Dolakha Newar language explained

Dolakha Newar
Also Known As:Dolakhāe Newar
Dolakhā Newār
Nativename:Nepal Bhasa; Newari: , Dwālkhā Nepal Bhasa
States:Nepal
Speakers:5,000–10,000
Date:no date
Familycolor:Sino-Tibetan
Fam2:Tibeto-Burman
Fam3:Mahakiranti
Fam4:Newaric
Fam5:Newar
Isoexception:dialect
Glotto:east2773
Glottorefname:Eastern Newari

Dolakha Newar (endonym Dwālkhā Nepal Bhasa), or Eastern Newar, is a divergent dialect of the Newar language (Nepal Bhasa) spoken in Dolakha District, east of the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, by 5,645 Newar people as of 1988. Some speakers of Dolakha Newar can be found in Kathmandu for education or work.[1]

Geographical region

Dolakha Newar is spoken in Dolakha town of Dolakha district, Tauthali of Sindupalchowk district, Listi and Duti of Kavre district.[2]

Phonology

Consonants

LabialDental/
Alveolar
Retroflex(Alveolo-)
palatal
VelarGlottal
Stop/
Affricate
voicelesspronounced as /p/pronounced as /t/pronounced as /ʈ/pronounced as /tɕ/pronounced as /k/
aspiratedpronounced as /pʰ/pronounced as /tʰ/pronounced as /ʈʰ/pronounced as /tɕʰ/pronounced as /kʰ/
voicedpronounced as /b/pronounced as /d/pronounced as /ɖ/pronounced as /dʑ/pronounced as /ɡ/
murmuredpronounced as /bʱ/pronounced as /dʱ/pronounced as /ɖʱ/pronounced as /dʑʱ/pronounced as /ɡʱ/
Fricativepronounced as /s/pronounced as /h/
Nasalvoicedpronounced as /m/pronounced as /n/pronounced as /ŋ/
murmured
Tapvoiced(pronounced as /ɾ/)pronounced as /[ɽ]/
murmuredpronounced as /[ɾʱ]/pronounced as /[ɽʱ]/
Lateralvoicedpronounced as /l/
murmured
Approximantvoicedpronounced as /w/pronounced as /j/
murmured
Notes

Vowels

FrontCentralBack
shortlongnasalshortlongnasalshortlongnasal
Closepronounced as /i/pronounced as /iː/pronounced as /ĩ/pronounced as /u/pronounced as /uː/pronounced as /ũ/
Close-midpronounced as /e/pronounced as /eː/pronounced as /ẽ/pronounced as /o/pronounced as /oː/pronounced as /õ/
Mid(pronounced as /ə/)(pronounced as /əː/)(pronounced as /ə̃/)pronounced as /ɔ/~pronounced as /ɑ/pronounced as /ɔː/~pronounced as /ɑː/pronounced as /ɔ̃/~pronounced as /ɑ̃/
Open-mid
Openpronounced as /a/pronounced as /aː/pronounced as /ã/
back vowel sound can be [{{IPA|ɑ}}], [{{IPA|ʌ}}], or [{{IPA|ə}}].[3] [4] [5]

Diphthongs

FrontCentralBack
oralnasaloralnasaloralnasal
DiphthongClosepronounced as /ui/pronounced as /uĩ/
Midpronounced as /ei/pronounced as /eĩ/pronounced as /ɔi/pronounced as /ɔĩ/pronounced as /ɔu/pronounced as /ɔũ/
Openpronounced as /ai/pronounced as /aĩ/pronounced as /au/pronounced as /aũ/

Number

No. Dolakha Newar
1 thi
2
3
4 pe
5 ŋā
6 khu
7 nas
8 cyā
9 gu
10 ji(m)

Notes and References

  1. Book: Genetti, Carol . Carol Genetti . A Grammar of Dolakha Newar . Walter de Gruyter . 2007 . 978-3-11-019303-9.
  2. Web site: Shrestha (PhD) . Anita . द्वाल्खा नेपाल भाषा : आधारभूत तहमा मातृभाषा शिक्षा . Bampijhyala . 27 August 2020 . 11 November 2021.
  3. Book: Genetti, Carol. Dolakhā Newār. London & New York: Routledge.. 2003. The Sino-Tibetan Languages. 353–370.
  4. Book: Hargreaves, David. Kathmandu Newar (Nepāl Bhāśā). London & New York: Routledge.. 2003. The Sino-Tibetan Languages. 371–384.
  5. Book: Newār (Nepāl Bhāsā). Hale. Austin. Shrestha. Kedar P.. München: LINCOM. 2006. Languages of the World/Materials, 256. 1–22.