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Jirel

A language of Nepal

ISO 639-3: jul

Population	7,070 (2000).
Region	Janakpur zone, Dolakha District, Jiri and Sikri valleys, eastern hills. Jiri is the main area. Also Chhyatrapa; Lumbini zone, Nawalparasi District; Bagmati zone, Sindhupalchok District; Narayani zone, Parsa District.
Language map	Eastern Nepal, reference number 42
Alternate names	Jiri, Jirial, Ziral
Dialects	Accent differences, but not real dialects. Some comprehension of Lhasa Tibetan [bod] and some Tibetan dialects. Lexical similarity: 67% with Sherpa [xsr], 65% with Helambu Sherpa [scp], 62% with Dolpo [dre] and Lowa [loy], 60% with Kyerung [kgy], 57% with Nubri [kte], Lhomi [lhm], and Walungge [ola], 54% with Lhasa Tibetan [bod].
Classification	Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Southern
Language use	Home, village. All ages. Yarsa and Kharok accents are more prestigious, more educated. Nepali [nep] viewed as prestigious, needed for education, work. A few know some Sherpa [xsr], very few some Tamang [taj] and Sunwar [suz]. Some also use Nepali.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 25%–30% adults, 60% younger people. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–30% adults, 60% younger people (1991 census). People literate in Nepali can read Jirel. Dictionary. NT: 1992.
Writing system	Devanagari script.
Comments	An official nationality. SOV; postpositions; genitives, demonstratives, adjectives before noun heads; numerals after noun heads; relatives before and without noun heads; content question word initial or medial; polar question word final; maximum number of prefixes 1, maximum number of suffixes 4; subjects, objects, indirect objects distinguished by case marker; affixes indicate case of noun phrases; verb affixes mark person; ergative; causatives; CV, CVC, V, VC; tonal. Peasant agriculturalists. Hindu, Buddhist, syncretism with traditional religion.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

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

HALE, Austin, editor. 1973. Clause, sentence, and discourse patterns in selected languages of Nepal 1: General approach.  

HALE, Austin, editor. 1973. Clause, sentence, and discourse patterns in selected languages of Nepal 3: Texts.  

HALE, Austin, editor. 1973. Clause, sentence, and discourse patterns in selected languages of Nepal 4: Word lists.  

HALE, Austin, editor. 1975. Collected papers on Sherpa, Jirel.

HALE, Austin; WATTERS, David E., editors. 1973. Clause, sentence, and discourse patterns in selected languages of Nepal 2: Clause.  

MAIBAUM, Anita, author. 1978. "Participants in Jirel narrative."  

MAIBAUM, Anita; STRAHM, Esther, authors. 1971. Jirel phonemic summary.

MAIBAUM, Anita; STRAHM, Esther, authors. 1973. "Jirel texts."  

MAIBAUM, Anita; STRAHM, Esther, authors. 1999. "Verb pairs in Jirel."

MAIBAUM, Anita; STRAHM, Esther, compilers. 2005. Jirela-Nepālī-Aṅgrejī śabdakośa = Jirel - Nepali - English dictionary.

PITTMAN, Richard S., author. 1973. "Further development in voice-register theory from descriptions of languages of South and Southeast Asia."  

STRAHM, Esther, author. 1975. "Clause patterns in Jirel."

STRAHM, Esther, author. 1978. "Cohesion markers in Jirel narrative."  

Vernacular Publications

Bire. 2006.

chyaangmaa sokaante sukbiir. 2005.

chyojyungamaataang jantu kataa (caraa ra janaabarko kathaa). 2006.

debakii. 2005.

Jirel Calendar. 2003.

ngaa baatyiik baat ngii khiio. 2006.

ŋa batjoik bat ŋi khio. 2006.

ख्याल ठट्टा िखत्जीन = Teasing = Khyal Thatta Garda . 2006.  

बात इप्जीन = Hiding the Truth = Kura Lukauda . 2006.  

िम देखासी िखत्जीन = Imitating Others = Aruko Dekhasiki Garda . 2006.