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

Kumaoni

A language of India

ISO 639-3: kfy

Population  2,360,000 (1998). 20% monolingual. Scattered in Nepal border area.
Region  Uttarakhand, Almora, Nainital, Pithoragarh, Bageshwar, Champawat, Udhamsingh Nagar districts; Central Kumaoni in Almora and north Nainital; Northeastern Kumaoni in Pithoragarh; Southeastern Kumaoni in southeast Nainital; Western Kumaoni west of Almora and Nainital.
Alternate names   Kamaoni, Kumauni, Kumau, Kumawani, Kumgoni, Kumman, Kunayaoni
Dialects  Central Kumaoni, Northeastern Kumaoni, Southeastern Kumaoni, Western Kumaoni. Dialects mutually functionally intelligible. Reportedly, eastern dialects are different. Names sometimes listed for dialects or subgroups are: Askoti, Bhabari of Rampur, Chaugarkhiya, Danpuriya, Gangola, Johari, Khasparjiya, Kumaiya Pachhai, Pashchimi, Phaldakotiya, Kumaoni, Rau-Chaubhaisi, Sirali, Soriyali. Most closely related to Garwhali [gbm] and Nepali [nep].
Classification  Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Northern zone, Central Pahari
Language use  Home, community. All ages. The Central dialect is most accepted. Hindi valued as the language of education and progress. English valued as the gateway to success. Also use Hindi.
Language development  Literacy rate in L2: 72% for Uttarakhand. Motivation not high. Poetry. Magazines. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2006.
Writing system  Devanagari script.
Comments  Hindu mixed with traditional religion.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

EATON, Robert D., author. 2012. Predicate nominal constructions in Pahari languages.