Nepal Research
Website on Nepal and Himalayan Studies

Culture (languages, linguistics)
Time in Taksindu:
Home
Biography
Crisis
Culture
Development
Economy
Education
Health
History
Human Rights
Infrastructure
Law
Media
Miscellaneous
Nature
Politics
Society

Culture (general)
Art
Dance
Festivals
Film
Language
Literature
Music
Religion
Theatre

MoU signed for research on Nepali language and literature (kh 17/08/2024)

Tamang and Nepal Bhasa languages officially recognized in Bagmati Province (kh 06/05/2024)

Nuances Of Englishes: Teaching English in Nepal, by Amar Bahadur Sherma (rep 30/03/2024)

Nepali language speakers worldwide form association in Bangkok (kh 19/03/2024), Nepali language speakers worldwide form ANO in Bangkok (rep 19/03/2024)

Use of mother tongue should be increased: Minister Sharma (rn 08/01/2024) [Make knowledge of at least one national language, other than Nepali, compulsory for access to all public and political offices. This would increase the importance of these languages enormously and also improve the chances of applicants who are not native Nepali speakers!]

Language Commission expresses concern over negligence of Nepali language in govt offices, by Bhasa Sharma (rep 08/11/2023)

Need for Native Language Education in Nepali Schools, by Ritu Raj Lamsal (rep 15/10/2023)

The medium language of teaching : Nepal’s universities should remove barriers that restrict the possibilities for obtaining higher education, by Pratyoush Onta  (kp 29/09/2023)

SC orders to summon Amicus curiae in Nepali orthography case (rep 22/09/2023)

Preserve Mother Tongues, by Samprada Bajracharya (rn 21/08/2023)

English in Nepal: Luxury of choice :_ Outside the realms of pedagogy, the production of English language books is gaining popularity, by Abhi Subedi (kp 13/08/2023)

Maithili weathering two-pronged attack : State neglect and calls for recognition of Hindi as contact language of the Madhes pose a serious threat to the language with a rich history, by Himanshu Chaudhary (ae 02/08/2023)

Call to recognize Hindi as official language (rep 23/07/2023), Call to recognize Hindi as official language (rn 23/07/2023)

Shun Feudal Form Of Language, by Bhupa P Dhamala (rn 28/06/2023)

How language reflects social and racial prejudices against Madhesh, by Sushant Nepali (rep 22/05/2023)

Deciphering Thangmi : An ethno-linguist’s race against time to document Nepal’s endangered language, by Ashish Dhakal (nt 12/05/2023)

Combatting misinformation: Effective fact-checking is the way, by Pralhad Gairapipli (ht 14/04/2023)

Efforts underway to preserve Magar Kham language (kh 18/03/2023)

Chamling Rai’s language conference being conducted in Khotang (kh 06/03/2023)

English studies, examined : The praxis of English language teaching and the positions of the English departments complement each other, by Abhi Subedi (kp 26/02/2023)

Ensure Fundamental Right to Education in Mother Tongue, by Randhir Chaudhary (rep 21/02/2023)

Language class to begin for preserving Kusunda language (kh 03/02/2023)

CK Raut’s oath in ‘Madheshi’ language ruffles feathers : Madheshi Commission writes to Parliament Secretariat seeking a clarification on why some lawmakers were administered the oath in ‘Madheshi’ language, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp 24/12/2022) [???]

Nepali language chauvinism : Language nationalism for the sake of it is nothing more than language chauvinism, by Deepak Thapa (kp 15/12/2022)

The allure of English among Nepali parents : We are dismissive of local languages that are easily accessible to us and that restricts our cognitive development, communication skills, as well as acceptance of different heritages, by Cilla Khatry (ae 21/07/2022)

Nepali remains lingua franca of all provinces, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht 02/07/2022) [It is not a question of replacing Nepali with another language, but a second language of the respective province should be made compulsory, especially for the high-caste elite, who must finally get away from the mistaken belief that only their language, religion, culture, etc. represent Nepal's identity!]

Kusunda tribe demands integrated settlement, protection of their nearly-extinct language (rep 06/05/2022)

Politics and the Nepali language : The rulers destroy the communicative shape of the language to create a condition of regimented thought, by Abhi Subedi (kp 24/04/2022)

PTE becoming ultimate English language test in Nepal: Paulraj (ht 16/03/2022)

Linguistically limited : A year on, Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s mandatory Nepal Bhasa educational policy is not sitting well with students, teachers, or schools, by Marissa Taylor (rec 10/03/2022) [The problem described here affects children from non-Nepali speaking population groups nationwide and deprives them of equal professional opportunities later on. The obligation to learn another national language and the integration of ethnic cultures and customs into the curricula could help to unite people.]

Let us all speak our languages : It needs to be ensured that not a single language becomes extinct. If it does, then it means Nepal has failed to live up to its constitutional ethos, by Jivesh Jha and Bidhan Chandra Jha (nlt 21/02/2022), 37 languages on verge of extinction in Nepal being preserved (kh 21/02/2022), International Mother Language Day being observed today (kh 21/02/2022)

Reviving the native tongue of Lungkhim Rais, by Sachit Rai and Toyanath Bhattarai (ae 03/02/2022)

Language As Medium Of Social Change, by Bhupa P Dhamala (rn 05/01/2022)

How does a child lose their language? By introducing and enforcing the use of the English language from an early stage, we may be losing much more than we think, by Shuvangi Khadka (rec 04/01/2022)

Concern as Chhantyal language on verge of extinction (kh 05/12/2021)

Linguistics in political times : The biodiversity of languages in Nepal, where 123 languages are spoken, is of universal interest, by Abhi Subedi (kp 05/12/2021)

Language policing and what we overlook : In a country that prides itself on its diversity of cultures, ethnicities, and a wide array of vernaculars, the discourse surrounding language gets particularly inflammatory, by Pasang Dorjee (kp 13/11/2021)

Dhirendra Nalbo: ‘We can all be thinkers and writers’, by Tom Robertson (rec 22/09/2021)

Language Commission recommends province-wise official languages before government (kh 06/09/2021), Adoption of official languages recommended for provinces challenging, experts say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 18/09/2021)

Ji and the cost of name suffixes : When we hide behind ji, dai and didi, ageist and patriarchal relations take over the workspaces, and that is hard to shake off, by Vikase Manush (rec 13/08/2021)

Rajamati Boosts Nepal Bhasa Movement, by Aashish Mishra (rn 10/04/2021)

Language chauvinism : The recent arrests in Balaju show the need for greater understanding of language diversity, by Deepak Thapa (kp 18/03/2021)

Losing languages : While the state should create the environment to preserve and promote indigenous languages, indigenous communities themselves should also commit to the preservation and revitalization of their languages, by Lisha Dangol (rep 17/03/2021)

Linguistic discrimination and conflict : As long as there is unfairness, the goal of an inclusive and prosperous Nepal is impossible, by Sangmo Yonjan-Tamang (kp 03/03/2021)

What’s in a language : The government should learn from the past blunders of promoting one language (kp 22/02/2021), Bhojpuri language not developed thanks to govt apathy (ht 22/02/2021)

Lost in translation : Nepal struggles to preserve its indigenous languages as those speaking them dwindle. by Alisha Sijapati (nt 29/01/2021)

Language Commission developing grammar of endangered languages : With eight new languages explored, the total numbers of languages spoken in the country has reached 131 (rep 27/12/2020)

Language jingoism : The selective outrage of ruling party leaders on the use of English terms and letters shows their hypocrisy, by Deepak Thapa (kp 10/12/2020)

Let’s Keep Our Tongues, by Aashish Mishra (rn 05/12/2020)

Eight new languages discovered in Nepal (kh 27/11/2020)

Nepali language at SOAS : It is a shame that the language has lost one of its oldest homes in the West, by Deepak Thapa (kp 26/11/2020)

Sanskrit-Nepali e-dictionary launched (rep 20/11/2020)

Kathmandu city orders all schools to teach Nepal Bhasha, by Binod Ghimire (kp 06/11/2020) [To put this into perspective : Newars constitute about 21% of Kathmandu's population; only 17% speak Newari as mother tongue; more than 8% speak Tamang; more than 20% have other mother tongues than Nepali and Newari! The promotion of all ethnic mother tongues would be important!]

KMC To Implement Nepal Bhasa Curriculum In Schools (rn 06/10/2020)

Widening The Communication Arc, by Kundan Aryal (rn 25/09/2020)

The myth and methods of teaching English in Nepal: Whether syllabuses have worked or failed have always been decided by the learners of the language, by Abhi Subedi (kp 24/05/2020)

Covid is changing everything, including everyday language: From coining new words (covidiot) to redefining existing terms (isolation) and the centre-staging of rarely-used ones (furlough), coronavirus is changing how we speak, by Ankit Khadgi (kp 27/04/2020)

Lohorung language on verge of extinction (ht 23/02/2020)

Of millenials and ‘mangled’ Nepali on social media: Nepali grammar nazis need to ease up and let the new generation communicate in the lingo of the times, by Dinesh Kafle (kp 02/12/2019)

The ecology of English: Not all learners of the English language have the same approach to it; Nepalis are especially foreign to the language, by Abhi Subedi (kp 24/11/2019)

3 years on, language commission in limbo for lack of full shape (rep 31/10/2019)

Oli now has problems with the way the media addresses individuals: Oli expressed displeasure over the media’s use of the informal Nepali pronoun ‘timi’, by Anil Giri (kp 16/10/2019) [?? But it is okay that husbands address their wives with 'timi' and the latter have to say 'hajur'?]

Haldibari Rural Municipality takes initiatives to preserve Meche language: Deependra Basic School in Jhapa has included Meche language in its curriculum for grade one, by Arjun Rajbanshi (kp 11/09/2019)

The Gurung language once had no written script. Now it has five: In an effort to preserve its oral language, the Gurung community came up with its own scripts, but it is now divided over which to use, by Sachitra Gurung (kp 06/09/2019)

After being largely replaced by Devanagari, Nepal Bhasa scripts are making a comeback: Kathmandu’s millennia-old scripts, primarily used in religious texts, have been turned into digital fonts and artwork, by Srizu Bajracharya (kp 29/07/2019)

Mandarin’s usefulness: To enable China to extend its additional support to Nepal for its fast growth, Nepal should think of teaching Mandarin at schools, by Birendra P. Mishra (rep 08/07/2019)

Mandarin made mandatory in many schools: ‘Chinese embassy footing teachers’ bill’, by Sabitri Dhakal (ht 15/06/2019)

Why English? We need to focus on enhancing English language skills if we are to become competent global citizens, by Ravi Nayak and Bidhi Mandal (rep 09/06/2019)

With just a few hundred speakers, Dhuleli language is on the brink of dying out: A spoken language with no written script, Dhuleli is primarily  spoken in Bajhang by the Rokaya, Kami and Bohara communities, by Basanta Pratap Singh and Samuel Chhetri (kp 31/05/2019)

Language in danger: Unhealthy infatuation with English language risks Nepal’s minority languages like Tharu, Maithili, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Gurung, Newari and Limbu by putting them at extinction path, by Nishan Kafle (rep 13/05/2019)

Sanskrit for Dalits: In the past, untouchables were not allowed to read and write Sanskrit. Sanskrit was considered to be the subject meant only for Brahmins The situation has not changed, by Giri Bahadur Sunar (rep 07/05/2019)

Nativity of Nepali English: Speaking and writing in English in South Asia has a long history associated with power and colonial ‘darkness’, by Abhi Subedi (kp 17/03/2019)

Much hyped, less owned: Before improving English of Nepali students, we need to improve English of Nepali English teachers, by Rishi Ram Paudyal (rep 17/03/2019)

Drinking in the Nepali language: A month into learning Nepali, this ‘kuire’ reflects on his learning, by Thomas Heaton (kp 09/03/2019)

A gift of tongues: Nepal has more than 123 languages, and it is up to us to preserve this diversity (kp 22/02/2019), Languages dying out under benign neglect, by Bishnu Prasad Aryal (rep 22/02/2019)

Think beyond English: Overemphasis on English in Nepal’s schools at the cost of local languages and culture is detrimental, linguistically, cognitively and psychologically, to overall development of children, by Laxmi Prasad Ojha (rep 14/02/2019)

The power in ‘Nenglish’: There are many ‘englishes’ in Nepal, by Somy Paudyal (kp 27/01/2019), When teachers fail: There are many university teachers who can’t understand and speak English well but are ‘teaching’ in English medium, by Rishi Ram Paudyal (rep 27/01/2018)

Exam paper in question for using repealed Nepali grammar rules, by Bibhu Luitel (kp 08/01/2019)

Resuscitating dying Kusunda language: Commission starts first ever language class in Dang, by Durga Lal KC (kp 04/01/2019)

Understanding language and literature: Author Manjushree Thapa speaks on learning  the history and multiple dimensions of Nepali literature, by Bibhu Luitel (kp 28/12/2018)

‘Sanskrit dying in its own land’, by Ramesh Khatiwada (rep 18/12/2018)

Limbu declared official language in a local unit in Ilam, by Biplav Bhattarai (kp 14/11/2018), Limbu language declared official language, by Bhim Chapagain (rep 01/12/2018)

Few schools imparting education in mother tongues (ht 28/10/2018)

Nepal Bhasa Sahitya conference under way (kp 22/10/2018)

Mother tongue course in decline (kp 30/09/2018)

Language panel submits report (kp 07/09/2018)

‘English’ zones in Nepali schools: Such zones demoralise students, dangerously suppressing their creative enthusiasm in inventing ideas in language, by Abhi Subedi 05/08/2018)

Foreigners attracted to Nepali language, by Kamal Raj Bhatta (rep 24/07/2018)

Nepal to host 19th World Sanskrit Conference (ht 15/07/2018)

Khas language on the verge of extinction, experts warn, by Jyoti Katuwal (kp 09/05/2018)

Linguists identify two new languages in Dhankuta district (kp 04/05/2018)

School in bid to promote Dura language in Lamjung (ht 03/05/2018)

Nepal’s Multilingual Heritage, by Prem Prasad Paudel (rn 28/04/2018)

Rajamama, lone Kusunda language speaker, dies, by Pratap Rana Magar (kp 19/04/2018), Kusunda language in peril (ht 19/04/2018)

Commission begins study of endangered Bankariya language: Since there are no written scripts of Bankariya language, linguists fear the language will be forever forgotten if it is not preserved, by Pratap Bista (14/04/2018)

English as Official Language, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn 23/03/2018)

Decoding dialects, by Priyanka Gurung (rep 23/03/2018)

Textbooks in local languages sought (ht 26/02/2018)

Mother Language Day marked with events: 123 languages are spoken as mother tongues in Nepal (ht 22/02/2018)

Recognizing diversity: Provincial government in Madhes should not fall into temptation of adopting one language policy for education in the name of cultural conservatism, by Manjeet Mishra (rep 21/02/2018)

The democratization of the Nepali language: Only by being the language of the people will Nepali truly flourish and grow and evolve, by Manjushree Thapa (kp 19/02/2018)

Rational Multi-lingual Policy, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn 16/02/2018), Voices from the plains: Response to lingual sentiments in Province 2 is becoming crucial, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp 16/02/2018)

Shunning English: By making Nepali the only official language, we have hindered our ability to compete internationally, by Sujeev Shakya (kp 13/02/2018)

Call to give Maithili an official language status (kp 26/12/2017), Official status sought for Maithili in Province 2 (ht 26/12/2017)

Translingual benefits: Scholarship based on classroom observations has consistently shown that teachers of content subjects, in general, cannot teach in English effectively, by Shyam Sharma (rep 24/10/2017)

English dreams: For every child who may enter a profession where English is needed, there are a hundred others who perform poorly in math and science because of their poor English, by Shyam Sharma (rep 11/10/2017)

Voice of the people: The UML promotes one type of nationalism in Nepal, but will all their cadres follow?, by Deepak Thapa (kp 10/08/2017)

Nepali language study expanding in Chinese universities, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep 18/07/2017)

One year on, language panel incomplete, without Act (kp 15/07/2017)

Nepal Bhasa as official language in metropolis, by Anup Ojha (kp 22/06/2017)

Beyond English: Preference for English language in social sciences is indicative of its hegemonic status in Nepal, by Pranab Kharel and Gaurab KC (rep 11/06/2017)

Language committee yet to get full shape (ht 21/05/2017)

Language Planning In Nepal, by Govinda Bahadur Tumbahang (rn 12/05/2017)

Desperation for translation: The world does not understand Nepal, and Nepalis do not understand the world. We need translations both ways, by Kanak Mani Dixit (nt 21/04/2017)

The place of Nepali, by Kanak Mani Dixit (nt 07/04/2017)

KMC to reinstate Ranjana script (kp 23/03/2017)

Linguistics seminar concludes, by Dev Narayan Sah (kp 05/03/2017)

Promotion of country’s languages stressed (ht 21/02/2017)

The ‘English’ debate: Three million children in Nepal are now studying in private schools that market their English medium instruction, by Chura Bahadur Thapa (rep 01/02/2017)

Language Commission moves to new address (kp 15/12/2016)

Language Commission begins work (ht 24/11/2016)

Myths about English: If language learning is a greater objective than learning math and science, we wouldn’t need schools and colleges. Language institutes would suffice, by Shyam Sharma (rep 16/11/2016)

Gurung opposes Hindi as official language (rep 17/10/2016)

Avenues of translations: Nepali translators have long pursued translation as a creative work, but now it is an important practical activity, by Abhi Subedi (kp 02/10/2016)

The language debate: Both Sanskritic conservatism and speech-based vernacular-nationalism fall short of the need of the hour, by Pramod Mishra (kp 29/09/2016), The language debate, by Cilla Khatry (rep 30/09/2016)

Of two minds: If Nepalis world over have done well, it is because English has become accessible to many students, by Sujeev Shakya (kp 27/09/2016)

Language Commission formed, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht 09/09/2016)

Tongue-tied: Normalising the spouting of Sanskrit shlokas would dampen the spirits of aspiring young students, by Deepak Thapa (08/09/2016)

Native language teaching fails to impress Tharu community (kp 24/08/2016) [Such offer for classes I-V means nothing! You also need textbooks and other materials. And especially, you have to extinguish the monolinguistic curricula that were forced by King Mahendras Panchayat politics and you have to give ethnic languages and cultures a perspective!]

Speaking in tongues: Although my native tongue is Nepal Bhasa, listening to the news in it feels like listening to a foreign language, by Supral Raj Joshi (kp 29/05/2016)

Accepting ‘Englishes’: Use of English is the only way of communicating with the people of South Asia, by Abhi Subedi (kp 06/03/2016)

Promotion of all mother languages underscored (ht 23/02/2016)

Language barrier causing hassles in quake data collection, by Narahari Sapkota (rep 15/02/2016)

Google launches ‘Love Your Language Nepal’ campaign (ht 24/09/2015)

Preserving their worded presence, by Sachi Mulmi (rep 18/09/2015)

Missing links: Those of us with an MA in English have vague but powerful aura of privilege but out in the world we are no more than language teachers, Shyam Sharma (rep 16/04/2015)

Language barrier forcing Kisan kids out of schools, by Raju Adhikari (rep 27/02/2015)

UNESCO: Promoting Mother Tongue For Peace And Progress, by Prem Khatry (rn 24/02/2015), Situation Of Mother Tongues In Nepal, by Govinda Bahadur Tumbahang (rn 24/02/2015)

English in Nepal: An independent organisation of English language teachers is setting out to achieve national goals, by Abhi Subedi (kp 22/02/2015)

Start of native language classes ups enrolment, by Krishna Prasad Gautam (kp 14/01/2015)

Death Of A Language, by Bhimsen Thapaliya (rn 14/01/2015) [on Kusunda language]

Hindi has become a global language, says Veep Jha (ht 13/01/2015)

Raji: A dying language, by Kalendra Sejuwal (rep 02/01/2015)


Documents / Websites

Nepali, introductory website into the Nepali language by John Whelpton

Shabda Mala website (Learning to read and write in Nepali, for children)

New Materials on Kusunda Language, by B.K. Rana, Linguistic Society of Nepal; paper presented to the fourth round table international conference on ethnogenesis in South and Central Asia, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, May, 11-13, 2002



Copyright © Nepal Research.
nepalresearch.org is not liable for any unsuitable material found in any of the links included in this web site.
Please contact the respective web sites for any relevant information.

Last updated: