Nepali language
Nepali | |
---|---|
नेपाली | |
Pronunciation | [ˈnepali] |
Native to | |
Region | |
| |
Early forms | |
Signed Nepali | |
Official status | |
Official language in |
|
Recognised minority language in | |
Regulated by | Nepal Academy |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-1 | ne |
ISO 639-2 | nep |
ISO 639-3 | nep – inclusive codeIndividual code: npi – Nepali |
nep Nepali (macrolanguage) | |
npi Nepali (individual language) | |
Glottolog | nepa1254 |
Linguasphere | 59-AAF-d |
Map showing distribution of Nepali speakers in South Asia. Dark red is areas with a Nepali-speaking majority or plurality, light red is where Nepali speakers are more than 20% of the population |
Nepali (English:
Nepali is commonly classified within the Eastern Pahari group of the Northern zone of Indo-Aryan. The language originated from the
Nepali is a highly fusional language with a relatively free word order, although the dominant arrangement is subject–object–verb word order (SOV). There are three major levels or gradations of honorific: low, medium and high. Low honorific is used where no respect is due, medium honorific is used to signify equal status or neutrality, and high honorific signifies respect. Like all modern Indo-Aryan languages, Nepali grammar has syncretised heavily, losing much of the complex declensional system present in the older languages. Nepali developed significant literature within a short period of a hundred years in the 19th century. Around 1830, several Nepali poets wrote on themes from the Sanskrit epics Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana, which was followed by Bhanubhakta Acharya translating the Ramayana in Nepali which received "great popularity for the colloquial flavour of its language, its religious sincerity, and its realistic natural descriptions".[6]
Etymology
The term Nepali derived from
The initial name of Nepali language was "Khas Kura" (खस कुरा), meaning language or speech of the
History
Origin and development
Early forms of present-day Nepali developed from the
During the times of Sena dynasty, who ruled a vast area in Terai and central hills of Nepal, Nepali language became influenced by the Indian languages including Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Braj Bhasha and Maithili.[16] Nepali speakers and Senas had a close connect, subsequently, the language became the lingua franca in the area.[16] As a result, the grammar became simplified, vocabulary was expanded, and its phonology was softened, after it was syncretised, Nepali lost much of the complex declensional system present in the older languages.[16] In the Kathmandu Valley (then known as Nepal Mandala), Nepali language inscriptions can be seen during the reigns of Lakshmi Narasimha Malla and Pratap Malla, which indicates the significant increment of Nepali speakers in Kathmandu Valley.[18]
Middle Nepali
The institutionalisation of the Nepali language is believed to have started with the Shah kings of Gorkha Kingdom, in the modern day Gorkha District of Nepal.[19] Following the Unification of Nepal, the language moved to the court of the Kingdom of Nepal in the 18th century, where it became the state language.[19] One of the earliest works in the Middile Nepali is written during the reign of Ram Shah, King of Gorkha, a book by unknown writer called Ram Shah ko Jivani (A Biography of Ram Shah).[19] Prithvi Narayan Shah's Divyopadesh, written toward the end of his life, around 1774–75, contains old Nepali dialect of the era, is considered as the first work of essay of Nepali literature.[20]
During this time Nepali developed a standardised prose in the Lal mohar (royal charter)—documents related to the Nepalese Kingdom dealing with diplomatic writings, tax, and administrative records.[19] The language of the Lal mohar is nearly modern with some minor differences in grammar and with a pre-modern orthography.[21] Few changes including changing Kari (करि) to Gari (गरि) and merging Hunu (हुनु) with cha (छ) to create huncha (हुन्छ) were done.[21] The most prominent work written during this time was Bhanubhakta Acharya's Bhanubhakta Ramayana, a translation of the epic Ramayana from Sanskrit to Nepali for the first time.[22] Acharya's work led to which some describe as "cultural, emotional and linguistic unification" of Nepal, comparatively to Prithvi Narayan Shah who unified Nepal.[23][24]
Modern Nepali
The modern period of Nepali begins in the early 20th century.
In
Official status
Nepali written in the Devanagari script is the official language of Nepal.[34][35]
On 31 August 1992, Nepali was added to the list of
Despite being spoken by about a quarter of the population,[37] Nepalese has no official status in Bhutan.[38]
Geographic distribution
Nepal
According to the 2011 national census, 44.6% of the population of Nepal speaks Nepali as its first language.[39] and 32.8% speak Nepali as a second language.[40] Ethnologue reports 12,300,000 speakers within Nepal (from the 2011 census).[40] It is spoken by 20,250,952, about 77.20% of the population, as their first language and second language.[41]
India
According to the
State | Nepali speakers (2011 census) | Growth (from 2001 census) |
---|---|---|
West Bengal | 1,155,375 | +12.97% |
Assam | 596,210 | +5.56% |
Sikkim | 382,200 | +12.87% |
Uttarakhand | 106,399 | +16.86% |
Arunachal Pradesh | 95,317 | +00.42% |
Himachal Pradesh | 89,508 | +27.37% |
Maharashtra | 75,683 | +19.22% |
Manipur | 63,756 | +38.61% |
Meghalaya | 54,716 | +4.91% |
Nagaland | 43,481 | +27.06% |
Mizoram | 8,994 | +0.51% |
Bhutan
In Bhutan, native Nepali speakers, known as Lhotshampa, are estimated at 35%[46] of the population. This number includes displaced Bhutanese refugees, with unofficial estimates of the ethnic Bhutanese refugee population as high as 30 to 40%, constituting a majority in the south (about 242,000 people).[47]
Australia
Nepali is the third-most spoken language in the Australian territory of
Country | Speaker population | Notes |
---|---|---|
Myanmar | 300,000-500,000[50] | |
Australia | 133,068[51] | 2021 census |
Hong Kong | 25,472[52] | 2016 census |
Canada | 13,375[53] | 2016 census |
Phonology
Vowels and consonants are outlined in the tables below.
Vowels
Front | Central | Back | |
---|---|---|---|
Close | i ĩ | u ũ | |
Close-mid | e ẽ | o | |
Open-mid | ʌ ʌ̃ | ||
Open | a ã |
Nepali distinguishes six oral vowels and five
Nepali has ten
Consonants
Bilabial | Dental | Alveolar | Retroflex | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nasal | m ⟨म⟩ | n ⟨न/ञ⟩
|
(ɳ ⟨ण⟩) | ŋ ⟨ङ⟩ | |||||
Plosive/ Affricate |
voiceless | unaspirated | p ⟨प⟩ | t ⟨त⟩
|
t͡s ⟨च⟩ | ʈ ⟨ट⟩ | k ⟨क⟩ | ||
aspirated | pʰ ⟨फ⟩ | tʰ ⟨थ⟩ | t͡sʰ ⟨छ⟩ | ʈʰ ⟨ठ⟩ | kʰ ⟨ख⟩ | ||||
voiced | unaspirated | b ⟨ब⟩ | d ⟨द⟩
|
d͡z ⟨ज⟩ | ɖ ⟨ड⟩ | ɡ ⟨ग⟩ | |||
aspirated | bʱ ⟨भ⟩ | dʱ ⟨ध⟩ | d͡zʱ ⟨/झ⟩ | ɖʱ ⟨ढ⟩ | ɡʱ ⟨घ⟩ | ||||
Fricative | s ⟨श/ष/स⟩ | ɦ ⟨ह⟩ | |||||||
Rhotic | r ⟨र⟩
|
||||||||
Approximant | (w ⟨व⟩) | l ⟨ल⟩
|
(j ⟨य⟩) |
[j] and [w] are nonsyllabic
Final schwas may or may not be preserved in speech. The following rules can be followed to figure out whether or not Nepali words retain the final schwa:
- Schwa is retained if the final syllable is a conjunct consonant. अन्त (anta, 'end'), सम्बन्ध (sambandha, 'relation'), श्रेष्ठ (śreṣṭha, 'greatest'/a last name).
Exceptions: conjuncts such as ञ्च ञ्ज in मञ्च (mañc, 'stage') गञ्ज (gañj, 'city') and occasionally the last name पन्त (panta/pant). - For any verb form the final schwa is always retained unless the schwa-cancelling halanta is present. हुन्छ (huncha, 'it happens'), भएर (bhaera, 'in happening so; therefore'), गएछ (gaecha, 'he apparently went'), but छन् (chan, 'they are'), गईन् (gain, 'she went'). Meanings may change with the wrong orthography: गईन (gaina, 'she didn't go') vs गईन् (gain, 'she went').
- Adverbs, onomatopoeia and postpositions usually maintain the schwa and if they don't, halanta is acquired: अब (aba 'now'), तिर (tira, 'towards'), आज (āja, 'today') सिम्सिम (simsim 'drizzle') vs झन् (jhan, 'more').
- Few exceptional nouns retain the schwa such as: दु:ख (dukha, 'suffering'), सुख (sukha, 'pleasure').
Note: Schwas are often retained in music and poetry to add extra syllables when needed.
Grammar
Nepali is a highly
Writing system
Nepali is written in Devanagari script.
In the section below Nepali is represented in Latin transliteration using the
क
|
ख
|
ग
|
घ
|
ङ
|
च
|
छ
|
ज
|
झ
|
ञ
|
ट
|
ठ
|
ड
|
ढ
|
ण
|
त
|
थ
|
द
|
ध
|
न
|
प
|
फ
|
ब
|
भ
|
म
|
य
|
र
|
ल
|
व
|
श
|
ष
|
स
|
ह
|
क + ष क्ष
|
त + र त्र
|
ज + ञ ज्ञ
|
Vowels | Consonants | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
अ a
|
आ ā
|
इ i
|
ई ī
|
उ u
|
ऊ ū
|
ए e
|
ऐ ai
|
ओ o
|
औ au
|
ऋ ṛ
|
अं ṃ
|
अः ḥ
|
अँ ã
|
◌ा
|
◌ि
|
◌ी
|
◌ु
|
◌ू
|
◌े
|
◌ै
|
◌ो
|
◌ौ
|
◌ृ
|
◌ं
|
ः
|
◌ँ
| |
ब ब
|
ब +◌ा बा
|
ब + ◌ि बि
|
ब + ◌ी बी
|
ब + ◌ु बु
|
ब + ◌ू बू
|
ब + ◌े बे
|
ब + ◌ै बै
|
ब + ◌ो बो
|
ब + ◌ौ बौ
|
ब + ◌ृ बॄ
|
ब + ◌ं बं
|
ब + ः बः
|
ब + ◌ँ बँ
|
Literature
Nepali developed significant literature within a short period of a hundred years in the 19th century. This literary explosion was fuelled by
Dialects
Dialects of Nepali include Acchami, Baitadeli, Bajhangi, Bajurali, Bheri, Dadeldhuri, Dailekhi, Darchulali, Darchuli, Gandakeli, Humli, Purbeli, and Soradi.[40] These dialects can be distinct from Standard Nepali. Mutual intelligibility between Baitadeli, Bajhangi, Bajurali (Bajura), Humli, and Acchami is low.[40] The dialect of Nepali language spoken in Karnali Province is not mutually intelligible with Standard Nepali. The language is known with its old name as Khas Bhasa in Karnali.[10]
Sample text
The following is a sample text in Nepali, of Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, with a transliteration (IAST) and transcription (IPA).[56]
- Nepali in Devanagari Script
- धारा १. सबै व्यक्तिहरू जन्मजात स्वतन्त्र हुन् ती सबैको समान अधिकार र महत्व छ। निजहरूमा विचार शक्ति र सद्विचार भएकोले निजहरूले आपसमा भातृत्वको भावनाबाट व्यवहार गर्नु पर्छ।
- Transliteration (ISO)
- Dhārā 1. Sabai vyaktiharū janmajāt svatantra hun tī sabaiko samān adhikār ra mahatva cha. Nijharūmā vicār śakti ra sadvicār bhaekole nijharūle āpasmā bhatṛtvako bhāvanabāṭa vyavahār garnu parcha.
- Transcription (IPA)
- [dʱaɾa ek sʌbʌi̯ bektiɦʌɾu d͡zʌnmʌd͡zat sotʌntɾʌ ɦun ti sʌbʌi̯ko sʌman ʌd(ʱ)ikaɾ rʌ mʌːtːo t͡sʰʌ nid͡zɦʌɾuma bit͡saɾ sʌkti ɾʌ sʌdbit͡sar bʱʌekole nid͡zɦʌɾule apʌsma bʱatɾitːoko bʱawʌnabaʈʌ bebaːr ɡʌɾnu pʌɾt͡sʰʌ]
- Gloss (word-to-word)
- Article 1. All human-beings from-birth independent are their all equal right and importance is. In themselves, intellect and conscience {endowed therefore} they {one another} brotherhood's spirit {treatment with} do must.
- Translation (grammatical)
- Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
See also
References
- ^ Richard Burghart 1984, pp. 118–119.
- ^ a b c Nepali at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024)
Nepali at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) - ^ "Nepali | Definition of Nepali by Oxford Dictionary on Lexico.com also meaning of Nepali". Lexico Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ "52nd Report of the Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities in India" (PDF). nclm.nic.in. Ministry of Minority Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ "Nepali language | Britannica". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 30 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ a b "Nepali literature". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
- ^ a b "साझा प्रकाशन एक झलक". Sajha Prakashan. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "The kings song". Himal Southasian. June 2003. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
- ^ Vasistha, Kedar. "'गोर्खा पत्रिकाहरू'को पदचाप". Gorakhapatra Online. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021. जङ्गबहादुरलाई पनि घिसार्ने गरिएको पाइन्छ तर उनको पालामा गोर्खा भाषा वा नेपाली भाषा नभनी पाष्या बोली वा पर्वते भाषाको प्रचलन रहेको देखिन्छ । तर उक्त सनद जारी भएको एक वर्षपछिको जङ्गबहादुरको एक पत्रमा उनले गोर्खा वा गोर्खाली वा नेपाली भाषाका नमुना भनी नभनी पाष्या (पाखे) बोली भनेका छन् ।
- ^ a b "5 features of Nepali, Nepal's lingua franca, that you are unaware of". Online Khabar. Online Khabar. 3 October 2020. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ Jain & Cardona 2007, p. 543.
- ^ Maharjan, Rajendra. "एकल राष्ट्र–राज्यको धङधङी". EKantipur. Kantipur Publication Limited. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.आजभन्दा करिब नौ दशकअघि मात्रै देशको नाम 'नेपाल' का रूपमा स्विकारिएको हो भने, पहिले खस–पर्वते–गोर्खाली भनिने भाषालाई 'नेपाली' नामकरण गरिएको हो ।
- ^ Baniya, Karnabahadur. सेनकालीन पाल्पाको संस्कृति : एक ऐतिहासिक विवेचना. Palpa: Tribhuvan Multiple Campus. pp. 3–4. Archived from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ISBN 81-208-0963-7. Page 3.
- ^ Shrestha, Shiva Raj. Khaptad Region in Mythology (PDF). p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bandhu, C.M. "The Role of the Nepali Language in Establishing The National Unity and Identity of Nepal" (PDF). Digital Himalaya. The Royal Nepal Academy. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ Wagley, Namit (14 February 2015). "Nepal Ka Khas Jaati". SpotlightNepal. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ Jain & Cardona 2007, p. 544.
- ^ a b c d "शाह राजाहरूको छत्रछायामा नेपाली साहित्यको विकास" (PDF). Digital Himalaya (in Nepali). Ancient Nepal.
- ^ "Divyopadesh can lead to national prosperity". The Annapurna Express. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ a b Yanjan, Yash (1999). "8". भारतमा नेपाली भाषा र साहित्यको उत्थानमा पारसमणी प्रधानले गरेका योगदानको बिश्लेषणात्मक मुल्यांकन (Thesis) (in Nepali). University of North Bengal.
- ^ "Nepali poet Bhanubhakta Acharya's 209th birth anniversary, a peek into the 'Adikavi's' life". ANI News. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ISBN 978-81-87392-26-2.
- ISBN 978-951-746-467-3.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-108-48992-8.
- ISBN 978-0-521-80470-7.
- ^ "In Nepal, Calls Grow for the Restoration of a Hindu State". The Diplomat. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
- ISBN 978-3-030-68810-3.
- ISBN 978-81-260-0366-2.
- ISBN 978-981-19-4286-0.
- ISBN 978-81-7648-166-3.
- ^ "The Sikkim Official Languages Act, 1977" (PDF). Government of Sikkim.
- ^ "Struggle for Recognition of Nepali Language: A Brief Outline". Sikkim Express. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- ISSN 2091-0916.
- ^ "The Constitution of Nepal" (PDF). Nepal Law Commission. 20 September 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ "Nepali becomes one of the official languages of India". nepalilanguage.org. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ^ Koirala, Keshav P. (6 February 2017). "Where in US, elsewhere Bhutanese refugees from Nepal resettled to". The Himalayan Times. Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
- ISBN 1-85743-133-2.
- ^ "Major highlights" (PDF). Central Bureau of Statistics. 2013. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Nepali (npi)". Ethnologue. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
- ^ "Language map of Nepal: Interactive (EN)". Translators without Borders. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
- ^ "Darjeeling, India's Nepali language hub". Nepal In Data. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ "Language – India, States And Union Territories (Table C-16)" (PDF). census.gov.in. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Growth of Scheduled Languages-1971, 1981, 1991 and 2001". Census of India. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
- ^ "Distribution of the 22 Scheduled Languages – India/ States/ Union Territories-2011 Census" (PDF). censusindia.gov.in. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- U.S. Department of State. 2 February 2010. Archivedfrom the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
- ISBN 978-0-8444-0777-7. Retrieved 2 October 2010.
- ^ "Snapshot of Tasmania". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 28 June 2022. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
- ^ "Snapshot Northern Territory, Housing and Population Census 2021". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 28 June 2022. Archived from the original on 21 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
- ^ "Emerging dynamics among Southeast Asia's Nepali diaspora". New Mandala. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
- ^ "SBS Australian Census Explorer". SBS. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
- ^ "Thamatic Report: Ethnic Minorities" (PDF). bycensus2016.gov.hk/data/16bc-ethnic-minorities.pdf. Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
- ^ "Census Profile, 2016 Census - Canada [Country] and Canada [Country]". Government of Canada. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
- ^ Jain & Cardona 2007, p. 571.
- ^ Jain & Cardona 2007, p. 596.
- ^ "Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Nepali language" (PDF). ohchr.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
Footnotes
- ^ Historically spoken just by the Karnali Khas people, now spoken as the lingua franca in Nepal.
Bibliography
- Richard Burghart (1984). "The Formation of the Concept of Nation-State in Nepal". The Journal of Asian Studies. 44 (1): 101–125. S2CID 154584368.
- Jain, Danesh; Cardona, George (26 July 2007). The Indo-Aryan Languages. Routledge. ISBN 9781135797119. Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- Hodgson, Brian Houghton (2013). Essays on the Languages, Literature, and Religion of Nepál and Tibet (Reprint ed.). Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108056083. Archivedfrom the original on 15 January 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
Further reading
- पोखरेल, मा. प्र. (2000), ध्वनिविज्ञान र नेपाली भाषाको ध्वनि परिचय, नेपाल राजकीय प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठान, काठमाडौँ।
- Schmidt, R. L. (1993) A Practical Dictionary of Modern Nepali. Archived 26 January 2021 at the Wayback Machine
- Turner, R. L. (1931) A Comparative and Etymological Dictionary of the Nepali Language. Archived 13 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine
- Clements, G.N. & Khatiwada, R. (2007). "Phonetic realization of contrastively aspirated affricates in Nepali." In Proceedings of ICPhS XVI (Saarbrücken, 6–10 August 2007), 629- 632. [1] Archived 6 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- Hutt, M. & Subedi, A. (2003) Teach Yourself Nepali.
- Khatiwada, Rajesh (2009). "Nepali". Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 39 (3): 373–380. .
- Manders, C. J. (2007) नेपाली व्याकरणमा आधार A Foundation in Nepali Grammar.
- Dashrath Kharel, "Nepali linguistics spoken in Darjeeling-Sikkim"
External links
- List of Nepali words at Wiktionary, the free dictionary
- Omniglot – Nepali Language
- Barala – Easy Nepali Typing
- नेपाली बृहत् शब्दकोश | Nepali Brihat Shabdakosh (Comprehensive Nepali Dictionary) | "Nepal Academy"
- नेपाली बृहत् शब्दकोश | Nepali Brihat Shabdakosh – Nepali Dictionary "Nepali Brihat Shabdakosh Latest Edition"