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, with 5.1 percent of the population using it. This language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. The majority of the Tamang speakers reside around the Kathmandu Valley, although the Tamang ethnic group is spread across various districts in Nepal. In 2058 VS, the Nepal government recognized Tamang as an indigenous ethnic community, highlighting its unique cultural features. Furthermore, the interim constitution of 2063 VS and the more recent constitution of 2072 VS have designated 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 migration pattern is evident in the presence of Tamang communities in various locations such as 'Rhirhap', 'Gyagarden', 'Bompo', 'Lambu', and just above 'Same'. According to the cultural beliefs of Lama, Bompo, and Lambu, the Earth's tail is in the north and its head in the south, which influences the practice of taking the dead body upwards for cremation, with the head placed towards the south. In Tamang culture, 'Sa' represents the Earth and 'me' the Tail, thus 'Same' is considered the 'tail of the Earth'. It is believed that significant changes occur as one moves from the tail to the head of the Earth.
Tamang does not have a standardized grammar and exhibits two main dialects: Eastern and Western. The Eastern Tamang dialect, originating from the Langtang Himal, is spoken east of the Trisuli River and 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 a collaborative effort by members of the Western Tamang speech community from the aforementioned districts. Each Tamang word (the source language) is translated into Nepali (the target language), making it an invaluable resource for comparative linguistic studies. However, the number of Western Tamang speakers is steadily declining, with many shifting to Nepali, the lingua franca, posing a significant challenge to the preservation of Western Tamang as a mother tongue. This dictionary plays a crucial role in the preservation, promotion, and development of the Western Tamang language.
There is always room for improvement, advancement, and maturity in this dictionary. The speech community, stakeholders, readers, organizations, and other concerned authorities are encouraged to provide insightful comments and feedback to enhance this valuable resource.
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