo not because they live in highland( Ram zo ) , instead Mizoram is called Mizoram/Zoram because it is the homeland of the Zo people. The land is named after the people, the people are not named after the land.
Zo as a noun simply means highland and any place with high elevation including Tibet can be called Zo. So the only reason why Mizoram is specifically called Zoram/Mizoram ( Zo land) is because of the zo people living in this landmass.
A Zo person is still a Zo person whether he lives in the plain or in the highland and a Non mizo is still a non Mizo even if he lives on top of Mount Everest for all his life. Being a highlander does not make one a Mizo as Mizo does not mean Highlander. Mizo simply means a Zo person and the origin of the word Zo is Highland.