Helambu Sherpa
A language of Nepal
| Population | 7,570 (2000). |
| Region | Bagmati zone, Nuwakot and Sindhupalchok districts, Helambu area. |
| Language maps |
Eastern Nepal, reference number 38 Western Nepal, reference number 38 |
| Alternate names | Yholmo, Yohlmu Tam |
| Dialects | Eastern Helambu Sherpa, Western Helambu Sherpa. Melamchi River divides dialects. Understand other dialects even for abstract and complex subjects, including possibly Tarke Ghyang, Khang-Kharka, Pahndang, but not Kagate [syw]. Lexical similarity: 66% with Dolpo [dre] and Walungge [ola], 65% with Lhasa Tibetan [bod], Jirel [jul], and Kyerung [kgy], 63% with Lowa [loy] and Sherpa [xsr], 61% with Nubri [kte], 60% with Lhomi [lhm]. |
| Classification | Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Himalayish, Tibeto-Kanauri, Tibetic, Tibetan, Central |
| Language use | Home. All ages. More prestigious and has more of the original culture preserved than Kagate [syw]. Shermathang-Chhimi area and east is prestigious. Many lamas live there. Not much contact with Kagate; attitudes are indifferent toward it. Nepali [nep] is viewed as useful. Also use Nepali, Tibetan [bod], or Hindi. |
| Language development | Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: 15%–25%. Literacy motivation not high, except in English. Radio programs. Dictionary. NT: 2000. |
| Writing system | Devanagari script. |
| Comments | They go to India as laborers. SOV; postpositions; genitives, relatives before noun heads; articles, adjectives, numerals mostly after noun heads; maximum number of prefixes 1; maximum number of suffixes 2–3; word order distinguishes subject, object, indirect object some, but normally marked by postpositions; case of noun phrase indicated by postposition; split ergativity; impersonal voice; causatives; comparatives; CV, CVC, CVV, CCV, CCVV, CVVC; tonal. Peasant agriculturalists. Buddhist (Lamaist), traditional religion. |
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