Page Type: languageTamang, Northwestern | Ethnologue

TMK ISO 639-3

Tamang, Northwestern

A language of Nepal

ISO 639
tmk
Alternate Names
Kath-Bhotiya, Lama Bhote, Murmi, Rongba, Sain, Tamang Gyoi, Tamang Gyot, Tamang Lengmo, Tamang Tam
Population
67,200 (2011 census), increasing. Population for all Tamang varieties: 1,350,000 (2011 census).
Location:
Bagmati province: Nuwakot district, central mountainous strip.
Language Status
6a (Vigorous). Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Tamang.
Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Western Tibeto-Burman, Bodish, West Bodish, Gurung-Tamang, Tamang
Dialects
Dhading. All Western Tamang varieties have high mutual intelligibility. Lexical similarity: 94% with Western Trisuli Tamang [tdg], 82%–83% with Western Rasuwa Tamang [tdg], 76%–77% with Eastern Gorkha Tamang [tge], 72%–80% with Eastern Tamang [taj].
Typology
SOV; postpositions; noun head both initial and final; no noun classes or gender; no prefixes, up to 4 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; ergativity; genitives after noun head; relatives before noun head; question word medial; tense and aspect; no passives or voice; CV, CVC, CCV, V, CCVC, CVCCC; tonal; 25 consonant and 5 vowel phonemes.
Language Use
Home; mixed use: Friends, religion, work, education. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Central Tibetan [bod], in religious contexts. Also use Nepali [npi], in official contexts.
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 1%–10%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–75%. Taught in primary schools. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. Dictionary. Texts.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Tamang, Northwestern
Writing
Devanagari script [Deva].
Other Comments
Traditional religion, Buddhist.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Bagmati province: Nuwakot district, central mountainous strip.