Just curious to know, if Nepal needs to chose a second official language, (say like Spanish in USA and French in Canada) which language should be chosen as a second official language?

If you chose the one based on population, it should be Magar language,

If you chose the one based on uniformity of language spoken by the largest majority, it should be Tharu language (because Magar dialects are too versatile)

If you chose one based on ease in availability of literature, historical background, and cultural links it should be Maithali or Nepalbhasa (Newari)

If you chose the one based on uniqueness of nepalese value added with rich cultural ties, it should be Nepalbhasa (Newari)

If you chose the one based on ease of use by the majority of nepalese, it should be Hindi.

 

Which one would you prefer to chose ? Why ?

My assumption is that no one will deny to have current Nepalese (Khas) language remain as the first official language. 

First, Second and Third official language should be Nepali. But we can make Sanskrit as second official language.

अरे चना भैया,

यह बहुत अच्छा क्वैशन है । हम तो थारु का हि वकालत करेँगे, फिर कोइ बात नहि, हिन्दी भि सीख रहा हुँ ।

 

लगता है आपने बाहुन लोगोंका पहेचाने नहिं है । मेरे खयालमेँ बाहुन लोगोको अपना देशि भाषाओंमे इतना नफरत है कि वह हिन्दीको वोट देनेको तयार होगा लेकिन नेपालके अन्य दुसरे भाषाओंका समर्थन कभि नहिं करेगा । अगर उन्हे भारतसे कुछ ज्यादा हि नापसन्द है तो वह बाहुनलोग संस्कृतका नाम लेगा । प्रदिप नेपाल बाहुन, यज्ञनिधि दहाल बाहुन मोदनाथ प्रश्रित बाहुन लोगोंने मिलके संस्कृतको कैसे जबरजस्ति रेडियौ और एजुकेशानमे डाल दिया, मालुम है ना ?

अब आप नेँ संस्कृतको लिखा हि नहि, बाहुन लोग जरुर नाखुस होगा ।

 

लो मै टाइप कर हि रहा था कौन सा एक बाहुन ने कमेण्ट डाल हि दिया, उनको संस्कृत चाहिए, मौत हुआ भाषा सहि, लेकिन नेपालका दुसरे जातिका भाषा विलकुल स्वीकार्य नहिं, देखलिया, ऐसा हे नेपालके बाहुन मेन्टालिटी ।

First thing first. The US does not have an official language in the federal level (although some states do), so saying Spanish is an official language in the US would be a false/misdirecting statement although it is second most spoken/understood after English.

While several languages in Nepal should be given an equal status of a National language, I don't see a serious need of another official language in Nepal where more than 90% (could even be more than 95% if we check with the latest census report) can speak and understand Nepali pretty well. There could be some parts/regions in Himal and Terai where people, for the most part, do NOT understand Nepali and the need of the recognition of their local language as the official language is justified. It could be Maithali, Bhojpuri, Tamang or Gurung or some less spoken language that we may not be aware of to begin with. But as long as those people who use that language can speak/understand Nepali, giving an  official status to their local language is nothing more than succumbing to someone who's  "being demanding for no particular rationale" akin to a kid-crying-for-a-candy IMO.

If you look at India, only 60 odd percent people can understand/speak Hindi and therefore the need of another 22 official languages is justified for such a huge and diverse country.

That said, feel free to argue or bash me to death. I am open to criticism if I am wrong.

Loote,

u r right but still u didn't make any comments on making hindi as a second national language!

My opinion..........OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF NEPAL = NEPALI

REST OF THEM ARE THE NATIONAL LANGUAGES OF NEPAL...no second language ...every language equally important.

Unicornis,
If a good majority of the people who can only speak/understand their local language and cannot understand/speak Nepali can speak/understand Hindi, I have no objection in making Hindi an official language. However, a thorough research should be done before taking that step. We don't want a language which is spoken by less than 1% of the people be made an official language when there are other languages which are more common and easier means of communication than Hindi.

English!

Loote bro,

'We don't want a language which is spoken by less than 1% of the people be made an official language when there are other languages which are more common and easier means of communication than Hindi'

Hindi is spoken by less than 1% of the population and this is not good majority so is it still valid to make hindi an official language?

I have asked this q before = ever been to border towns??

uni,
I meant if Hindi can connect a good majority of those who can understand/speak their local language only (say Bhojpuri/Awadhi/Maithali) but cannot understand/speak Nepali then may be (i repeat: may be), Hindi qualifies to be one of our official languages. But as I said, a thorough research should be done before we can stand firm on that conclusion.

I have nothing against Hindi long as it can connect people and make them easier to work together and run the administration or parliament. Don't think of India (the big bro you abhor hahaha) when you think of the language (Hindi), if that language serves our people(nepali) better.

unicornis bro,

I haven't been in border towns, I have lived in a border town and no matter what anyone else says, I screw them and love the place where I was raised...and am proud to say that ......as much as I am proud to say I have spent my childhood in Chitwan, 20s in Ktm and so on.

Any querries are totally welcome. Please go ahead and I can try to answer .

I now feel it's my responsibility to clear any misconceptions which are there..and people who wanna close there eyes and sink their head into the sand of total ignorance are more than welcome to cling to the state of majestic blindness.

Prabhat bro,

I am from border town. I am asking this question cause I think people who comments easily about foreign language is not faced with reality. When u walk down the streets (Nepal) and u hear conversations in a foreign language and u think what the heck, where am I?

So it is ture language defines ur identity. We have lost rivers/ lands/ borders to our good neighbor, the last thing I want is to lose my identity. That's all.

Yeutai kura dohariyecha tehi bhayera uta ko lyayera yeta hali diye hai,

Oho yo ta lastai halla khalla garne bisaya bhayo. Hana yedi yestai ho bhane hami kina angrejilai mane englishlai Nepalko second language nabanaune. Sake nursery dekhi nabhaye class one dekhi english padhnu parekai cha. SLC ma englishmai gultiyera katiko bijog. English medium school ra sarkari school bhanera tetro gutbandi pani bhayekai ho. College puge pachi ta sab kitab jati angrejima tara masterle padaune jati Nepalima. Ani yeso jagir khojda pani angrejikai bhau charko. Yeso halka dui char sabda angrejima theldyo bhane manche haru danga, maiyaa haru ta specially danga. Ajha sahar bajar ghumda dui char words angreji ma phalaki diyo bhane khatra sahariya hoine. Ani ajkalka modern sahariya thitiharuko ta parai beglai (huna ta thita haru pani ustai hun). Kunni kas kasko ho angreji geet rap jhyap ke ke ho ke ke, sab gaudai sundai masta. Tyo najanne jati sab pakhe ajha halka bhanne ho bhane khepa. Aba hamra thula bada neta bhanauda haru pani chahe nepali ma bolun wa hindima angreji takka tukka misaihalchan ke bho ra. Yesai pani Nepal tourism ko lagi popular, ab sab angreji bolne bhaye bhane jhan dami huncha. America auna pani sajilo. Sab yo TOEFL, GRE sab 1600 ka 1600 la jaa, chinese haru bhanda pani khatara. La sathi bhai haru ho mero chahi sab sanga binamra anurodh hardikta ko sathma, angrejilai nepali ko dorso kamkajko bhasa banaiyos.

Jaya des, jaya america 

Look at the border area of any country in this world. Forget Nepal, go to Ino Pak border, Rajasthan, LOC, I will give u a huge guard of honour if u can differentiate who is Indian and who is Pakistani, not bcoz they infiltrate but bcoz they share almost similar landscape, they share similar food, similar language and so on.

Go to Pak Afghan border, I will give u double guard of honour. People on Pak side speak Pashtoon type Urdu. Same with Afghan people. Impossible to say who is Afghan and who is Paki.

We r in US, lets look at US Mexican border, Texas, Cali, Ariz. May be all Mexican looking people are  Mexicans right????

Agreed that people infiltrate, criminals play their games, but they have this common look on both sides anywhere in the world. If Nepal India border is an exception to that, I beg pardon for my ignorance.

People look almost same on either sidesof any border region in any part of the world. The farther u go the significant the difference is. If being dark skinned is a testament to not being a Nepali then god help all of us.

 

Hindi is not as widely spoken in Terai as some political parties are trying to make a point. They are playing games to satisfy their political needs. No leader alive today seems to be an exception though..any party, any colour.

It's those leaders who r giving bad name.

Now it's upto us to be fooled and start fighting among ourselves or look beyond the leaders. I can guarantee u, people in Terai though (they may look Indian to almost all of the rest of Nepalese brothers and sisters which I can't care any less) love this country and its identity as much as any body else.

Unfortunately they are the scapegoats bcoz of the parties. Now other leaders are puppets too...will it be wise to generalize any particular community as murderers or traitors or whatever bcoz a leader from that group/ caste did those deeds.

Wake up guys.

U r right, Prabhat bro.

I think it is the porous border of developing nations and the weakness to control immigration and emmigration. Ah!well, even a nation like US is struggling with such issue!!

all night, night!!

very well said Prabhat bro..........

Its a handful of leaders and their workers..and do u have any idea the workers..mostly criminals..from either side of the border...are doing these things, like destroying Bhanu's statue and so on. They are just those handful crooks who do things for some money and alcohol  and who have no idea what they r doing.

Guess who loses if a civil war erupts in Nepal bcoz of all this...and guess whose lives will be safe though thousands might die...guess who is working behind the closed doors..and GUESS WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS TO SEE CLEARLY WHAT IS WHAT AND WHAT IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR....US.

I wish the government has enough willpower and ability to see what are the real issues here. But we are in such a mess that any major decision is taken by the assembly..to save or form the govt. they can take any foolish step....

The only solution I can see is the formation of all powerful lobby that comprises people from all walks of life, all caste and community, have a common goal and must be so powerful that it can influence a government. If foreign powers can influence Nepal for there national interest then why can't we influence our government for our own national interest.

Just saw Musharraf resigned, he had so much international backing but couldn't hold hois forte coz he weakened himself within the country. Our leaders do need support from us too. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN BE POWERFUL IS BY HAVING ENOUGH UNITY ACROSS ALL LINES, ENOUGH MONEY AND ENOUGH WILL POWER.

By the way Nepali is Nepal's pride as a national language in my view, from Mechi to Mahottari to Mahakali. Anyother language is a regional or ethnic language but Nepali is one common thread that binds us all.