Western Tamang Dictionary

Western Tamang - Nepali Dictionary

Tamang is a language spoken by the Tamang speech community. According to the 2011 Census of Nepal, Tamang ranks as the 5th most spoken language in the country, representing 5.1% of the population. It is part of the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. The majority of Tamang speakers reside around the Kathmandu Valley, although the Tamang ethnic group is spread across various districts throughout Nepal. Recognizing the unique cultural attributes of the Tamang people, the Nepal government officially recognized Tamang as an indigenous ethnic community in 2058 VS. Both the interim constitution of 2063 VS and the current constitution of 2072 VS have prioritized Tamang as a national language.

According to the 'Do:ra song', the Western Tamang people migrated to Nepal from Tibet, entering through 'Same' in the Himalayas. The song mentions Tamang communities in locations such as 'Rhirhap' and 'Gyagarden', situated below 'Bompo' and 'Lambu', and just above 'Same'. In Tamang culture, it is believed that the tail of the Earth is towards the north and the head towards the south. Consequently, during funeral rites, the deceased is carried upwards with their head oriented towards the south before cremation. The term 'Same' is derived from 'Sa' (Earth) and 'me' (Tail), symbolizing 'the tail of the Earth'. The cultural narrative also speaks of significant transformations as one moves from the tail to the head of the Earth.

Although Tamang lacks a standardized grammar, it features two distinct dialects: Eastern and Western. The Eastern Tamang dialect, originating from the Langtang Himal area east of the Trisuli River, is referred to as 'Syarba'. Conversely, the Western Tamang dialect, spoken in districts such as Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Lamjung, Chitawan, and Kanchanpur, is known as 'Nhurba' or 'Nhuppa'.

This bilingual dictionary is the result of collaborative efforts by members of the Western Tamang speech community from the aforementioned districts. Each Tamang word (the source language) in the dictionary is translated into Nepali (the target language), making it a valuable resource for comparative linguistic studies. Unfortunately, the number of Western Tamang speakers is declining due to the increasing influence of Nepali, the country's lingua franca. This shift poses a significant threat to the survival of Western Tamang as a mother tongue. Therefore, this dictionary plays a crucial role in the preservation, promotion, and development of the Western Tamang language.

Lastly, there is a strong commitment to continuously improve and enhance this dictionary. The Western Tamang speech community, stakeholders, readers, organizations, and other relevant authorities are encouraged to provide insightful comments and feedback to aid its ongoing development.

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Last updated on Sep 29, 2024

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