FADING LANGUAGES OF NEPAL: WHY LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY NEEDS PROTECTION

 

Nepal, despite its relatively small geographic size, is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. According to the 2021 National Census, the country is home to 123 spoken languages, most of which belong to the Indo-Aryan, Tibeto-Burman, Dravidian, and Austroasiatic language families (Central Bureau of Statistics, 2021). This rich linguistic tapestry, however, is under severe threat. Many of these languages are endangered, with some spoken by only a few hundred or even fewer individuals. While Nepal’s linguistic diversity is a testament to its cultural richness and pluralistic heritage, it also reveals deep structural inequalities and a historical legacy of marginalization. This makes the preservation of Nepal’s linguistic diversity not just a cultural concern but a socio-political and ethical imperative.

The decline of indigenous and minority languages in Nepal is closely tied to state policies that have historically favored linguistic homogeneity. For much of the 20th century, Nepali—the language of the dominant Khas-Arya group—was promoted as the sole language of national unity and official communication. During the Panchayat regime (1960–1990), the imposition of “one language, one nation” became state doctrine, leading to the suppression of local languages in education, governance, and media (Gurung, 2009). Indigenous and minority languages were largely excluded from the curriculum and public life, causing generational language erosion and weakening intergenerational transmission.

Even after the restoration of democracy and the advent of federalism in 2015, linguistic rights have remained more symbolic than practical. While the Constitution of Nepal recognizes all native languages as national languages and grants the right to receive basic education in one’s mother tongue (Constitution of Nepal, 2015), implementation remains weak. There is limited institutional infrastructure to support education, publishing, or broadcasting in many indigenous languages. The dominance of Nepali and English in formal domains continues to push minority languages to the margins (Turin, 2013). As a result, many children grow up speaking dominant languages at school and in public spaces, leading to the attrition of their ancestral languages at home.

Critically, the loss of language entails more than just the disappearance of words—it means the erasure of knowledge systems, oral traditions, histories, and worldviews embedded within those languages. Indigenous languages in Nepal often carry unique ecological, agricultural, and medicinal knowledge, which risk extinction along with the languages themselves (Yadava, 2003). Linguistic diversity thus intersects with cultural, environmental, and intellectual heritage. The disappearance of a language is not just a local tragedy; it is a loss for humanity’s collective knowledge.

Furthermore, linguistic endangerment is inextricably linked to issues of power, identity, and justice. Language is a core component of cultural identity and community cohesion. The erosion of mother tongues often results in feelings of alienation, identity loss, and diminished self-worth, especially among younger generations in minority communities. Marginalized groups who lose their language are further disempowered in asserting their rights, accessing state resources, or participating in democratic processes (Phyak, 2015). In this context, language revitalization is a political act of reclaiming voice, dignity, and citizenship.

Efforts to protect Nepal’s linguistic diversity must go beyond tokenistic inclusion and address structural barriers. This involves investing in multilingual education, training teachers in local languages, producing teaching materials, and funding community-led language documentation projects. It also means decentralizing media, providing airtime in minority languages, and recognizing oral and informal modes of communication as valid forms of expression. Encouragingly, some initiatives have begun in this direction, such as community radio stations and local curriculum development in provinces like Karnali and Sudurpaschim. However, these are often underfunded and lack sustained policy support (Rai, 2018).

In conclusion, the fading languages of Nepal are not only endangered systems of communication but also symbols of deep-rooted social and political inequalities. Protecting linguistic diversity is not merely about preserving tradition—it is about enabling equity, participation, and justice for all communities. A truly inclusive and democratic Nepal must recognize its multilingual reality not as a challenge to national unity but as a foundation for a more representative and resilient nation.

References

Central Bureau of Statistics. (2021). National Population and Housing Census 2021. Government of Nepal.

Constitution of Nepal. (2015). Constitution of Nepal 2072 (2015). Government of Nepal.

Gurung, H. (2009). Social Inclusion and Nation Building in Nepal. Himal Books.

Phyak, P. (2015). Language Ideologies and Multilingual Education in Nepal: Critical Perspectives from Ethnolinguistic Margins. Critical Inquiry in Language Studies, 12(2), 147–174. https://doi.org/10.1080/15427587.2015.1032074

Rai, N. (2018). Mother Tongue Education in Nepal: Challenges and Prospects. Journal of Education and Research, 8(2), 1–18.

Turin, M. (2013). Language Endangerment and Linguistic Rights in the Himalayas: A Case Study from Nepal. Mountain Research and Development, 33(3), 305–314. https://doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-12-00091.1

Yadava, Y. P. (2003). Linguistic Diversity in Nepal: Perspectives on Language Policy. Contributions to Nepalese Studies, 30(2), 1–16.