Lepcha language
| Lepcha | |
|---|---|
| ᰛᰩᰵ་ᰛᰧᰶᰵ | |
| Region | Sikkim, India; parts of Nepal and Bhutan |
|
Native speakers
|
30,000 (2007) 60,000 (2001 & 2011 censuses) |
|
Sino-Tibetan
|
|
| Lepcha script and Tibetan alphabet | |
| Official status | |
|
Official language in
|
Sikkim |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
| Glottolog | lepc1244 |
Lepcha language, or Róng language (Lepcha: ᰛᰩᰵ་ᰛᰧᰶᰵ; Róng ríng), is a Himalayish language spoken by the Lepcha people in Sikkim and parts of West Bengal, Nepal and Bhutan.Translation of words English to Lepcha,Nepali to Lepcha etc.,
Lepcha is spoken by minorities in the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal, as well as parts of Nepal and Bhutan. Where it is spoken, it is considered to be an aboriginal language, pre-dating the arrival of the Tibetan languages (Sikkimese, Dzongkha, and others) and more recent Nepali language. Lepcha speakers comprise four distinct communities: the Renjóngmú of Sikkim; the Támsángmú of Kalimpong, Kurseong, and Mirik; the ʔilámmú of Ilam District, Nepal; and the Promú of southwestern Bhutan. Lepcha-speaking groups in India are larger than those in Nepal and Bhutan.
The Indian census reported 50,000 Lepcha speakers, however the actual number of native Lepcha speakers in India may be closer to 30,000.
Lepcha is difficult to classify, but George van Driem (2001) suggests that it may be closest to the Mahakiranti languages, a subfamily of the Himalayish languages.
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