Alternate Names: “Kagate Bhote” (pej.), Shuuba, Shyuuba, Syuuba, Syuwa, Yholmo, Yholmoli, Yholmu
Dialects: Differs from Helambu Sherpa , by less use of the honorific system in verbs, which makes intelligibility more of a problem for the Kagate. It could be considered a dialect of Helambu Sherpa.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 100 (2011 census). Very few monolinguals.
Language Use: Home, friends; mixed use: Religion, work. Older adults and elderly. Some use among children, adolescents, and young adults. Positive attitudes. Some also use Nepali [npi] at home. Used as L2 by Helambu Sherpa [scp].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: Few. Literates in Nepali [npi] have very little trouble reading Kagate in Devanagari script. Poetry. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1977.
Typology: SOV; postpositions; genitives, adjectives, relatives before noun heads; numerals after noun heads; noun head initial; no noun classes or genders; content q-word early in the clause; 1 prefix, up to 4 suffixes; subject, object, indirect object, case of noun phrase indicated by postpositions; clause constituents indicated by both case-marking and word order; split ergativity; rich tense and aspect system; no passives or voice; impersonal voice; causatives; comparatives; CV, CVC, CVV, CCV, CCVV, CVVC; 26 consonant and 5 vowel phonemes; tonal (4 tones).
Writing System: Devanagari
Nation of Origin: Nepal
Other Comments: Buddhist (Lamaist), Christian, Muslim, traditional religion.