Tharu languages
The Tharu (Tharu: थारु, Hindi: थरुवा) or Tharuhat (Nepali: थरुहट) languages are any of the Indo-Aryan languages spoken by the Tharu people of the Terai region in Nepal, and neighboring regions of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India.
| Tharu | |
|---|---|
| थारु, थरुवा, थरुहट | |
Regions in Nepal and India with significant Tharu population | |
| Native to | Nepal, India |
| Ethnicity | Tharu (incl. Bhoksa) |
Native speakers | 1.71 million in Nepal (2021 census) 370,000 or more in India (1997–2007) |
| Devanagari | |
| Official status | |
Official language in | Nepal |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | Variously:thl – Dangaura Tharutkt – Kathariya Tharuthr – Rana Tharuthe – Chitwania Tharuthq – Kochila Tharutkb – Buksasoi – Sonha |
| Glottolog | thar1284 |
Tharu languages are spoken in the Tharu community. These languages are similar to other neighboring languages. Tharu language is one of the major language spoken in Nepal.
Although their own precise classification within Indo-Aryan remains uncertain, Tharu languages have superficial similarities with neighbouring languages such as Kumaoni, Awadhi, Maithili, Bengali, Rajbanshi and Bhojpuri. The lexicon of certain Tharu households is indicative of an archaic, 'indigenous' substratum, potentially predating both Sino-Tibetan or Indo-Aryan settlement. Tharu languages appear to be transitional within the context of Indo-Aryan.