Alternate Names: Bujal, Bujhel, Bujheli, Bujhyal, “Gharti” (pej.), Pukhgyal Ngur, Western Chepang
Dialects: Andimul, Arthumpka, Baniyatar, Beltar, Chanaute, Dhodeni, Kulmun. More than 80% intelligibility among all the dialects. Pronominal affix differences hinder intelligibility with Chepang ,. Lexical similarity: Between 34% (2011 D. Regmi) and 98% (2004 R. Caughley) with Chepang ,.
Status Notes: Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Bhujel.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 21,700 (2011 census), decreasing. 0 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 7,200 (Regmi 2007).
Language Use: Shifting to Nepali [npi] (Van Driem 2007). Home; mixed use: Work, education. Older adults and elderly. Positive attitudes. Youth use some Nepali [npi]. Used as L2 by Sunwar [suz].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 15% in Nepali [npi]. Grammar.
Typology: SOV; postpositions; genitives, adjectives, numerals, before noun heads; relatives before or without noun heads; noun head final; content q-word in situ; question word final; no noun classes or genders; 1 prefix, up to 5 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; consistently ergative; anti-dative marking; affixes indicate case of noun phrase; verb affixation marks person, number and direct relations; no passives or voice; causatives; comparatives; CV to CCCVCCC with certain restrictions; non-tonal; 31 consonant and 16 vowel (including 6 diphthongs) phonemes.
Writing System: Devanagari
Nation of Origin: Nepal
Other Comments: Similar culturally to Magar and Gurung living near the Bhujel. Gharti is a sub-caste name associated with former slavery. Bhujels reject the name, but outsiders often use it. Hindu, Buddhist, Christian.