Page Type: languageBhujel | Ethnologue

BYH ISO 639-3

Bhujel

भुजेल‎ (bhujel) Autonym

A language of Nepal

ISO 639
byh
Alternate Names
Bujal, Bujhel, Bujheli, Bujhyal, Pukhgyal Ngur, Western Chepang, “Gharti” (pej.)
Autonym
भुजेल‎ (bhujel)
Population
5,190, all users. L1 users: 3,600 (Regmi 2007), decreasing. L2 users: 1,590 (2011 census). No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 7,200 (Regmi 2007).
Location:
Bagmati province: Chitwan district, Ichchhyakamana municipality; Gandaki province: East Nawalparasi district, Gaidakot municipality; Tanahun district, Anbukhaireni, Bandipur, and Devghat municipalities.
Language Status
8a (Moribund). Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Bhujel.
Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Western Tibeto-Burman, Himalayan, Central Himalayan, Chepang-Bhujel
Dialects
Kulmun, Arthumpka, Andimul, Baniyatar, Beltar, Dhodeni, Chanaute. More than 80% intelligibility among all the dialects. Pronominal affix differences hinder intelligibility with Chepang [cdm]. Lexical similarity: Between 34% (2011 D. Regmi) and 98% (2004 R. Caughley) with Chepang [cdm].
Typology
SOV; postpositions; genitives, adjectives, numerals, before noun heads; relatives before or without noun heads; noun head final; content q-word in situ; question word final; no noun classes or genders; 1 prefix, up to 5 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; consistently ergative; anti-dative marking; affixes indicate case of noun phrase; verb affixation marks person, number and direct relations; no passives or voice; causatives; comparatives; CV to CCCVCCC with certain restrictions; non-tonal; 31 consonant and 16 vowel (including 6 diphthongs) phonemes.
Language Use
Home; mixed use: Work, education. Older adults only. Positive attitudes. Shifted to Nepali [npi] (Van Driem 2007). Used as L2 by Sunwar [suz].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 15% in Nepali [npi]. Grammar.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Bhujel
Writing
Devanagari script [Deva], recently developed.
Other Comments
Similar culturally to Magar and Gurung living near the Bhujel. Gharti is a sub-caste name associated with former slavery. Bhujels reject the name, but outsiders often use it. Separated from Chepang [cdm] language area by Trisuli river. Hindu, Buddhist, Christian.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Bagmati province: Chitwan district, Ichchhyakamana municipality; Gandaki province: East Nawalparasi district, Gaidakot municipality; Tanahun district, Anbukhaireni, Bandipur, and Devghat municipalities.