Magar, Western
PrintA language of Nepal
308,000 (2001 census), decreasing. Census statistics likely include non-ethnic Magars and many that do not speak Magar. Ethnic population: 1,620,000 ethnic Magar (2001 census) includes both Eastern and Western Magar.
Lumbini Zone, Palpa district; Gandaki Zone, Syangja and Tanahu districts; isolated in Bheri Zone, Surkhet, Jajarkot, and Dailekh districts.
6b (Threatened). Language of recognized nationality (2002, NFDIN Act, No. 20, Section 2C).
Palpa, Syangja. Some differences between dialects, yet reportedly high intellligibility.
SOV; postpositions, but mostly case clitics; noun head final; alienable and inalienable noun classes; content q-word in situ; up to 3 prefixes, up to 7 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person and number; ergativity; tense and aspect; passives; nontonal; 33 to 37 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes
Fewer people becoming fluent in Nepali [npi] than before, i.e. the older generation speaks better Nepali. Magar language continues to thrive. Mixed use: Home, friends, work. Elderly. Some use among children, adolescents, young and older adults. Mixed attitudes. Rhetoric is positive but language conservation is generally not implemented. Almost all also use at least some Nepali [npi].
Traditional religion, Buddhist, Hindu, Christian.