Jumli Khas
जुम्ली खस
The word "Jumli" written in Devanagari script
RegionNepal
Native speakers
8,300 (2021)[1]
Dialects
  • Asi Darali
  • Tribikoti
  • Rasakoti
  • Muhu
Devanagari
Language codes
ISO 639-3jml
Glottologjuml1238

Jumli or Jumli Khas is an Indo-Aryan language of Nepal closely related to Nepali. It is primarily spoken in the Karnali Province of Nepal.[1] The language is occasionally referred to as a dialect of Nepali; however, the Government of Nepal considers Jumli as a different language and the 2011 Nepal census put the number of native speakers at 851.[2] The Khas language is known as the parent language of Nepali language.

Dialects

Script

Jumli Khas language uses the Devanagari script.

History

Khas language is considered to be the parent language of Nepali. The language is considered to developed in Sinja Valley of Karnali province.[4]

2017 Proposed Phonology

On 17 August 2017, a draft regarding 'Jumli Khas language writing style' was proposed. The draft proposed 29 consonants and 6 vowels for writing the language. According to Ramanand Acharya, a linguist and editor of the Jumli Khas dictionary, the proposed draft was prepared based on the Khas language and colloquial language and vernacular spoken in the then Karnali Khas Kingdom.[5] However, on 15 August 2022, the Language Commission of Nepal finalized a phonology with 24 vowels and 41 consonant characters.

Vowels

Unlike Nepali, Jumli Khas only have 6 oral vowels.

Jumli Khas vowel phonemes
Front Central Back
Close i u
Close-mid e o
Open-mid ʌ
Open a

Consonants

Jumli Khas consonant phonemes
Bilabial Dental Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m ⟨म⟩ n ⟨न⟩ ŋ ⟨ङ⟩
Plosive/

Affricate

voiceless unaspirated p ⟨प⟩ t ⟨त⟩ t͡s ⟨च⟩ ʈ ⟨ट⟩ k ⟨क⟩
aspirated pʰ ⟨फ⟩ tʰ ⟨थ⟩ t͡sʰ ⟨छ⟩ ʈʰ ⟨ठ⟩ kʰ ⟨ख⟩
voiced unaspirated b ⟨ब⟩ d ⟨द⟩ d͡z ⟨ज⟩ ɖ ⟨ड⟩ ɡ ⟨ग⟩
aspirated bʱ ⟨भ⟩ dʱ ⟨ध⟩ d͡zʱ ⟨झ⟩ ɖʱ ⟨ढ⟩ ɡʱ ⟨घ⟩
Fricative s ⟨स⟩ ɦ ⟨ह⟩
Rhotic r ⟨र⟩
Approximant (w ⟨व⟩) l ⟨ल⟩ (j ⟨य⟩)

The standard record regarding the grammar and vocabulary was not collected and standardized as of 2022.[4] On 15 August 2022, at the initiative of the local government, the Language Commission started the process of documenting and archiving the language.[6] According to proposal, 24 vowels and 41 consonant characters were finalized for developing writing system of the language.[7]

Present status

In 2020, twenty-eight schools in Tatopani Rural Municipality of Jumla District started teaching in Jumli Khas language.[8]

Dictionary

In 2008, Ramanand Acharya started compiling the first ever Jumli Khas Dictionary titled Khasiya Akhar.[9] Khas means Khas people and Aakhar means word or a letter. As of 2019, he had collected around 25 thousands words. The collection process has been at a slow rate due to lack of funding.[10] The Karnali Province government allocated funds for the process in the budget of the fiscal year 2077/2078 BS (2020/2021).[11]

References

  1. ^ a b Jumli Khas at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
  2. ^ "Census Nepal 2021". censusnepal.cbs.gov.np. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  3. ^ "जुम्ली शब्दकोश अधुरै". ekantipur.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  4. ^ a b "भाषा आयोगको लापरबाही : जुम्ली खस भाषाको अभिलेख नै छैन". भाषा आयोगको लापरबाही : जुम्ली खस भाषाको अभिलेख नै छैन. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  5. ^ संवाददाता, केन्द्रबिन्दु. "'खस जुम्ली भाषा लेखनशैली'को प्रस्तावित मस्यौदा निर्माण". kendrabindu.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  6. ^ कालिकोट, ललित विष्ट. "जुम्ली खस भाषाको अभिलेखीकरण गर्ने तयारी". nagariknews.nagariknetwork.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  7. ^ "जुम्ली खस भाषाको अभिलेखिकरण गरिँदै". Nepal Press. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  8. ^ "Teaching and learning in Khas language". रेडियो नेपाल. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  9. ^ "Jumli dictionary of Khas language being created". Setopati. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  10. ^ "लेखिँदै जुम्ली खस शब्दकोश". Kharibot (in Nepali). Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  11. ^ "लेखिने भयो 'खसिया आखर'". लेखिने भयो ‘खसिया आखर’. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
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