Sonha

A language of Nepal

ISO 639: soi
Alternate Names: Sonaha, Sonahaa, Sunah, Sunha
Population: 20,000 (2020 UBS), decreasing. No monolinguals.
Location:: Lumbini province: Bardiya district, Geruwa and Rajapur municipalities; Sudur Pashchimanchal province: Kanchanpur district, Bhimdatta.
Language Status: 6b (Threatened).
Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Unclassified
Dialects: None known. Reportedly similar to Avadhi [awa]. Lexical similarity: 69% with Rana Tharu [thr], 73% with Kathariya Tharu [tkt], 72% with Dangaura Tharu [thl]. Sonha and Kathoriya [tkt] form a lexical bridge with Rana and Dangaura varieties of Tharu.
Typology: SOV; postpositions; noun head final; content q-word in situ; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks number; split ergativity; passives and voice; nontonal.
Language Use: Home; mixed use: Friends, religion, work. Some young people, all adults.
Language Resources: OLAC resources in and about Sonha
Writing: Unwritten [Qaax].
Other Comments: ‘Sonha’ is an occupational caste (gold panners). Hindu, Christian, traditional religion.

Location: Lumbini province: Bardiya district, Geruwa and Rajapur municipalities; Sudur Pashchimanchal province: Kanchanpur district, Bhimdatta.