Puma

PUM

threatened

Alternate Names: Puma Kala, Puma La, Puma Pima

Status Notes: Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Rai.

Genealogy:

Sino-Tibetan
Tibeto-Burman
Western Tibeto-Burman
Himalayan
Kiranti
Eastern

Demographics: 6,690 (2011 census), decreasing. L2 users: Adults use L2 as much as L1 (Toba, Toba, and Rai 2005).

Language Use: Home, religion, work; mixed use: Friends. Older adults and elderly. Some use among children, adolescents, and young adults. Positive attitudes, especially among younger generation. Also use Bantawa [bap], Chamling [rab], Nepali [npi].

Language Development: Poetry. Magazines. Films. Videos. Dictionary.

Typology: SOV; postpositions; noun head final; content q-word in situ; clause constituents indicated by both case-marking and word order; verbal affixation marks person and number; ergativity; tense and aspect; no passive or voice, but antipassive is a remarkable feature; nontonal.

Writing System: Devanagari

Nation of Origin: Nepal

Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian, Hindu.