Western Tamang - Nepali Dictionary

Tamang is a language spoken by the Tamang speech community. According to the 2011 Census of Nepal, Tamang ranks as the fifth most spoken language in the country, representing 5.1 percent of the population. It is part of 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 also found in various districts across Nepal. Recognizing its unique ethnic identity, the Nepal government officially listed Tamang as an indigenous ethnic community in 2058 VS. Furthermore, both the interim constitution of 2063 VS and the 2072 VS constitution have prioritized Tamang as a national language.

The 'Do:ra song' narrates the migration of Western Tamang people from Tibet into Nepal via 'Same' in the Himalayas. This indicates the presence of Tamang communities in various locations such as 'Rhirhap' and 'Gyagarden', situated below 'Bompo' and 'Lambu', and directly above 'Same'. According to the traditions of Lama, Bompo, and Lambu, the Earth's tail is believed to point north and its head south, influencing the Tamang practice of carrying the deceased upwards with their head positioned southward before cremation. In Tamang culture, 'Sa' signifies Earth and 'me' denotes Tail, thus 'Same' is considered 'the tail of the Earth'. This cultural narrative reflects the transition from the tail to the head of the Earth.

Despite lacking a standardized grammar, Tamang is divided into two main dialects: Eastern and Western. Eastern Tamang, originating from the Langtang Himal region, is spoken east of the Trisuli River, while Western Tamang is spoken in districts to the west, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Lamjung, Chitawan, and Kanchanpur. Consequently, Eastern Tamang speakers are known as 'Syarba', and Western Tamang speakers as 'Nhurba' or 'Nhuppa'.

This bilingual dictionary is a collaborative effort by members of the Western Tamang speech community from Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Lamjung, Chitawan, and Kanchanpur. Each Tamang word, the source language, is translated into Nepali, the target language, making this dictionary a valuable resource for comparative linguistic studies. However, the number of Western Tamang speakers is declining due to the influence of Nepali, the lingua franca. This poses a significant challenge to the preservation of Western Tamang as a mother tongue. Therefore, this dictionary plays a crucial role in the preservation, promotion, and development of Western Tamang.

Lastly, there is ample opportunity to enhance this dictionary further for its improvement, advancement, and maturity. The speech community, stakeholders, readers, organizations, and other concerned authorities are encouraged to provide insightful comments and feedback.

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