Magar, Eastern
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A language of Nepal
462,000 in Nepal (2001 census), decreasing. 789,000 all Magar in Nepal (2011 census). The identification of Magars is complicated by the fact that a number of other ethnic groups (Chantyal, Kham, Kaike, Kusunda, Raute, Raji) have claimed to be Magars to outsiders. Isolated enclaves of monolinguals are found in Nawalparasi and southern Tanahu districts. Total users in all countries: 533,700.
Bagmati zone: Dhading district, small border area; Gandaki zone: south Gorkha and Tanahu districts; Lumbini zone: Nawalparasi and Palpa districts; all previous in central mountains east of Bagmati river; Janakpur zone: Sindhuli district; Sagarmatha zone: Okhaldhunga district; Kosi and southern Mechi zones: scattered.
6b* (Threatened). Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Magar.
Gorkha, Nawalparasi, Tanahu. Also long-extant migrant communities scattered throughout the Eastern Development Region speak a different variety from those west of Kathmandu. Reports of intelligibility between these varieties vary.
Also use Nepali [npi].
Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. Literature. Dictionary. Texts. NT: 1991.
Traditional religion, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu.