Magar | |
---|---|
Dhut, मगर भाषा | |
Native to | Nepal |
Ethnicity | 1.9 million Magar people and others who claim to be Magar (2011 census) |
Native speakers
|
840,000 (2001–2006) |
Sino-Tibetan
|
|
Official status | |
Official language in
|
Nepal Sikkim, India |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | Either: mgp – Eastern Magar mrd – Western Magar |
Glottolog | maga1261 |
Dhut magar (Nepali: Dhut magar bhasa) is a language spoken mainly in Nepal, Southern Bhutan, Darjeeling, India, and Sikkim, India, by the Magar people. It is divided into two groups (Eastern and Western) and further dialect divisions give distinct tribal identity. In Nepal 788,530 people speak the language.
While the government of Nepal developed Magar language curricula, as provisioned by constitution, the teaching materials have never successfully reached Magar schools, where most school instruction is in Nepali language. It's not unusual for groups with their own language to feel that the "mother-tongue" is an essential part of identity. Dhut Magar language is sometimes lumped with Kham magar language spoken further west in Bheri, Dhaulagiri, Karnali and Rapti zones. Although the two languages have a large number of words in common, they have major structural differences and are not mutually intelligible.
Western Magar (dialects: Palpa and Syangja) is spoken in the following districts of Nepal (Ethnologue).
Eastern Magar (dialects: Gorkha, Nawalparasi, and Tanahu) is spoken in the following districts of Nepal (Ethnologue).