Page Type: languageKumal | Ethnologue

KRA ISO 639-3

Kumal

A language of Nepal

ISO 639
kra
Alternate Names
Kumali, Kumbale, Kumhale, Kumhali, Kumkale
Population
13,610, all users. L1 users: 12,200 (2011 census), decreasing. L2 users: 1,410 (2011 census). No monolinguals.
Location:
Bagmati province: Dhading district, Jwalamukhi and Nilakantha municipalities; Gandaki province: Gorkha district, Gorkha and Palungtar municipalities; East Nawalparasi district, Binayee Tribeni, Hupsekot, and Madhyabindu municipalities; Tanahun district, Bhanu municipality; Lumbini province: Arghakhanchi district, Chhatradev and Panini municipalities; Gulmi district, Chatrakot municipality; Palpa district, Rainadevi Chhahara, Ribdikot, and Tansen municipalities.
Language Status
6b (Threatened). Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Kumal.
Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Unclassified
Dialects
Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Gorkha, Nawalparasi. All four dialects are mutually intelligible, with Arghakhanchi being the most different.
Typology
SOV; postpositions; noun head final; 2 noun classes or genders; content q-word in situ; 1 prefix, up to 3 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person and number; ergativity; both tense and aspect; passives and voice; nontonal; 29 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes.
Language Use
Religion; mixed use: Home, friends, work. Some of all ages. Positive attitudes, though not always reflected in their language choices. All also use Nepali [npi].
Language Development
Newspapers. Periodicals. Videos. Dictionary. Texts. Agencies: Nepal Kumal Society; Kumal National Liberation Front.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kumal
Writing
Devanagari script [Deva].
Other Comments
Hindu.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Bagmati province: Dhading district, Jwalamukhi and Nilakantha municipalities; Gandaki province: Gorkha district, Gorkha and Palungtar municipalities; East Nawalparasi district, Binayee Tribeni, Hupsekot, and Madhyabindu municipalities; Tanahun district, Bhanu municipality; Lumbini province: Arghakhanchi district, Chhatradev and Panini municipalities; Gulmi district, Chatrakot municipality; Palpa district, Rainadevi Chhahara, Ribdikot, and Tansen municipalities.