Describe languages of Nepal. (Short Answer)
Ans: Nepal is a linguistically diverse country with more than 123 languages spoken by different ethnic groups. The official language of Nepal is Nepali. It is spoken by the majority of the population. However, there are many other languages spoken in various regions of the country.
Some of the major languages spoken in Nepal, apart from Nepali, include:
- Maithili: Spoken in the eastern Terai region.
- Bhojpuri: Spoken in the southern Terai region
- Tharu: Spoken in the Terai region.
- Tamang: Spoken in the hilly regions.
- Newari: Spoken in the Kathmandu Valley.
These are just a few examples, and there are many more languages spoken in Nepal.
Discuss the languages spoken in Nepal. (Long Answer)
Answer: Nepal has linguistic diversity, highlighting the fact that there are over 123 languages spoken as mother tongues by 125 ethnic groups. Nepali is the most widely used language, followed by Maithili.
However, most languages in Nepal are endangered, with only a few having a significant number of speakers. The constitution of Nepal recognizes all languages spoken in the country, and Nepali serves as a lingua franca for communication among different ethnic groups.
Nepal is a multilingual country with a diverse range of languages spoken by different ethnic groups. According to the 2011 National Census, there are 123 languages spoken as mother tongues in Nepal, but the count has since increased to 129 with the discovery of six additional languages.
The most widely spoken language in Nepal is Nepali, which is spoken by 44.64% of the population as their first language [1]. Maithili is the second most spoken language, with 11.67% of the population speaking it [1]. Both Nepali and Maithili are recognized as national languages in Nepal.
The majority of languages in Nepal belong to the Indo-Aryan and Sino-Tibetan language families. Nepali, the official language of the nation, belongs to the Indo-Aryan language family.
It is important to note that many of the languages in Nepal are endangered, with only 19 of the 129 languages having more than 100,000 speakers. Some languages, like Chepang, Kusunda, Tilung, and Dura, are on the verge of extinction due to the small number of speakers.
The 2019 annual report of the Language Commission of Nepal added six new languages to the list, including Rana Tharu, Nar Phu, Chum (Syaar), Nubri (Larke), Poike, and Serake [1]. These languages are spoken in different regions of Nepal.
The linguistic diversity in Nepal is closely linked to the cultural and biodiversity of the country. The census of 2011 listed 123 languages, with 32 more languages compared to the census of 2001. Some languages, such as Athpariya, Lhopa, Dolpali, Lhomi, Sonaha, Manange, Phangduali, Surel, Malpande, Kurmali, Kagate, Dzonkha, and Bankariya, were missing in the 2001 census but were added in the 2011 census.
Overall, Nepal’s languages can be categorized into four language families: Indo-Aryan, Sino-Tibetan, Austro-Asiatic, and Dravidian. Additionally, Kusunda is categorized as a language isolate, meaning it has no known relationship to any other language.