Page Type: languageDanuwar | Ethnologue

DHW ISO 639-3

Danuwar

दनुवार‎ (danuvāra) Autonym

A language of Nepal

ISO 639
dhw
Alternate Names
Danuwari, Danwar, Denwar, Dhanuwar, Dhanvar, Dhanwar, Donwar, Kacarya Danuwar
Autonym
दनुवार‎ (danuvāra)
Population
48,650, all users. L1 users: 45,800 (2011 census), decreasing. L2 users: 2,850 (2011 census). No monolinguals (Toba et al 2005).
Location:
Bagmati province: Kavrepalanchok, Lalitpur, Sindhuli, and Sindhupalchowk districts; Janakpur province: Bara, Rautahat, Dhanusa, Mahottari, Sarlahi, and Siraha districts; Kosi province: Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, and Udayapur districts.
Language Status
6b (Threatened). Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Danuwar.
Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Unclassified
Dialects
Kochariya (Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi), Done Danuwar (Kavre, Sindhupalchowk), Dukuchhap Danuwar (Lalitpur), Dolbar Danuwar (Terai). Kochariya do not identify ethnically with Danuwar. Kochariya dialect is possibly a separate language. Danuwar Kochariya in Rautahat and elsewhere is probably distinct from Danuwar [dhw]. Done Danuwar and Sindhuli/Dolbar Danuwar reportedly low intelligibility, but identify as speaking the same language. Lexical similarity: below 60% with Dewas Rai [dwz]. Dialects: Done Danuwar 54% with Dolbar Danuwar, 58% with Kochariya; Kochariya 76% with Dolbar Danuwar; Done Danuwar 65% with Nepali [npi].
Typology
SOV; postpositions; noun head final; 2 noun classes or genders; content q-word in situ; 1 prefix, up to 4 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person, number and gender of subject; ergativity; both tense and aspect; no passives and voice; nontonal; 29 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes.
Language Use
Rapidly assimilating to Nepali [npi] (Van Driem 2007). Home, religion; mixed use: Friends, work. Some young people, all adults. Neutral attitudes. Also use Eastern Tamang [taj], especially at work and with friends in Kabhre district. Also use Nepali [npi], especially at work and with friends in Kabhre district.
Language Development
Although some people are writing in Danuwari, no data is available on L1 literacy. Radio. Dictionary.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Danuwar
Writing
Devanagari script [Deva].
Other Comments
Hindu, traditional religion.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Bagmati province: Kavrepalanchok, Lalitpur, Sindhuli, and Sindhupalchowk districts; Janakpur province: Bara, Rautahat, Dhanusa, Mahottari, Sarlahi, and Siraha districts; Kosi province: Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, and Udayapur districts.