Baram

BRD

nearly extinct

Alternate Names: Baraamu, Baramu

Dialects: Dandagaun, Mailung. Related to Thangmi , (Grierson-Konow).

Status Notes: Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Baramou.

Genealogy:

Sino-Tibetan
Tibeto-Burman
Western Tibeto-Burman
Himalayan
Central Himalayan
Thangmi-Baraamu

Demographics: 160 (2011 census), decreasing. Ethnic population: 7,380 (2001 census).

Language Use: Shifting to Nepali [npi]. Home, religion; mixed use: Friends, work. Older adults and elderly. Positive attitudes. Also use Nepali [npi].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: Low. Literacy rate in L2: 49% in Nepali [npi]. Newspapers. Radio programs. Dictionary. Grammar.

Typology: SOV; postpositions; noun head final; 2 noun classes (animate and inanimate); genitives, adjectives, numerals before noun heads; content q-word in situ; maximum number of prefixes 3, 1 suffix; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; affixes indicate case of noun phrase; verb affixation does not mark person or number—obligatory; ergative; both tense and aspect; no passives or voice; causatives, comparatives; simple syllable patterns: V, CV, VC, CVC; nontonal; 21 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes.

Writing System: Devanagari

Nation of Origin: Nepal

Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian, Hindu.