Tharu languages are spoken in the Tharu community. These languages are similar to other neighboring languages. Tharu language is one of the major language spoken in Nepal.[6]
Although their own precise classification within Indo-Aryan remains uncertain, Tharu languages have superficial similarities with neighbouring languages such as Kumaoni, Awadhi, Maithili, Bengali, Rajbanshi and Bhojpuri. The lexicon of certain Tharu households is indicative of an archaic, 'indigenous' substratum, potentially predating both Sino-Tibetan or Indo-Aryan settlement. Tharu languages appear to be transitional within the context of Indo-Aryan.[7]
Languages and dialects
Tharu communities in different parts of Nepal and India do not share the same language like the other ethnic groups as it varies between the eastern, central and western Terai. There are various Tharu languages spoken by the several endogamous subgroups of Tharu that are scattered over most of the Terai region. Lexical similarity between various Tharu languages varies between 81% to 51% depending upon the Tharu language.[8]
Western Tharu languages
Dangaura and Kathariya Tharu are mutually-intelligible Tharu variants spoken west of the Gandaki River, by approximately 1.3 million people.[9][10] Furthermore, an additional variant of Tharu, known as Sonha, is largely mutually intelligible with Dangaura.[11]
Rana Tharu and Buksa are mutually-intelligible Tharu variants spoken by approximately 250,000 people west of Karnali river and in the Indian states of Uttrakahand and Uttar Pradesh. It sounds similar to Western Hindi and Awadhi.[12] The Nepal Charter dated 18 May 2020 lists Rana Tharus as a distinct ethnic group and their language as a distinct language.[13]
Central Tharu languages
Chitwania Tharu also known as Lalpuriya Tharu, Madhya Ksetriya Tharu or Central Tharu is spoken by approximately 250,000 speakers east of the Gandaki River, in and around the Chitwan Valley. Certain Chitwania variants appear to have considerable lexical similarities with Manchad, a Sino-Tibetan language.[14][15]
Eastern Tharu languages
Kochila Tharu also called Morangiya, Saptariya Tharu, Madhya-Purbiya Tharu or Mid-Eastern Tharu is a diverse Tharu variant, spoken by approximately 250,000 people, in regions of eastern and central Nepal.[16] Kochila Tharu communities are not found in isolation, but live in districts intermixed with speakers of other languages. “In contrast with western Terai where the Tharus are the only and dominant ethnic minority, the eastern – especially the far eastern – Terai is inhabited by several ethnic groups with very different linguistic affiliation”. Kochila has three main dialects spoken throughout mid-central and eastern Nepal which are Western Kochila, Saptariya Kochila and Morangiya Kochila on the basis of their intelligibility.[17]
Official Status
Tharu language is the fourth most commonly spoken language of Nepal accounting for 5.88% of total population of Nepal as per the 2021 census.[18][19] According to The Constitution of Nepal 2015 (2072 B.S.) all native languages spoken in Nepal are National languages of Nepal including Tharu.[20] The Language Commission of Nepal has recommended Tharu be made an official administrative language in Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Province.[21] The commission has also recommended Tharu be made the additional official language in all the provinces of Nepal i.e Bagmati, Koshi, Madhesh, Gandaki and Karnali province for specific regions and purposes in the province.[22] At local level, Tharu has official status in Ghorahi sub-metropolitan city of Dang district.[23][24][25]
Geographical distribution
Nepal
In Nepal Tharu languages are spoken throughout the Terai region from Mechi river in the east to Mahakali river in the west in following districts:[19][26]
With an increase in internal migrants and international emigration Tharu-speaking people have emerged in every district of Nepal and various countries such as the US, Japan, Qatar, UAE and Australia.[27][28]
^George van Driem, 2007, "Endangered languages of South Asia", in Matthias Brenzinger, Mouton de Gruyter
^1972 Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS) & SIL International, Dorothy Leal. "Chitwan Tharu phonemic summary"(PDF). Language and Culture Archives.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Linguistic Survey of Nepal (LinSuN), Central Department of Linguistics Tribhuvan University, Nepal and SIL International 2013. "A Sociolinguistic Study of Kochila Tharu in Southeast Nepal"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on 2022-10-23. Retrieved 2022-10-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
