Page Type: languageByangsi | Ethnologue

BEE ISO 639-3

Byangsi

A language of India

ISO 639
bee
Alternate Names
Bhotia, Byangkho Lwo, Byangkhopa, Byanshi, Byansi, Jaba, Rang, Rang Lo, Saukas, Shaukas
Population
2,830 in India (2000). No monolinguals. Total users in all countries: 3,380 (as L1: 3,310; as L2: 70).
Location:
Uttarakhand state: Pithoragarh district, Darchula and Munsyari sub-districts, Garbyang, Gunji, Nabi, Napalchyu, and Rongkang villages; in Kuthi Yangti river valley in the Himalayas on Nepal and Tibet borders; Byangs Patti from Budi south to Kuti village north.
Language Status
6b* (Threatened).
Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Western Tibeto-Burman, Bodish, West Himalayish, Almora
Dialects
Pangjungkho Boli, Yerjungkhu Boli, Kuti. Dialects of Byangs, Chaudangs and Darma valleys are unintelligible to each other (Sharma 1994). Those in Kuti (India) and Tinkar (Nepal) are closely related and quite different from those in other Byangsi villages. Tinkar variety differs from Byangsi, Chaudangsi [cdn], and Darmiya [drd] in forms of agreement affixes and basic vocabulary. Minor dialect differences correspond to geographical divisions (Sharma 2001).
Language Use
Home, community. Also use Central Tibetan [bod]. Also use English [eng]. Also use Hindi [hin], with high level of bilingualism and as the medium of instruction in school. Also use Kumaoni [kfy]. Also use Nepali [npi].
Language Development
Dictionary. Grammar.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Byangsi
Writing
Devanagari script [Deva], recently developed.
Other Comments
Cultural center seems to be India. Ranglo or Rang often used as a cover term for Byangs, Chaudangs, Darmiya and Rongpo. Some borrowing from Indo-Aryan. Hindu.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Byangsi
User Population
550 in Nepal, all users. L1 users: 480 in Nepal (2011 census), decreasing. L2 users: 70 (2011 census). No monolinguals (2002 UNESCO).
Location
Sudur Pashchimanchal province: Darchula district, Byas municipality.
Dialects
Byansi, Rang, Sauka, Yerjungkhu Boli, Pang Sungkhu Boli. Intelligibility between Byangsi [bee] and Dhuleli (spoken in 5 villages in Kanda VDC of Bajhang district) needs to be investigated. Dhuleli most likely related, but possibly a separate language.
Language Status
6b (Threatened)
View other languages of Nepal

Map

Location: Uttarakhand state: Pithoragarh district, Darchula and Munsyari sub-districts, Garbyang, Gunji, Nabi, Napalchyu, and Rongkang villages; in Kuthi Yangti river valley in the Himalayas on Nepal and Tibet borders; Byangs Patti from Budi south to Kuti village north.