Alternate Names: Thami, Thangmi Kham, Thangmi Wakhe, Thani
Dialects: Eastern Thangmi (Dolakha), Western Thangmi (Sindhupalchok). Related to Baram , (Grierson-Konow). Some cognates with Dolakha dialect of Newar ,. Dolakha and Sindhupalchok dialects are not mutually intelligible. Differ in phonology, nominal and verbal morphology and lexicon.
Status Notes: Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Thami.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 23,200 in Nepal (2011 census), decreasing. Population total all countries: 24,000. 100 monolinguals (2002 UNESCO). Ethnic population: 35,000 (Turin 2007). L2 users: Some occupational castes and other ethnic groups in Thangmi-dominant areas speak Thangmi also.
Language Use: Ethnic Thangmi outside Dolakha and Sindhupalchok no longer speak Thangmi. Religion; mixed use: Home, friends. Older adults and elderly. Some use among children, adolescents, and young adults. Negative attitudes, but changing to more neutral and positive.
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: Below 10%. Taught in primary schools. Poetry. Magazines. Newspapers. New media. Radio programs. Films. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar.
Typology: SOV; both prepositions and postpositions; noun head both initial and final; gender, only some animate nouns; content q-word in situ; up to 3 prefixes, up to 4 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person; no ergativity; tense; passives and voice; nontonal; 33 consonant and 13 vowel phonemes.
Writing System: Devanagari
Nation of Origin: Nepal
Other Comments: Traditional religion, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu.