Darai

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A language of Nepal

ISO 639-3
dry
Population

10,200 (2001 census), decreasing. Very few monolinguals. Ethnic population: 14,900.

Location

Narayani Zone, Chitwan district, Bharatpur municipality, Mangalpur, Kathar, Jagatpur, and Chainpur VDCs; Gandaki Zone, Tanahun district, Vyas municipality, Kyamin and Ramjakot VDCs.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened). Language of recognized nationality (2002, NFDIN Act, No. 20, Section 2C).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Unclassified
Dialects

Chitwan, Tanahun. Lexical similarity: 85%–90% with Bote [bmj].

Typology

SOV; postpositions; noun head final; 2 noun classes or genders; 1 prefix, up to 4 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks for person and number; nominal-based split ergativity; both tense and aspect; passives and voice; nontonal; 29 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes; head-marking of noun in genitive construction

Language Use

Rapidly assimilating to Nepali [npi] (2007). Home; mixed use: Friends, religion, work. Young adults and older. Some use among children and adolescents. Positive attitudes. Most know Nepali [npi] very well, well enough to understand complex subjects.

Language Development
Magazines. Newspapers. Radio programs. Films. Videos. Dictionary.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Darai
Writing
Devanagari script.
Other Comments

Darai do not have social subdivisions found in most other Nepali groups. They do not organize communities into social, religious, economic, or political organizations (Bista 1996). Hindu, Christian.