Raji language

Raji
राजी
A native speaker of Raji introducing himself and discussing the every day use of his language in 2026
Pronunciation[ˈraji] ⓘ(Raji)
RegionNepal, India
Native speakers
3,800 (2011 census)
Dialects
  • Barh Bandale
  • Naukule
  • Purbiya
Language codes
ISO 639-3rji
Glottolograji1240
ELPRaji

Raji is a small Sino-Tibetan language of Nepal and Uttarakhand, India spoken by the Raji people. Speakers were until recently nomadic.

Distribution

Raji is spoken in the following areas of southwestern Nepal:

It is also spoken by Raji people of Uttarakhand, India, primarily living in Pithoragarh district.

In Pithoragarh district, Rastogi (2015) reports that Raji is spoken in the hamlets of Kimkhola, Bhogtirua, Ganagaon, Chipaltara, Madanbori, Kutachaurani, Altodi, Jamtadi, Khirdwari and Chakarpur.

Dialects

Khatri (2008) divides Raji into 3 main regional dialects, for which he also provides word lists.

Phonology

Consonants
Labial Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Plosive plain p b t d ʈ ɖ tʃ dʒ k g
aspirated pʰ bʱ tʰ dʱ ʈʰ ɖʱ tʃʰ dʒʱ kʰ gʱ
Fricative s x h
Nasal plain m n ɳ ŋ
preaspirated ʱm ʱn
Approximant plain w l r j
preaspirated ʱl ʱr ʱj
Vowels
Front Central Back
High i ĩ u ũ
Mid e ẽ ə ə̃ o õ
Low ɛ ɛ̃ a ã

References

  1. 1 2 Raji at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Rastogi, Kavita. 2015. Raji Orthography Development. Himalayan Linguistics, Vol. 14(2): 39–48. doi:10.5070/H914224947
  3. ↑ Khatri, Ramesh. 2008. The structure of verbs and sentences of Raji. MA thesis, Kirtipur: Tribhuvan University.
  4. 1 2 Krishan, Shree (2001). Nagano, Yasuhiko; Lapolla, Randy J. (eds.). "A Sketch of Raji Grammar". New Research on Zhangzhung and Related Himalayan Languages. 3. Osaka: National Museum of Ethnology: 449–497. doi:10.15021/00002153.