Raji language

Raji is a small Sino-Tibetan language of Nepal and Uttarakhand, India. Speakers were until recently nomadic.

Raji
RegionNepal, India
Native speakers
3,800 (2011 census)[1]
Dialects
  • Barh Bandale
  • Naukule
  • Purbiya
Language codes
ISO 639-3rji
Glottolograji1240
ELPRaji

Distribution

Raji is spoken in the following areas of southwestern Nepal:[1]

It is also spoken by Raji people of Uttarakhand, India, primarily living in Pithoragarh district.

In Pithoragarh district, Rastogi (2015)[2] reports that Raji is spoken in the hamlets of Kimkhola, Bhogtirua, Ganagaon, Chipaltara, Madanbori, Kutachaurani, Altodi, Jamtadi, Khirdwari and Chakarpur.

Dialects

Khatri (2008)[3] divides Raji into 3 main regional dialects, for which he also provides word lists.

  • Barabandale: spoken in Jyotinagar, Katasi, Lalbojhi, Kuti, Bhuruwa, Solta, Khairehi, and Keodi of Kailali District; Sundarpur, Bandevi Sibir, Daiji, krishanpur and Chela Sibir of Kanchanpur District; and Rajigaun, Galfa, and Babiyachaur of Surkhet District.
  • Purbiya: Shankarpur, Machhagadh, Baniyabhar, Rambhapur, Dhakela, Dhadhawar, Sanoshree, Gulariya Municipality and Phanphena of Bardiya District.Also Speak in Chhinchu of Surkhet District.
  • Naukule : Spoken in Jhil and Kuchaini of Chaumala, Shankarpur of Masuriya, Jarahi of Sadepani, Dhangaghi Municipality and Manera. All are located within Kailali District.


References
  1. Raji at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. Rastogi, Kavita. 2015. Raji Orthography Development. Himalayan Linguistics, Vol. 14(2): 39–48. doi:10.5070/H914224947
  3. Khatri, Ramesh. 2008. The structure of verbs and sentences of Raji. MA thesis, Kirtipur: Tribhuvan University.
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