NPI ISO 639-3
Nepali
नेपाली (Nepālī) Autonym
A language of Nepal
- ISO 639
- npi
- Alternate Names
- Eastern Pahadi, Gorkhali, Gurkhali, Khaskura, Nepalese, Parbate
- Autonym
- नेपाली (Nepālī)
- Population
- 20,780,000 in Nepal, all users. L1 users: 12,100,000 in Nepal (2011 census), increasing. 143,000 Achhami, 67,600 Bajhangi, 10,700 Bajureli, 490 Dadeldhuri, 3,100 Dailekhi, 5,930 Darchuleli, and 11,800,000 Nepali (2011 census). L2 users: 8,680,000 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 24,532,900 (as L1: 15,852,900; as L2: 8,680,000).
- Location:
- Widespread.
- Language Status
- 1 (National). Statutory national language (1990, Interim Constitution, 2063, Article 5(2)).
- Classification
- Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Eastern, Eastern Pahari
- Dialects
- Bajureli (Bajura, Bajurali), Soradi, Acchami, Darchuleli (Darchulali, Darjula), Humli, Bheri, Dailekhi, Gandakeli, Purbeli, Dadeldhuri, Baitadeli, Bajhangi. Reportedly similar to Dotyali [dty]. Dialects listed may be quite distinct from standard Nepali. Intelligibility is also low among Baitadeli, Bajhangi, Bajurali (Bajura), Humli, and Acchami. A member of macrolanguage Nepali [nep].
- Typology
- SOV; postpositions; noun head final; 11 noun classes or genders; no articles; content q-word in situ; 1 prefix, up to 5 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking (4 cases); verbal affixation marks person, number and gender of subject; split ergativity; both tense and aspect; passives and voice; causatives; non-tonal; 29 consonant and 11 vowel phonemes.
- Language Use
- All domains. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Many also use Thulung [tdh], especially lower caste speakers in Mukli VDC. A few also use Kulung [kle], especially families from the tailor caste (Damai) and blacksmith caste (Kami) in Chheskam. Also use Bahing [bhj].
- Language Development
- Taught at all levels of education. Fully developed. Bible: 1914–2004.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Nepali
- Writing
- Braille script [Brai]. Devanagari script [Deva], primary usage.
- Other Comments
- Hindu, Buddhist.
Also Spoken in
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
62,000 in Australia (2016 census).
- Location
- Seria district: capital city.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Nepalis serving with the Brunei and British armies stationed in Brunei. View other languages of Brunei
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
2,120 in Brunei (2019).
- Location
- Chhukha district: small border area; southwest Dagana district; especially west (Samtse), central (Sarpang) and east (southern Samdrup Jongkhar) districts; south Tsirang district.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Other Comments
- May be majority language of the south. Many are Bhutanese citizens. Hindu. View other languages of Bhutan
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
33,100 in Bhutan (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
18,300 in Canada (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Germany
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
8,290 in Germany (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Denmark
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
4,150 in Denmark (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Spain
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
5,480 in Spain (2020 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Finland
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
3,940 in Finland (2018 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United Kingdom
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
52,800 in United Kingdom (2011 census).
- Location
- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand states; West Bengal state: Darjeeling area.
- Dialects
- Gorkhali, Palpa, Nepali.
- Language Status
- 2 (Provincial)
- Other Comments
- Hindu. View other languages of India
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
2,930,000 in India (2011 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Myanmar
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
299,000 in Myanmar (Leclerc 2017d).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Malaysia
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
235,000 in Malaysia (2021 Joshua Project). , based on ethnicity.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Norway
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
2,640 in Norway (2021 census). , based on nationality.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of New Zealand
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
1,880 in New Zealand (2013 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Nepali
User Population
94,200 in United States (2015 census).
Map
Location: Widespread.
Size and Vitality
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