Western Tamang - Nepali Dictionary

Tamang is a language spoken by the Tamang speech community. According to the 2011 Census in Nepal, Tamang ranks as the fifth most spoken language, representing 5.1 percent of the population. It is part of the Tibeto-Burman group within the Sino-Tibetan language family. The majority of the Tamang community resides around the Kathmandu Valley, though members of the Tamang ethnic group are also spread across other districts in the country. In 2058 VS, the Nepal government recognized Tamang as an indigenous ethnic community, highlighting its unique cultural features. Additionally, the interim constitution of 2063 VS and the more recent constitution of 2072 VS have both recognized Tamang as a national language.

The 'Do:ra song' narrates that the Western Tamang people migrated to Nepal from Tibet, entering through 'Same' in the Himalayas. This song also mentions Tamang settlements in various locations such as 'Rhirhap', 'Gyagarden', 'Bompo', 'Lambu', and areas just above 'Same'. In Tamang tradition, as described by Lama, Bompo, and Lambu, the northern direction is considered the tail of the Earth and the southern direction as the head. Consequently, in their burial practices, the dead are carried upwards with their heads oriented southward before cremation. In Tamang cosmology, 'Sa' represents Earth and 'me' represents Tail, thus 'Same' is interpreted as 'the tail of the Earth'. This cultural narrative reflects the shift from the tail to the head of the Earth.

Despite lacking a standardized grammar, Tamang is divided into two main dialects: Eastern and Western. The Eastern Tamang dialect, originating from the Langtang Himal and spoken east of the Trisuli River, is known as 'Syarba'. On the other hand, Western Tamang, spoken in districts such as Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Lamjung, Chitawan, and Kanchanpur, is referred to as 'Nhurba' or 'Nhuppa'.

This bilingual dictionary is the result of collaborative efforts by members of the Western Tamang community from the aforementioned districts. It translates each Tamang word into Nepali, making it a valuable resource for comparative linguistic studies. However, the number of Western Tamang speakers is declining as more individuals shift to Nepali, the predominant lingua franca. This shift poses a significant threat to the survival of Western Tamang as a mother tongue, underscoring the importance of this dictionary in the preservation, promotion, and development of the language.

Lastly, there is ample room for enhancing this dictionary to ensure its continued improvement, advancement, and maturation. The speech community, stakeholders, readers, organizations, and other relevant authorities are strongly encouraged to provide insightful comments and feedback.

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