Nepali language

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Nepali
Gorkhali, Khas-kurā
नेपाली/गोरखाली/खस कुरा
Nepali word in devanagri script.png
The word "Nepali" written in Devanagari
Native toNepal
EthnicityKhas people[1]
Native speakers
20 million[2]
Devanagari
Devanagari Braille
Takri (historical)
Signed Nepali
Official status
Official language in
   Nepal
 India (Sikkim, West Bengal)
Regulated byNepal Academy
Language codes
ISO 639-1ne
ISO 639-2nep
ISO 639-3nep – inclusive code
Individual codes:
npi – Nepali
dty – Doteli
Glottolognepa1254
nepa1252  duplicate code
Linguasphere59-AAF-d
Nepali language status.png
World map with significant Nepali language speakers
Dark Blue: Main official language,
Light blue: One of the official languages,
Red: Places with significant population or greater than 20% but without official recognition.


The Nepali language is the official language of Nepal. Besides Nepal it is spoken in India, Bhutan and parts of Burma. In the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal also it is an official language. This language is also known as Gorkhali Language or Khaskura. It is believed to have originated from the ancient Sanskrit language from which it takes many words. It is written in Devanagari script which is similar to Hindi. It is spoken throughout Nepal and is the mother tongue of more than half of the population. It is also used by the Government of Nepal for all official purposes. In Nepal it is compulsory to study Nepali language as a subject until Grade 10 (High School).

Nepali is commonly classified within the Eastern Pahari group of the Northern zone of Indo-Aryan languages. Its origins trace back to the Sinja Valley in Karnali Province, which was the capital of the Khasa Kingdom during the 10th to 14th centuries. The language developed in close proximity to several Indo-Aryan languages, with significant influence from other Pahari languages. Originally, Nepali was spoken by the Khas people, an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group native to the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent.

The earliest known inscription in the Nepali language is believed to be from Dullu in the Dailekh District, dating back to around the reign of King Bhupal Damupal in approximately 981 C.E. The formal institutionalisation of the Nepali language began during the rule of the Kingdom of Gorkha, which later became known as the Kingdom of Nepal, in the 16th century. Over the centuries, various dialects of Nepali emerged across different regions of present-day Nepal and Uttarakhand, influenced by languages such as Sanskrit, Maithili, Hindi, and Bengali, establishing Nepali as the lingua franca in these areas.

Nepali is a highly fusional language characterised by a relatively free word order, although the predominant structure follows a subject–object–verb (SOV) arrangement. The language features three major levels of honorifics: low, medium, and high. Low honorifics are used in contexts where no respect is warranted, medium honorifics indicate equal status or neutrality, and high honorifics are employed to convey respect.

Like other modern Indo-Aryan languages, Nepali grammar has undergone significant syncretism, resulting in the loss of much of the complex declensional system found in older languages. In the 19th century, Nepali literature flourished remarkably within a span of just one hundred years. Around 1830, several Nepali poets began exploring themes from the Sanskrit epics, such as the Rāmāyaṇa and the Bhagavata Purana. This literary movement culminated in Bhanubhakta Acharya's translation of the Ramayana into Nepali, which gained immense popularity due to its colloquial flavor, religious sincerity, and realistic natural descriptions.

Etymology[edit]

A map showing languages of India c. 1858; It refers to the language as "Nepalee".

The term Nepali (Nepali: नेपाली), derived from Nepal (Nepali: नेपाल, was officially adopted by the Government of Nepal in 1933. This occurred when the Gorkha Bhasa Prakashini Samiti (Nepali: गोरखा भासा प्रकाशिनी समिति; Gorkha Language Publishing Committee), established in 1913 (B.S. 1970) to promote Gorkha Bhasa, rebranded itself as the Nepali Bhasa Prakashini Samiti (Nepali: नेपाली भाषा प्रकाशिनी समिति ; Nepali Language Publishing Committee) in 1933 (B.S. 1990), which is now known as Sajha Prakashan (साझा प्रकाशन).[3] Additionally, the term Gorkhali in the earlier national anthem titled "Shriman Gambhir" was replaced with Nepali in 1951.[4] Notably, the term Nepali had been used prior to its official adoption, particularly by Jaya Prithvi Bahadur Singh, regarded as one of Nepal's national heroes, who championed the use of the term.[5]

Initially, the Nepali language was referred to as "Khas Kura" (Nepali: खस कुरा), meaning the language or speech of the Khas people, who trace their lineage back to the ancient Khasas mentioned in the Mahabharata. The language evolved during the period of the Khasa Kingdom in western Nepal.[6][7] After the unification of Nepal led by Prithvi Narayan Shah of the Shah dynasty, the language became known as Gōrakhā Bhāṣā (Nepali: गोरखा भाषा), meaning the language of the Gorkhas, as it was predominantly spoken by them.[8][9] In the hilly regions, where snow is not typically present, the language was also referred to as Parvatē Kurā (Nepali: पर्वते कुरा), meaning "the speech of the hills", reflecting the geographical identity of its speakers.[10][11]

Official status[edit]

Nepali, written in the Devanagari script, serves as the official language of Nepal.[12][13]

On 31 August 1992, it was recognised as one of the scheduled languages of India.[14] In India, Nepali holds the status of the official language in the state of Sikkim and in the region of Gorkhaland in West Bengal.

In Bhutan, despite being spoken by approximately a quarter of the population, Nepali does not enjoy any official status.[15][16]

Sample text[edit]

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).[17]

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.


translation (Hindi)
अनुच्छेद १. सभी मनुष्य जन्म से स्वतन्त्र तथा मर्यादा और अधिकारों में समान होते हैं। वे तर्क और विवेक से सम्पन्न हैं तथा उन्हें भ्रातृत्व की भावना से परस्पर के प्रति कार्य करना चाहिए।

Notes[edit]


References[edit]

  1. ↑ Richard Burghart 1984, pp. 118-119.
  2. ↑ Nepali at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
    Nepali at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
    Doteli at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015)
  3. ↑ "साझा प्रकाशन एक झलक". Sajha Prakashan. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  4. ↑ "The kings song". Himal Southasian. June 2003. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  5. ↑ 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।
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ Jain & Cardona 2007, p. 543.
  8. ↑ 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 ।
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ Lienhard, Siegfried (1992). Songs of Nepal: An Anthology of Nevar Folksongs and Hymns. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas. ISBN 81-208-0963-7. Page 3.
  11. ↑ Shrestha, Shiva Raj. Khaptad Region in Mythology (PDF). p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  12. ↑ Yadav, Raj Narayan (2 December 2013). "Language Planning and Language Ideology: The Majority and Minority Dichotomy in Nepal". Tribhuvan University Journal. 28 (1–2): 197–202. doi:10.3126/tuj.v28i1-2.26242. ISSN 2091-0916.
  13. ↑ "The Constitution of Nepal" (PDF). Nepal Law Commission. 20 September 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 November 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  14. ↑ "Nepali becomes one of the official languages of India". nepalilanguage.org. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  15. ↑ 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.
  16. ↑ Eur (2002). Far East and Australasia 2003 – Regional surveys of the world (34 ed.). Psychology Press. pp. 181–183. ISBN 1-85743-133-2.
  17. ↑ "Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Nepali language" (PDF). ohchr.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.



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