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Dhimal

A language of Nepal

ISO 639-3: dhi

Population	17,300 in Nepal (2001 census). Population total all countries: 17,750. Ethnic population: 19,537.
Region	Mechi zone, Jhapa District, 24 villages; Koshi zone, Morang District, 51 villages; East and West dialects are separated by Kankai River in Jhapa. Also in India.
Language map	Eastern Nepal, reference number 26
Alternate names	Dhemal
Dialects	Eastern Dhimal, Western Dhimal. Toto [txo] in India is a separate language with no inherent intelligibility between them. 75%–80% intelligibility between eastern and western dialect speakers. Lexical similarity: low with Toto [txo], 80%–82% between dialects.
Classification	Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Dhimal
Language use	405 L2 speakers (1991 census). Home, community. All ages. Positive attitude. Most also use some Nepali [nep], Hindi, or Rajbansi [rjs].
Language development	Literacy rate in L2: 39% (1991 census). Dictionary.
Writing system	Devanagari script.
Comments	An official nationality. SOV; postpositions; genitives, demonstratives, relatives before noun heads; nontonal. Peasant agriculturalists. Traditional religion.

Also spoken in:

India

Language name	Dhimal
Population	450 in India (2000 K. Cooper).
Region	West Bengal, Naxalbari, Chengadhari, Hatighisha, 16 villages.
Dialects	Eastern Dhimal.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

DHIMAL, Chandra; DHIMAL, Nagendra; TOBA, Sueyoshi, authors. 2002. dhimaal-nepaalii-angrejii shabdasãgraha (Dhimal-Nepali-English glossary).

DHIMAL, Nagendra; TOBA, Sueyoshi, compilers. 1999. Dhimal-English, English-Dhimal glossary.

GLOVER, Warren W.; YADAVA, Yogendra P., editors. 1999. Topics in Nepalese linguistics.

HALE, Austin, compiler. Available: 2011; Created: 1973. Excerpts on the classification of Tibeto-Burman languages with special reference to Dhīmāl.

LARSEN, Holly J.; WILLIAMS, Rebecca G., authors; DHIMAL, Chandra, researcher. 2012. The Dhimal: A sociolinguistic survey.

LENGBANG, Nagendra; TOBA, Sueyoshi, authors. 1996. "dhemalaai jaatiko aatungsaa cinaarii (dhimaal bhaaSHaamaa) = dhimaal jaatiko saakshipta cinaarii."