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Newar | |
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𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑐮 𑐨𑐵𑐳𑐵, Nepal Bhasa | |
𑐣𑐾𑐰𑐵𑑅 𑐨𑐵𑐫𑑂, Nevāh Bhāy | |
![]() "Nepal Bhasa" written in the Ranjana script and the Prachalit Nepal script | |
Pronunciation | [newaː bʱæː] |
Native to | Nepal |
Region | Nepal Mandala |
Ethnicity | 1.3 million Newars (2021 census)[1] |
Native speakers | 880,000 (2021 census)[1] |
Early form | |
Dialects |
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Ranjana script, Pracalit script, Bhujimol script, Devanagari and various Nepalese scripts | |
Official status | |
Official language in | ![]()
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Regulated by | Nepal Bhasa Academy |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-2 | new Nepal Bhasa, Newari |
ISO 639-3 | Variously:new – Newarinwx – Middle Newarphj – Pahari Newar |
new Newari | |
nwx Middle Newar | |
Glottolog | newa1247 |
![]() Language map of Nepal (including Newar): red = Newar language is the majority spoken language red with yellow stripes = Newar language is spoken along with Pahari language | |
Newar (English: /nəˈwɑːr/, 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑐮 𑐨𑐵𑐲𑐵, nepāla bhāṣā)[2] is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The language is known officialy in Nepal as Nepal Bhasa, a name that has been historically used for the language.[3][4] The term "Newari" is also used to refer to the language, although the Indic -i suffix is considered inappropriate by some Newar speakers.[a]
The language served as the official language of Nepal during the Malla dynasty since the 14th century till the end of dynasty in 1769 during which the language was referred as "Nepal Bhasa", a term which literally means "Nepalese Language".[7][8] However, the language is not the same as Nepali, an Indo-Aryan language and the current official language of Nepal, which only got the name Nepali in the 1930s.[9] Literature in Newar is one of the oldest in Nepal, dating back to at least 600 years ago.[10]
From the start of the Rana dynasty in the 1840s until democratisation, Newar suffered from official suppression.[11][12] From 1952 to 1991, the percentage of Newar speakers in the Kathmandu Valley dropped from 75% to 44%[13] and today Newar culture and language are under threat.[14] The language has been listed as being "Definitely endangered language" by UNESCO.[15]
On 6 May 2024, Newar, along with Tamang and Nepali was declared as the official language of Bagmati Province.[16] Similarly, Newar is given official status in several city governments of Nepal including Kathmandu.[17]
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