DigitalResources Electronic Survey Report 2019-009 A Sociolinguistic Study of Dewas Rai and Danuwar Sarah Shackelford $6RFLROLQJXLVWLF6WXG\RI'HZDV5DLDQG'DQXZDU 6DUDK6KDFNHOIRUG 6,/,QWHUQDWLRQDO 6,/(OHFWURQLF6XUYH\5HSRUW6HSWHPEHU 6,/,QWHUQDWLRQDO $OOULJKWVUHVHUYHG 'DWDDQGPDWHULDOVFROOHFWHGE\UHVHDUFKHUVLQDQHUDEHIRUHGRFXPHQWDWLRQRISHUPLVVLRQZDVVWDQGDUGL]HGPD\ EHLQFOXGHGLQWKLVSXEOLFDWLRQ6,/PDNHVGLOLJHQWHIIRUWVWRLGHQWLI\DQGDFNQRZOHGJHVRXUFHVDQGWRREWDLQ DSSURSULDWHSHUPLVVLRQVZKHUHYHUSRVVLEOHDFWLQJLQJRRGIDLWKDQGRQWKHEHVWLQIRUPDWLRQDYDLODEOHDWWKH WLPHRISXEOLFDWLRQ Abstract This report presents the results of sociolinguistic research conducted among Danuwar and Dewas Rai language communities in the Terai and hills east of Kathmandu, Nepal. The primary purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of the speech varieties associated with the name ‘Danuwar’ and their relationships to one another. Ethnolinguistic groupings and language vitality were studied in order to inform future language-based development activities. This research identified at least two mutually unintelligible language varieties: Danuwar and Dewas Rai. Two other varieties, Done/Danuwar and Kochariya, were also identified; however, more research is needed to determine their relationships to Danuwar. The findings of this study additionally indicate slowly weakening language vitality in Dewas Rai as well as in the Done/Danuwar site, and stable language vitality in the Danuwar and Kochariya sites. सार यो प्र�तवेदनले का मा ड ं �ज�ाको �ूव� मा ीभत ग रू र तराईमा बसोबासरत नेपालकादनुवार र देवास र ी ्षे समव यहरूमा गररएको समाजभाषावै�ा�नक अध्य-अना न्धानका पिर ामहरू रर स्तुत यो प्र�तवेदनकोम ुख्यतउद्दे� र े ाा र नामसँग जो�डएका भा�षक भ रथ �तनीहरूबीचको अन्त ाम्बन्धहरूको ग�हर ुझाइ प् भेु ंथयो ी्�वष्यमा भाषासम्ा ्धी �वकासका कायर्क ीार भे स उद्देश्यले जातीय भाषावै�ा�नक समूहहरू र भा�षक जीवन्तताका �वषयमा अध्ययन गिरएक यो अध्ययनले क�म्तमादु ई ओटा पारस्पिरक रूपमाभम्य नेत ी ्षे ीतव ग (दन� र र देवास राई)का बारेमा प�हचान भर् य न्य त ी ्षे ीतव ग जस: मोने/दन� र र कछराय प�न प�हचान भगरएका ंथए। ्यनीहरूको द� र ी ष ाभर ेत -कस्तो सम्बन्? ी�त �वषयमा �नणर्य गनर्भने थप ग�हरो अध्- ेा न्धान भगरे आवश्यक छ यो अध्ययनको ेान् ेदत यो ो प�नद ेखायको छ �क कसरीदेवास राई तथा डो/दन� र ी ष �वस्तारै कमजोर भएर गइरहेको छ र त्यसका साथै ती बो�लने�त त्रहरुमा समेत लोप भएरगइरहेको दन� र रथ कछराय �ेत्हरुमा ् र रा ामद ी भाषाका रुपमारहेका 7DEOHRI&RQWHQWV $EVWUDFW ɨĝɄ $FNQRZOHGJHPHQWV ƐŌ ǸːǸĝ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iv 5.2 Done/Danuwar language vitality in Jaretar 5.2.1 Domains of language use (functions and differentiation) 5.2.2 Intergenerational transfer 5.2.3 Motivations to speak (motivation and environment) 5.2.4 Desires for development 5.3 Danuwar language vitality in Chandanpur 5.3.1 Domains of language use (functions and differentiation) 5.3.2 Intergenerational transfer (acquisition) 5.3.3 Motivations to speak (motivation and environment) 5.3.4 Desires for development 5.4 Kochariya language vitality in Singoul 5.4.1 Domains of language use (functions and differentiation) 5.4.2 Intergenerational transfer (acquisition) 5.4.3 Motivations to speak (motivation and environment) 5.4.4 Desires for development 5.5 Language vitality summary 6 Summary of findings and recommendations 6.1 Summary of findings 6.2 Recommendations 7 प्रिता र िसफ्�रसको स्र्ंश 7.1 प्रा�पेो ा र डश 7.2 �सफा�रस Appendix A: Wordlists Appendix B: Individual Interviews Appendix C: Knowledgeable Insider Interviews Appendix D: Recorded Story Playing Appendix E: Dialect Mapping Appendix F: EGIDS and FAMED References Acknowledgements This sociolinguistic survey of Dewas Rai and Danuwar was conducted in partnership with the Linguistic Survey of Nepal (LinSuN), Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Nepal. Data collection was carried out in the fall of 2015 and spring of 2016 in Sindhuli, Makwanpur, Kavre, Bara, and Lalitpur districts. The purpose of this survey was to conduct a broad sociolinguistic overview of the various speech varieties associated with Danuwar and Dewas Rai. Without the assistance of many individuals, this survey would not have been possible. Our colleague Janel Swenson provided invaluable assistance and consultation before, during, and after fieldwork. Language survey consultant Loren Maggard offered his expertise in data analysis and report editing. We are indebted to Rajman Rai, who accompanied us on all of our village trips and assisted with data collection, language help, connecting with people in the communities, and much counsel and guidance. Most of all, we are grateful to all the communities we visited where we were given warm welcomes, delicious food, and invaluable information. Those who helped us along the way with recording, translating, and answering our numerous questions are far too many to mention by name. We hope this report accurately represents the input you gave and will aid you in the promotion and further development of your mother tongue. It is for you this survey was undertaken. March 2018 Sarah Shackelford Kathmandu, Nepal v कृत�ता देवास राई र दन� र ी षाका समाजभाषावै�ा�नक ा� सेर नेपालको ी ्षे ा� सेर (�लनाे ), �त्�े ् � उ � ्�द्या, े��तर्रा भेोर सहकायर्म ाञ् चदे भएको ंथयो २०७१ साल फ लभे म�हनादे�ख २०७२ साल जे� म�हनासमा र २०७३ साल असोजदे�ख ोाष म�हना�भत्र �सन्दा , मकवानपर , काभ,त बार र ल�लतपर , आ�द ं �ाहरूम रथ्या सङ्क भगरएका ंथए। यो सव��णको उद्दे दन� र र देवास राई ी षाहरूभर ो�डएका �व�वध ी ्षकाहरूक � ृ द समाजभाषावै�ा�नक प�हरूक बारेमा समी�ा भेु ंथयो ी ्षे समव यका धेरव जना स्थानी वय्�हरूक सहायताले यो ा� सेर ाम्भ भएको ो यो सव��णको शतवतंद , ा� सेर अवधीभर र स्थलग अध्ये ो उ ी र प�न हाम सहकम� जानेल जे. स्वेन्सन ा लय सहयोभ ो र य ्ेे ा थ व उ�चत ोरामशु समेत �दन भएको त रथ्या �वश्लेष रथ प्र�तवे ाम्पानमा ी ्षे सव��णका ोर ाशर्दात दोरेन म्यागाडर् आफ्न द�ता प्रद भेुीरेो त हामीलाई स्थलग भारेो समया ा थ �दएर ी ्षे समव याभर �चनजान, रथ्या सङ्क, ी ्षे सहयोभ, आवश्य ोरामशर्क ा थ उ�चत र य- ा� र�ड ोथ-प्रदश समेत भगर�दन ेत राजमान र तप्र हामी ऋरा ता ड ्�शषत भरा स्थलग अध्ययनक क्रम हामीलाई न्यान स्वागतक ा थ स्वा�द खाना रथ ा लय ा ीे र�ड आवश्य जानकारा प्रद भेु ेत ामो रु ी ्षे ााव यहरूप् हामी ेृ त�ता जाहेर भत� हामीलाई सव��णको दौरानमा धेरव महानी � गदत ेथ अ�भलेखन (रेक�डर ्), ी ष अन� व रथ अन�गन्त कौत दर र�ड �ज�ासाहर ो र भरा सहायता ो र य ्े भएको ंथयो हामी आश भत� ्े यो प्र�तवेद त अवश् प�न तपाइ र गदत प्रद भेु भएको ा लय सहयोगको उ�चत ेवर भेुे ा थ व तपाइ र गेो मातीृ ष ेो प�रवद र ्�कासमा आ् रशीला मन ् नत र: हालसालै ा म ो न े यो ा� सेर तपाइ र गप्र नै सम�पर् त चैत, २०७४ श र शाकेलफोदर काठमानडौ,ड नेपाल1 1 अन� वे: शा राजेन् थोेर, अना न्धात, भाषा�व�ान ेन्ाय �वभाग �त्�े ्���वद्या, े��तर्र , नेपाल vi 1 Introduction 1.1 Overview Several ethnolinguistic groups have been associated with the name ‘Danuwar.’ These groups are spread throughout the Terai, low hills, and middle hills of Nepal, and, while they have some ethnic and linguistic ties to each other, the relationship between them has been uncertain. This report examines the relationships between various speech varieties that have been associated with the name ‘Danuwar,’ including a group now known as ‘Dewas Rai.’ There has been confusion with regard to these groups because of multiple names that have been used in literature and by the people themselves. The purpose of this survey was to gain basic understanding of the sociolinguistic situation of these groups, with a focus on Dewas Rai and its relationship to Danuwar varieties. Our research leads us to conclude that these groups can be divided into at least two language varieties, each with possible ethnolinguistic subdivisions. In this report we will refer to these two language varieties as ‘Danuwar’ and ‘Dewas Rai.’ Support for these names and groupings will be presented in the body of the report. This section will provide a brief overview of Danuwar and Dewas Rai geography, history, and culture, and will give an introduction to the complex language situation. Section 2 will review the goals and purposes of the survey, and section 3 will describe the methodology used. Section 4 will propose and describe ethnolinguistic groupings, and section 5 will discuss language attitudes and vitality. Section 6 will summarize the survey findings and offer recommendations for the Danuwar and Dewas Rai communities and for their language development efforts.