Bote

BMJ

threatened

Alternate Names: Bote-Majhi, Pakhe-Bote, Pani-Bote

Status Notes: Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Bote.

Genealogy:

Indo-European
Indo-Iranian
Indo-Aryan
Eastern zone
Unclassified

Demographics: 8,770 (2011 census), decreasing. 0 monolinguals (2002 UNESCO). Ethnic population: 7,970.

Language Use: Use is mostly local. Rapid shift to Nepali [npi] (Van Driem 2007). Mixed use: Home, friends, religion, work. Elderly. Some use among children, adolescents, younger and older adults. Positive attitudes. Growing language activism. Also use Bhojpuri [bho], Nepali [npi].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: None. Generally, literacy programs are conducted in Nepali [npi]. Newspapers.

Typology: SOV; postpositions; final noun head; no noun classes or genders; content q-word in situ; 1 prefix, up to 2 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person and number; ergativity; both tense and aspect; passives and voice; nontonal; 29 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes.

Writing System: Devanagari

Nation of Origin: Nepal

Other Comments: 2 groups of Bote: Pani (water) Bote and Pakhe (land) Bote. Hindu.