Yakkha

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A language of Nepal

ISO 639-3
ybh
Alternate Names
Dewansala, Jimi Bhasa, Yakha, Yakkha Ceya, Yakkhaba, Yakkhaba Cea, Yakkhaba Sala, Yakthomba
Autonym
याक्खा‎ (Yākkhā)
User Population

21,090 in Nepal, all users. L1 users: 19,600 in Nepal (2011 census), decreasing. L2 users: 1,490 (2011 census). Very few monolinguals. Total users in all countries: 21,900 (as L1: 20,410; as L2: 1,490).

Location

Kosi province: Dhankuta district, Mahalaxmi municipality; Sankhuwasabha district, Chainpur, Dharmadevi, Madi, and Panchakhapan municipalities.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened). Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Yakkha.

Classification
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Western Tibeto-Burman, Himalayan, Kiranti, Eastern
Dialects

Northern Yakkha (Sankhuwasabha), Southern Yakkha (Dhankuta), Eastern Yakkha (Ilam, Panchthar). Dialects have minimal diversity. Lexical similarity: with Athpariya [aph], Limbu [lif], and Yamphu [ybi].

Typology

SOV; postpositions; noun head final; no noun classes or genders; content q-word in situ; 1 prefix, up to 10 suffixes (depending on analysis); clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person and number; ergativity; tense and aspect; passives and voice; nontonal; 22 consonant and 5 vowel phonemes.

Language Use

Home, friends, religion; mixed use: Work, education. Some young people, all adults. Children and elderly. Some use among adolescents, young and older adults (Toba et al 2005). Also use Nepali [npi]. Used as L2 by Limbu [lif].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 10% in Nepali [npi]. There are attempts to teach Yakkha at school, and textbooks are published up to grade 3, but not widely used. Literature. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Agency: Kirant Yakkha Chumma.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Yakkha
Writing

Devanagari script [Deva], used since 2011.

Other Comments

Considered by many a distinct group of Kirati not fitting neatly into either Rai or Limbu groups (Bista 1996:39); in terms of mythology and people’s own judgment, they seem closer to Limbu than to Rai groups. Traditional religion, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu.

Also spoken in:

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