काठमाडौं, February 9, 2008 - Eight of Nepal’s many endangered languages are Raji, Bankariya, Dumi, Thakali, Danuwar, Kisan, Santhali and Kou. “Language is endangered when it is spoken by fewer than 10,000 of the population, when there is no transmission of the language to the next generation, and single language policy is implemented in the area by the local administration or the country,” said Chief of Central Department of Linguistics of Tribhuvan University, Yogendra Prasad Yadava. “All these  languages have been declared endangered based on these three main factors.”

Nepal, a country  known as the multi-lingual and multi-cultural, has suffered much with the ‘one nation-one language’ government policy for 239 years.

A new dawn began in the country with Jana-Andolan 2062/2063; with new hopes for the promotion and preservation of cultural and linguistic identities of indigenous communities when The Interim Constitution of Nepal (2007) ensured provisions for all the languages spoken as the mother tongue will be established as national languages of Nepal. It also made provisions for the use of the mother language in local level government offices. Provision for optional use of mother tongues as medium of instruction in primary education was passed by the Interim Constitution of Nepal.

These provisions give new hope for some of the endangered indigenous languages.  Linguists and organizations working for the promotion and preservation of languages that define cultural identities finally received a boost.  “We are doing everything in our power to promote and preserve the endangered indigenous languages of Nepal” said Lok Bahadur Thapa Magar, Member Secretary of National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN).

Recently, Maithili font was named “Janaki”. While Kaike (Dolpa) language, one of the Magar languages that has about only 300 speakers, had its alphabet-determination, the initial stage for the preparation of written documentation of the language.

Another milestone in the language protection task began with the agreement between National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN) and Central Department of Linguistics of Tribhuvan University in which research on 8 different endangered indigenous languages will be carried out to make a grammar sketch and dictionary of the languages.

NFDIN will be helping Central Department of Linguistics of Tribhuvan University in the research.

The National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN) and Central Department of Linguistics of Tribhuvan University have agreed to give yearly scholarships to four MA linguist indigenous scholars to do their research/thesis on indigenous language. The scholarship will be given by NFDIN to the MA linguist indigenous scholars studying in Tribhuvan University. The amount of scholarship is 2500 per month.

Beaming at the agreement, Member Secretary of the NFDIN, Lok Bahadur Thapa Magar said that the agreement will not only help in preserving endangered indigenous languages but also help in producing indigenous resource persons. “This will help in producing enough manpower to fulfill the demands of indigenous communities in new Nepal,” he said. He further added, “This step will bring linguist vigilance creating a vital assistance to the feeling of nationalism among Nepalese people.”

Joyful Professor Yadava said “There will be documents of these endangered languages so that even if these languages are lost to the posterity, these documents about languages will give information about the languages,” pointing at the bright side of the agreement.

Further adding, he said that archiving of language will prevent a loss of knowledge carried by language which will also preserve and promote the cultural identity of ethnic community. The best thing is, he said, “This research will help the language to be in use in primary education as provisioned by the Interim Government policy on mother-tongue. The use of language will save any languages from extinction as there will be the new generation to speak it.” 

Eight endangered indigenous languages which will be surveyed are given with its total number of speakers and total population in table below:

S.N.   Mother Tongue             Total Population

1.    Thakali                (Speakers - 7,113) (13,731= T. Population)

2.    Danuwar                    23,721 speakers/ 53,229 T. population

3.    Santhali                    8,030 speakers – 42,698 T. population

4.    Raji                            2,399- t. population/Speakers  

5.    Dumi                            5,271 speakers

6.    Kisan              2,876 T. Population/speakers are fewer      

7.         Bankariya                      about 400 t. Population/speakers could be low

8.         Kou                                                         2641 speakers

Source: National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN)

There are doubts about these figures as census done by government was not scientific. Therefore, Yadava stresses over the pressing need for a linguistic survey in Nepal as soon as possible.

Over hearing about the agreement, language activist Malla K. Sunder said, “I personally appreciate the positive activities that NFDIN and TU are doing.” “Indigenous languages need the special focus from related organizations to be preserved and promoted; this is one of the endeavors. These kinds of efforts are a must from every related community, organization and expert” he added.

This is just one of the endeavors to save more than 70 indigenous languages of the country that are on verge of extinction or at least facing endangerment.

Appreciation, support and close observations from communities, experts and public will encourage these organizations to make more plans and effectively work for the upliftment of the endangered languages in coming days.

February 9, 2008