Page Type: languageYamphu, Southern | Ethnologue

LRR ISO 639-3

Yamphu, Southern

A language of Nepal

ISO 639
lrr
Alternate Names
South Lorung, Southern Lohorung, Southern Lorung, Yamphu, “Yamphe” (pej.)
Population
2,500 (2011 SIL), decreasing.
Location:
Kosi province: Dhankuta district, Chaubise municipality, Bodhe, Mounabudhuk, and Rajarani villages; Sangurigadhi municipality, Bhedetar village; Sankhuwasabha district, Chichila municipality, Devitar and Matsya Pokhari villages.
Language Status
6b (Threatened). Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Rai.
Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Western Tibeto-Burman, Himalayan, Kiranti, Eastern
Dialects
None known. 61% intelligibility of Lohorung [lbr], 43%–58% (depending on site) intelligibility of Yamphu [ybi]. A Rai group, most closely related to Yamphu [ybi], but distinct in grammar and phonology (Hansson 1991). Lexical similarity: 84%–89% between Southern Yamphu varieties, 74%–83% with Yamphu [ybi], 65%–68% with Lohorung [lbr].
Typology
SOV; postpositions; verbal affixation marks person and number; tense; nontonal.
Language Use
Home, religion, work; mixed use: Friends. Some young people, all adults. Positive attitudes.
Language Development
Dictionary.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Yamphu, Southern
Writing
Unwritten [Qaax].
Other Comments
Speakers of the language identify themselves ethnically as ‘Yamphu’. Hansson (1991) described this group as two separate languages, “Yamphu” and “Southern Lorung” (cf. Ethnologue, 16th edition and earlier). Traditional religion, Christian, Hindu.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Kosi province: Dhankuta district, Chaubise municipality, Bodhe, Mounabudhuk, and Rajarani villages; Sangurigadhi municipality, Bhedetar village; Sankhuwasabha district, Chichila municipality, Devitar and Matsya Pokhari villages.