Sunwar (सुनुवार)

Sunwar is a member of the Kiranti branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. It is spoken by about 40,000 people mainly in eastern Nepal, especially in the villages of Dolakha and Ramechhap in the Janakpur zone, and in the village of Okhaldhunga in the Sagarmatha zone. There are also some speakers of Sunwar in Sikkim in northeasten India.

Sunwar is also known as Sunuwar, Kõinch, Koinch or Koincha (कोँइच); Kõits Lo (कोँइच लो), Kiranti-Kõits (किराँती-कोँइच) or Mukhiya (मुखिया).

Sunwar is usually written with the Devanagari alphabet in Nepal. It is used in literature, newspapers and periodicals, although few Sunwar speakers can read their language. It is also used on the radio and in other media.

In Sikkim, Sunwar is sometimes written with the Sunuwar or Jenticha alphabet, which was invented in 1942. It is used in newspapers, academic works and other printed material.

Another script for Sunwar, known as Tikamuli, was invented in 2005, and is used to some extent in Nepal.

Devanagari alphabet for Sunwar

Download a speadsheet of this chart (Excel format)

Sample text (Matthew 1:1-3)

१.अब्राहाम आ तौ, पिप दाऊद आ तौ, येसु ख्रीस्‍त आ किकी पिपी आन नें एको बाक्‍नीम।
२.येसु ख्रीस्‍त आ किकी पिपी सु सु बाक्‍मा बाक्‍त देंशा हना, ङोइतीं अब्राहाम बाक्‍माक्‍त। अब्राहाममी इसहाक थिमाक्‍त। इसहाकमी याकूब थिमाक्‍त याकूबमी यहूदा नु आ वोबु थीमी बाक्‍त।
३.यहूदामी तामार रे पेरेस नु जेरह तौ निक्‍शी थिम्‍सी बाक्‍त। पेरेसमी हेस्रोन थिमाक्‍त। हेस्रोनमी अराम थिमाक्‍त।

Transliteration

abrāhām ā tau, pip dāud ā tau, yesu khrīst ā kikī pipī ān nēṅ eko bāknīm.
yesu khrīst ā kikī pipī su su bākmā bākt deṅshā hanā, ngoitīṅ abrāhām bākmākt. abrāhāmmī isahāk thīmākt. isahākmī yākūb thimākt. yakūbmī yahūdā nu ā wobu thīmī bākt.
yahūdāmī tāmār re peres nu jerah tau nikshī thimsī bākt. peresmī hesron thimākt. hesronmī arām thimākt.

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;

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

Sample videos in Sunwar

Information about Sunwar | Sunuwar script | Tikamuli script | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about Sunwar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunwar_language
http://www.ethnologue.com/language/suz

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

Kiranti languages

Athpare, Bahing, Bantawa, Belhare, Chamling, Dhimal, Dumi, Khaling, Limbu, Sunwar, Toto, Wambule, Yakkha

Page last modified: 27.08.21

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