Magar (मगर ढुट‎)

Magar is a member of the Greater Magaric branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. It is spoken by about 841,000 people mainly in central Nepal, and also in West Bengal and Sikkim in the northeast of India. Magar is also known as Magar, Magari, Mangar, Mangari or Syangja Magar.

According to Ethnologue, there are two Magar languages: Eastern Magar and Western Magar.

There are about 462,000 speakers of Eastern Magar in central Nepal, particularly in the Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini zones. There are also about 71,700 Eastern Magar speakers in the South district of Sikkim State, and in Darjeeling in West Bengal in the northeast of India.

Western Magar has about 308,000 speakers in Nepal, mainly in the Gandaki and Lumbini zones, and also in the Bheri and Dhawalagiri zones.

There is some literature in Magar, including collections of poems and songs, and a few novels. In Nepal it is written with the Devanagari alphabet. In Nepal and Sikkim a script known as Magar Akkha is used to some extent. It is a descendent of the Brahmi script, and is thought to have developed during the 11th century.

Magar alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Magar (Excel)

Sample text (Mathew 1:1-3)

येसु ख्रीस अब्राहाम सो᳝नो दाऊदनी निथोनी ज᳝ हुके। नोराए यामिनर आवर ज᳝,
अब्राहामए ओजा᳝ इसहाक, इसहाकए ओजा᳝ याकूब, याकूबए ओजा᳝ यहूदा, यहूदाए छुत ओदाज्‍यु भाइर मनी याल्‍यो।
यहूदाए ओज्‍या तामार बातनी दुई भाइ ताकिनी। तोबोए उमिन फारेस, तोबोए उमिन जाहेर ।फारेसए ओजा᳝ हेस्रोन,हेस्रोनए ओजा᳝ आराम.

Source: New Testament in Magar, Nepal Bible Society, Kathmandu

IPA transcription

jesʊ kʰɹiːs abɹʌɦʌm so̞no dʌuːdniː nɪtʰoniː dza̤ hʊke. noɹʌe jʌmɪnəɹ ʌbaɹ dza̤,
ʌbɹʌɦʌmae odzʌ̤ ɪsɦʌk, ɪsɦʌkae odzʌ̤ jʌkuːb, jʌkuːbae odzʌ̤ jəɦuːdʌ, jəɦuːdʌe tsʰut odʌdzju bʰʌɪɹ maniː jʌljo.
jəɦuːdʌe odzjʌ tʌmʌɹ bʌtniː duiˑ bʰʌɪ tʌkɪniː. toboe umɪn pʰʌɹes, toboe umɪn dzʌɦeɹ. pʰʌɹesəe odzʌ̤ ɦesɹon, ɦesɹonəe odzʌ̤ ʌɹʌm

Translation

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram.

Source: https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-1-1/

Details provided by Biswajit Mandal (biswajitmandal[dot]bm90[at]gmail[dot]com)

Sample text (Article 1 of the UDHR)

पट्ट भर्मीको मनीटा, लोयाटाङ फून्चलीन स्वतन्त्र बरोबर ले। इसको अक्कीलको दामन राहाचवाटै लाहालाहाङ आस्काटकठा भोइयो बेहोर जाट्को पर्ले।

IPA transcription

patta bʰrmi̤ko mani̤tʌ, lojʌtʌŋ pʰuntsalin swatantra baro̤bar le. isko əkkilko dʌman rʌhʌtsawʌtɛ lʌhʌlʌhʌŋ ʌskʌtaktʰa bʰehor dzʌtko parle̤.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Source: https://www.ohchr.org

Sample videos in Magar

Links

Information about Magar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magar_language
https://ne.wikipedia.org/wiki/मगर_भाषा मगर ढुट‎
https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mgp
https://linguistgeek.wixsite.com/themagarlanguage/magar

Greater Magaric languages

Kham, Magar,

Languages written with the Devanāgarī alphabet

Aka-Jeru, Angika, Athpare, Avestan, Awadhi, Bahing, Balti, Bantawa, Belhare, Bhili, Bhumij, Bilaspuri, Bodo, Bhojpuri, Braj, Car, Chamling, Chhantyal, Chhattisgarhi, Chambeali, Danwar, Dhatki, Dhimal, Dhundari, Digaro Mishmi, Dogri, Doteli, Gaddi, Garhwali, Gondi, Gurung, Halbi, Haryanvi, Hindi, Ho, Jarawa, Jaunsari, Jirel, Jumli, Kagate, Kannauji, Kham, Kangri, Kashmiri, Khaling, Khandeshi, Kharia, Khortha, Korku, Konkani, Kullui, Kumaoni, Kurmali, Kurukh, Kusunda, Lambadi, Limbu, Lhomi, Lhowa, Magahi, Magar, Mahasu Pahari, Maithili, Maldivian, Malto, Mandeali, Marathi, Marwari, Mewari, Mundari, Nancowry. Newar, Nepali, Nimadi, Nishi, Onge, Pahari, Pali, Pangwali, Rajasthani, Rajbanshi, Rangpuri, Sadri, Sanskrit, Santali, Saraiki, Sirmauri, Sherpa, Shina, Sindhi, Sunwar, Sylheti, Tamang, Thakali, Thangmi, Wambule, Wancho, Yakkha, Yolmo

Page last modified: 23.04.21

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