Mahakiranti languages

Mahakiranti
Bahing–Vahu
Geographic distribution:	Nepal
Linguistic classification:	Sino-Tibetan (Tibeto-Burman) Bodish ? Mahakiranti
Subdivisions:	Kiranti Newar Baram–Thangmi ? Magaric ? Chepangic

The Mahakiranti or Maha-Kiranti ('Greater Kiranti') languages are a proposed intermediate level of classification of the Tibeto-Burman languages. They are the languages most closely related to the Kiranti languages proper, which are spoken by the ethnic Kirat (sometimes called Rai). The conception of which languages belong in Mahakiranti—or if Mahakiranti is even a valid group—varies between researchers.

Conceptions of Mahakiranti

Van Driem (2001) posits that the Mahakiranti languages besides Kiranti proper are Newar (Nepal Bhasa), Baram, and Thangmi. Baram and Thangmi are clearly related, but it is not yet clear if the similarities they share with Newar demonstrate a 'Para-Kiranti' family, as Van Driem suggests, or if they are borrowings. In van Driem's conception, Bodic is a geographic term, but some Bodic families do appear to be related to each other. He sees Lepcha, Lhokpu, and the Magaric languages (in the narrow sense, whether or not Chepangic proves to be Magar) as the Bodic languages closest to Mahakiranti.

Van Driem's conception of Mahakiranti

Maha-Kiranti	Kiranti   Para-Kiranti  Newari    Baram Thangmi

Matisoff's Mahakiranti includes the Newar and the Magaric languages along with Kiranti. He groups Mahakiranti with the Tibeto-Kanauri languages (in which he includes Lepcha) as Himalayish.

Bradley (1997) adds Magar and Chepang to van Driem's Mahakiranti and calls the result Himalayan. This, along with his "Bodish" (equivalent to Tibeto-Kanauri), constitutes his Bodic family.

Ethnologue (15th ed.) posits Magaric, Chepang, and Newar alongside Kiranti; Mahakiranti is in turn related to Tibeto-Kanauri in a Himalayish branch, largely equivalent to other scholars' Bodic.

Benedict (1972) included Newari and Chepangic, but not Magaric. He mistakenly classified the Wayu language (Vayu) as Chepangic, and thus named the family Bahing–Vayu.

History

Mahakiranti languages have a long documented history. Nepal Bhasa has a well documented history spanning over 800 years. Most of the history of Nepal is derived from manuscripts in Kiranti languages like Nepal Bhasa. Most speakers are bilingual in Nepali, with many of the younger generation speaking it preferentially. With approximately one million speakers, Nepal Bhasa is the most widely-spoken member of the Kiranti languages.^[1]

Notes

1. ^ Linguistic Lineage for Newar

References

• George van Driem (2001) Languages of the Himalayas: An Ethnolinguistic Handbook of the Greater Himalayan Region. Brill.

See also

• The Kirat Rai Association's Web Portal
• Online kirat community