Musasa

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A language of Nepal

ISO 639-3
smm
Alternate Names
Musahar, Rishaidep
Population

50,000 (2003). 20,000 Musasa and 30,000 Musasa Bantar. Ethnic population: 172,000 in Nepal.

Location

Janakpur Zone, Sindhuli, Dolakha, Mahotari, and Dhanusa districts; Koshi Zone, Morang and Sunsari districts; Sagarmatha Zone, Siraha and Saptari districts.

Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Eastern zone, Bihari
Dialects

Bantar. Similar to Kochila (Saptari) Tharu [thq].

Language Use

High proficiency in Nepali [npi].

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Musasa
Writing
Unwritten.
Other Comments

Dalit caste. It has been suggested but not documented that they may speak a sociolect of the larger language groups they live among: Maithili [mai], Bhojpuri [bho], Avadhi [awa], and Kochila Tharu [thq]. Not listed in the 2001 Nepal census. Hindu.