Tharu languages

Tharu
थारु, थरुवा, थरुहट
Native toNepal, India
RegionTerai
EthnicityTharu (incl. Bhoksa)
Native speakers
1.7 million in Nepal (2021 census)[1][2]
370,000 or more in India (1997–2007)[2]
Dialects
Devanagari
Official status
Official language in
   Nepal
Recognised minority
language in
Language codes
ISO 639-3Variously:
thl – Dangaura Tharu
tkt – Kathariya Tharu
thr – Rana Tharu
the – Chitwania Tharu
thq – Kochila Tharu
tkb – Buksa
soi – Sonha
Glottologthar1284
Regions in Nepal and India with significant Tharu population

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.[5][4]

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.[6]

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.[7]

  1. ^ National Statistics Office (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021, mother tongue Report. Government of Nepal (Report).
  2. ^ a b Dangaura Tharu at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
    Kathariya Tharu at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
    Rana Tharu at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
    Chitwania Tharu at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
    Kochila Tharu at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
    Buksa at Ethnologue (27th ed., 2024) Closed access icon
    (Additional references under 'Language codes' in the information box)
  3. ^ Office of the Registrar General, India (2001). "Uttaranchal. Data Highlights: The Scheduled Tribes. Census of India 2001" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b Office of the Registrar General, India (2001). "Uttar Pradesh. Data Highlights: The Scheduled Tribes. Census of India 2001" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Office of the Registrar General, India (2001). "Uttaranchal. Data Highlights: The Scheduled Tribes. Census of India 2001" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Guneratne, Arjun (2002). Many Tongues, One People: The Making of Tharu Identity in Nepal. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-8728-6.
  7. ^ The Indo-Aryans of Ancient South Asia: Language, Material Culture and Ethnicity