Western Tamang - Nepali Dictionary
Tamang is a vibrant language spoken by the Tamang community, which, according to the 2011 Nepal Census, ranks fifth among Nepal's 123 languages, representing 5.1% of the population. This language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. While the majority of Tamang speakers reside around the Kathmandu Valley, the Tamang ethnic group is spread across various districts throughout Nepal. Acknowledging its unique cultural heritage, the Nepal government officially recognized Tamang as an indigenous ethnic community in 2058 VS. Further emphasizing its importance, both the interim constitution of 2063 VS and the constitution of 2072 VS have designated Tamang as a national language.
The 'Do:ra song' narrates that Western Tamang people migrated to Nepal from Tibet, entering through 'Same' in the Himalayas. This historical journey has led to the establishment of Tamang communities in various locations such as 'Rhirhap' and 'Gyagarden', below 'Bompo' and 'Lambu', and just above 'Same'. According to local beliefs held by Lama, Bompo, and Lambu, the Earth's tail points north and its head south, a concept reflected in Tamang funeral practices where the deceased's body is carried upwards with the head facing south before cremation. In Tamang culture, 'Sa' represents the Earth and 'me' the Tail, thus 'Same' is considered 'the tail of the Earth', symbolizing the transition from one state to another.
Despite not having its own standardized grammar, Tamang is divided into two main dialects: Eastern and Western. The Eastern Tamang dialect, known as 'Syarba', originates from the Langtang Himal region east of the Trisuli River. In contrast, the Western Tamang dialect, referred to as 'Nhurba' or 'Nhuppa', is spoken in the western districts including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Lamjung, Chitawan, and Kanchanpur.
This bilingual dictionary is a collaborative effort of the Western Tamang speech community members from the aforementioned districts. It translates each Tamang word (source language) into Nepali (target language), making it an invaluable resource for comparative linguistic studies. However, the number of Western Tamang speakers is declining as more individuals shift to Nepali, the lingua franca, posing a significant threat to the survival of Western Tamang as a mother tongue. Therefore, this dictionary is crucial for the preservation, promotion, and development of the language.
We believe there is ample opportunity to enhance this dictionary for its improvement, advancement, and maturity. We warmly welcome insightful comments and feedback from the speech community, stakeholders, readers, organizations, and other interested parties.
What's New in the Latest Version 1.7
Last updated on Sep 29, 2024
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