NEPALI: a language of Nepal

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: NEP

ISO 639-1: ne

ISO 639-2: nep

Population	9,900,000 in Nepal (1993 Johnstone), 58.3% of the population (1985). Population total all countries 16,056,000.
Region	Eastern region and adjacent south central region. Also spoken in Bhutan, Brunei, India.
Alternate names	NEPALESE, GORKHALI, GURKHALI, KHASKURA, PARBATIYA, EASTERN PAHARI
Dialects	BAITADI, BAJHANGI, BAJURALI (BAJURA), DOTELI, SORADI, ACCHAMI, JUMLELI (JUMLA, SINGJA, SIJALI), DARJULA.
Classification	Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Northern zone, Eastern Pahari.
Comments	Dialects listed may be quite distinct from Standard Nepali. 4 castes: Brahmin (highest or priestly), Chetri (warrior), Vaishya (trader and farmer), Shudra (untouchable or lowest). People are called 'Paharia.' National language. Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim. Bible 1914-1978.

Also spoken in:

Bhutan

Language name	NEPALI
Population	156,000 in Bhutan (1993 Van Driem).
Alternate names	NEPALESE, GORKHALI, GURKHALI, KHASKURA, PARBATIYA, EASTERN PAHARI
Comments	People are called 'Paharia'. May be the majority language of the south. Many are Bhutanese citizens. Hindu. Bible 1914-1978. See main entry under Nepal.

India

Language name	NEPALI
Population	6,000,000 in India (1984 Far Eastern Economic Review).
Alternate names	NEPALESE, GORKHALI, GURKHALI, KHASKURA, PARBATIYA, EASTERN PAHARI
Dialects	GORKHALI, PALPA, NEPALI.
Comments	People are called 'Paharia.' Literacy rate in first language: 30% to 100%. Literacy rate in second language: 25% to 75%. Hindu. Bible 1914-1978. See main entry under Nepal.