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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > India > Byangsi

Byangsi

A language of India

ISO 639-3: bee

Population  2,830 in India (2000). No monolinguals. Population total all countries: 4,560.
Region  Uttarakhand, Pithoragarh District, Darchula and Munsyari tahsils, Kuthi Yangti River valley in the Himalayas on Tibet and Nepal borders. Byangs Patti from Budi south to Kuti village in the north; includes Nabi, Gunji, Napalchyu, Rongkang, and Garbyang villages. Also in Nepal.
Alternate names   Bhotia, Byangkho Lwo, Byangkhopa, Byanshi, Byansi, Jaba, Rang, Saukas, Shaukas
Dialects  Pangjungkho Boli, Yerjungkhu Boli, Kuti. Dialects of Byangs, Chaudangs and Darma valleys are unintelligible to each other (Sharma 1989, 1990). Those in Kuti (India) and Tinkar (Nepal) are closely related and quite different from those in other Byangsi villages. Tinkar variety differs from Byangsi, Chaudangsi [cdn], and Darmiya [drd] in forms of agreement affixes and basic vocabulary. (Sharma 2001).
Classification  Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Western Himalayish, Almora
Language use  Home, community. Many also use Kumaoni [kfy] or Hindi. Some also use Tibetan [bod] or Nepali.
Language development  Grammar.
Comments  Cultural center seems to be India. ‘Ranglo’ or ‘Rang’ often used as a cover term for Byangs, Chaudangs, Darmiya and Rongpo. Some borrowing from Indo-Aryan. Hindu.

Also spoken in:

Nepal

Language name   Byangsi
Population  1,730 in Nepal (2001 census). Ethnic population: 2,103.
Region  Mahakali zone, Darchula District, Byas Valley. 9 villages.
Language map  Western Nepal, reference number 13
Alternate names  Byangkho Lwo, Byanshi, Byansi, Byasi, Sauka, Shauka
Language use  161 L2 speakers in Nepal (1991 census, under Byanshi). Home, village. Also use Nepali [nep], Hindi, or Kumaoni [kfy].
Language development  Literacy rate in L2: 26% Nepali.
Comments  An official nationality. Buddhist.