Alternate Names: Bayu, Hayu, Vayu, Wayo
Dialects: Marin Khola, Sindhuli.
Status Notes: Language of recognized indigenous nationality: Hayu.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 1,520 (2011 census), decreasing. 0 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 1,800 (2001 census).
Language Use: Ethnic Wayu live on the hills on both sides of the Sun Kosi River but the language is only spoken in the villages listed. In 1995 many children in Mudajor were not learning Wayu but the language was alive and well in Manedihi (2002 UNESCO). A growing interest in language preservation. Religion; mixed use: Home, friends. Older adults and elderly. Some use among young adults. Negative attitudes among some Wayu who feel the language is an obstacle to progress; a minority would like to keep speaking it. 100% also use Nepali [npi].
Typology: SOV; postpositions; noun head final; no noun classes or genders; content q-word in situ; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person and number; ergativity; tense; no passives or voice; nontonal; 27 consonant and 8 vowel phonemes.
Writing System: Devanagari
Nation of Origin: Nepal
Other Comments: Strong Nepali , influences in phonology, lexicon, and grammar (Matisoff 1991). Traditional religion, Hindu.