| Languages of Nepal | |
|---|---|
| Official language(s) | Nepali[1] |
| Regional language(s) | Nepal Bhasa, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Tharu, Gurung, Tamang, Magar, Awadhi, Sherpa, Kiranti and other 100 different indigenous languages. |
There are some 120 native languages of Nepal, belonging to the Indo-Aryan, Sino-Tibetan, Austro-Asiatic and Dravidian language families.
The official language of Nepal is Nepali (नेपाली), formerly called Khaskura then Gorkhali. The 2001 census counted 11 million native speakers in Nepal and it is spoken as a second language by millions more. It is also spoken in parts of India and Bhutan.
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Three quarters of the 120-some languages native to Nepal belong to the Tibeto-Burman language family; this includes Nepal Bhasa (Newar) (the original language of Kathmandu), the Tamang, Magar and various Rai and Limbu languages. However, the official and numerically most important language, Nepali (Gorkhali), belongs to the Indo-Aryan (Indic) branch of the Indo-European family, so that Indic languages constitute 79% of the population to Tibeto-Burman's 18%, even though most languages of both families are spoken by small numbers of people.
The Dravidian languages are represented by Kurux, and the Munda languages of the Austro-Asiatic family by Santali and Mundari. The indigenous languages of Nepal that predated the influx of Indic, Tibeto-Burman, and other families barely survive in the Kusunda language, which is nearly extinct today.
Nepal also has two indigenous Deaf sign languages, in addition to the Nepali Sign Language designed for national use.
Nepali (48.61%, 2001 census)
Maithili language (12.3%)
Bhojpuri (7.53%)
Tharu (5.6%)
Tamang (5.19%)
Newari/Nepal Bhasa (3.92%)
Magar (3.39%)
Awadhi (2.47%)
Limbu (1.47%)
Bantawa (1.4%)
Gurung (1.3%)
Bajjika (1.05%)
Athpare (Rai)
Bahing or Rumdali
Belhare
Bhujel
Chamling (Rai)
Chantyal
Chepang
Chintang
Dhanwar Rai
Dhimal and Toto
Dogri-Kangri
Dumi (Rai)
Dura
Kayort
Khaling (Rai)
Kham
Kulung (Rai)
Kurukh
Kusunda
Lepcha
Majhwar
Mugom
Mundari
Puma
Sampang (Rai)
Sanskrit
Santali
Sherpa
Sunuwar
Thulung (Rai)
Wambule (Rai)
Wayu
Yakkha
Yamphu (Rai)