Rajbanshi (also called Tajpuria^[3]) is a Bengali-Assamese language spoken in Nepal. It is related to, but distinct from Rangpuri/Kamta in Bangladesh and India, which is also known by the alternative name "Rajbanshi", with which it forms the KRNB cluster.^[4]

Phonology

This section is based on Wilde 2008.

Consonants

• /ts, tsʰ, dz, dzʱ/ can often be heard as post-alveolar [tʃ, tʃʰ, dʒ, dʒʱ], when following back vowels.
• /r/ and /rʱ/ can have allophones of [ɽ ɾ] and [ɽʱ ɾʱ].
• /b/ can have allophones of [β w].
• /pʰ/ can also be realised as [f].
• /s/ can also have an allophone of [ʃ].
• /h/ can be realised as voiceless or voiced [ɦ] in word-initial positions.
• /n̪/ can be heard as alveolar [n] before an alveolar consonant, and as a retroflex [ɳ] when preceding a retroflex consonant.
• A word-final /r/ may tend to be voiceless [r̥].
• Central approximants [w j] occur, but are deemed allophones of /u i/.

Vowels

In addition to these vowels, Rangpuri has the following diphthongs: /ie, iæ, iu, iʌ, ui, uæ, uʌ, ei, eu, æi, æu, ʌi, ʌu/.

• Vowels /i, e/ can have shortened allophones of [ɪ, ɛ].
• /æ/ can also be articulated more central as [ɐ, ä].
• /ʌ/ may also be heard as two sounds [ɜ, ə] in free variation.^[5]