Kinnauri language

For the Indo-Aryan Kinnauri language, see Pahari Kinnauri language.

Kinnauri
𑚊𑚝𑚦𑚤𑚮𑚎𑚨𑚶𑚊𑚛, Kanawaringskad, ཀནབརིངསྐད
RegionHimachal Pradesh
Native speakers
all Kinnauri varieties: 84,000; Kinnauri proper: about 45,000 (2011 census)[1]
Dialects
Language codes
ISO 639-3Variously:
kfk – Kinnauri proper
cik – Chitkuli Kinnauri
ssk – Sunam (Thebor)[citation needed]
jna – Jangshung (Thebor)
scu – Shumcho (Thebor)
Glottologkinn1250
ELPKinnauri
 Jangshung[2]
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Kinnauri is the most widely used language in Kinnaur. The languages have seen different nomenclatures in written literature. Kinnauri was mentioned as Kunawaree (Gerard 1842, Cunninham 1844), Kanauri (Konow 1905), Kanawari (Bailey 1909) and Kunawari (Grierson 1909).[3] It is the language of upper caste in lower Kinnaur.[4] It is also spoken in Moorang tehsil and, Ropa and Giabong villages in upper Kinnaur. It is a Sino-Tibetan dialect cluster centered on the Kinnaur district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.

Kaike, once thought to be Kinnauri, is closer to Tamangic. Bhoti Kinnauri and Tukpa (locally called Chhoyuli) are Bodish (Lahauli–Spiti).

  1. ^ "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues - 2011". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  2. ^ Endangered Languages Project data for Jangshung.
  3. ^ NEGI, HARVINDER K U M A R. “Languages of Kannaura Tribe.” Languages of INDIAN HIMALAYAS, , 2021.
  4. ^ NEGI, HARVINDER K U M A R. “LANGUAGE USE, PRESTIGE AND VITALITY OF LANGUAGES IN KINNAUR.” International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics , 2023.