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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > Nepal > Tharu, Rana

Tharu, Rana

A language of Nepal

ISO 639-3: thr

Population  336,000 in Nepal (2006). Population total all countries: 486,000.
Region  Mahakali zone, Kanchanpur District; Seti zone, Kailali District. Also in India.
Language map  Western Nepal, reference number 86
Alternate names   Rana Thakur
Dialects  96%-99% intelligibility among dialects, 90% with Kathoriya [tkt], 51%–88% reported with Dangaura [thl]. Differences with India dialects. Lexical similarity: 83%–97% among dialects, 73%–79% with Buksa, 74%–79% with Kathoriya, 70%–73% with Sonha [soi], 63%–71% with Dangaura, 56%–60% with Chitwania [the], 68%–72% with Hindi.
Classification  Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Eastern zone, Unclassified
Language use  Vigorous. Home, village. Also use Nepali [nep] or Hindi.
Language development  Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: (all Tharu as an ethnic group) 28% (1991 census). Dictionary.
Writing system  Devanagari script.
Comments  Tharu recognized as an official nationality. Agriculturalists; pastoralists. Traditional religion, syncretism with Hindu.

Also spoken in:

India

Language name   Tharu, Rana
Population  150,000 in India (2003).
Region  Nepal border, Uttar Pradesh, Kheri District, near Nighasan Tahsil, Pilibhit District; Uttarakhand, Nainital District, Khatima, Sitargani, Kiccha, and Haldwani tahsils.
Alternate names  Rana Thakur
Language use  A few also use Hindi.
Language development  Literacy rate in L2: 20%–25%.
Comments  A Scheduled Tribe. Hindu, traditional religion.
 

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

BOEHM, Edward Daniel, author. 1998. A phonological reconstruction of Proto-Tharu.

BOEHM, Kelly Kilgo, author. 1997. Language use and language maintenance among the Tharu of the Indo-Nepal tarai.