Newar language

Nepal Bhasa is a language spoken by indigenous Newa people of Nepal. It is a Himalayan language of Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages group.

Newa
Nepal Bhasa नेवाः भाय् Newāh Bhāy
The word "Nepal Bhasa" written in the Ranjana alphabet and the Prachalit Nepal alphabet
Native to	Nepal
Ethnicity	1.26 million Newa people (2001 census?)
Native speakers	860,000  (2011 census)e18
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Newa Newa
Early forms:	Classical Newa Newa
Dialects	Dolakhae Sindhupalchok Kathmandu Lalitpur Bhaktapur Panauti Banepa Hetauda Dhankuta Chitlang
Writing system	Ranjana alphabets and various in the past, Devanagari currently
Official status
Regulated by	Nepal Bhasa Academy
Language codes
ISO 639-2	new
ISO 639-3	Either: new – Newar nwx – Middle Newa
Linguist List	newa Nepal Bhasa
	nwx Middle Newa

Newah Bhaaye is the term used for Nepal Bhasa by its native speakers. The term 'Newari' has been used in derogatory form to replace the original name of the language.

Linguistics

Nepal Bhasa shares the feature of Kirant and Tibetan dialects of Northern Himalayas. It consists of five major dialects and several sub-dialects spoken by Newa people living throughout the country.

Newar Language Media

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  Copper plate inscription at Swayambhunath, dated Nepal Sambat 1072 (1952 AD)

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  Sit-in outside the prime minister's residence to mark Black Day on 1 June 2013.

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  Cover of Buddha Dharma wa Nepal Bhasa ("Buddhism and Nepalese") magazine dated 1929.

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  'Aesop's Fables' in Newar by Jagat Sundar Malla, first published in 1915.

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  Nepal Bhasa Patrika daily newspaper dated 5 November 1960.

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  Detail of King Pratap Malla's inscription at Kathmandu Durbar Square of 1654 AD written in Nepal Lipi.

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  Prayer wheels with the mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" in Ranjana script at Swayambhu, Kathmandu.

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  A wall slogan of Maoists using Nepal Bhasa