Tibeto-Burman Languages of Nepal

Book excerpt: The country of Nepal is home to over one hundred distinct languages from four language families. The current volume provides grammars, glossaries and texts for two of these languages: Kristine A. Hildebrandt's grammar and glossary of Manange, of the Tamangic branch of the Tibeto-Burman language family, and Barbara Kelly's grammar and glossary of Sherpa, of the Tibetan (Bodish) branch. Each grammar provides a full description of the phonology, morphology and syntax of the language, covering both the structural and functional properties of each. The glossaries contain lists of basic vocabulary, alternate forms, and comparisons with forms given in previous literature. The short texts provide insights into how speakers weave linguistic structures to produce fluent discourse.