Alternate Names: Magar, Magari, Mangar, Mangari
Dialects: Palpa, Syangja. Some differences between dialects, yet reportedly high intellligibility.
Status Notes: Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Magar.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 308,000 (2001 census), decreasing. 789,000 all Magar in Nepal (2011 census). Census statistics likely include non-ethnic Magars and many that do not speak Magar. Ethnic population: 1,620,000 (2001 census). Includes Eastern and Western Magar.
Language Use: Fewer people becoming fluent in Nepali [npi] than before, i.e. the older generation speaks better Nepali. Magar language continues to thrive. Mixed use: Home, friends, work. Elderly. Some use among children, adolescents, young and older adults. Mixed attitudes. Rhetoric is positive but language conservation is generally not implemented. Almost all also use at least some Nepali [npi].
Language Development: Poetry. Magazines. Newspapers. New media. Radio programs. Films. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar.
Typology: SOV; postpositions, but mostly case clitics; noun head final; alienable and inalienable noun classes; content q-word in situ; up to 3 prefixes, up to 7 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person and number; ergativity; tense and aspect; passives; nontonal; 33 to 37 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes.
Writing System: Devanagari
Nation of Origin: Nepal
Other Comments: Traditional religion, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu.