Yamphu language

Yamphu
Region	Nepal
Ethnicity	Kirat Yamphu
Native speakers	9,200 (2011 census) 2,500 Southern Yamphu (2011)
Language family	Sino-Tibetan Tibeto-Burman Mahakiranti (?) Kiranti Eastern Upper Arun Yamphu
Language codes
ISO 639-3	ybi
Glottolog	yamp1244
ELP	Yamphu

Yamphu language is a Kirati language spoken by the Kirat Yamphu people, a Kirati people of the Himalayas of Nepal. Tomyang (Chongka) is a recently discovered dialect spoken by only 20 people. Both it and Yamphe are distinct. Southern Yamphu is also considered to be Southern Kirat Lorung language. These varieties are all closely related.

Geographical distribution

Yamphu is spoken in the following locations of Nepal:

• Sankhuwasabha District, Kosi Zone: Hedangna, Num, Seduwa, Peppuwa, Mangsimma, Karmarang, Tungkhaling, Uwa, Ala, Uling, and Walung villages
• Matsya Pokhari VDC, located in the upper Arun River valley in the Eastern hills; extreme north Lorung area, directly southwest of the Jaljale Mountains
• Bhojpur District, Kosi Zone
• Ilam district, Fikkal, Kolbung, Panchakanya, Jitpur, Danabari, Mahamai (VDCs).
• Jhapa district, Morang and Sunsari
• Darijiling, Sikkim, Silong, Meghalaya, Misoram, Barma, Bhutan and Thailand (Officially recorded)
• However, Yamphu are dispersed all over the world including USA, Europe, South America, Africa and other continent of the world.

Sources

• Rutgers, Roland (1998). Yamphu: Grammar, Texts & Lexicon. Leiden: Research School CNWS. – ISBN 90-5789-012-7