Indicators of Bilingual Proficiency in Nepali Among Tibeto-Burman Peoples of Nepal

Download: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon silesr2011_034.pdf750.9 KB
Statement of Responsibility: 
Webster, Jeffrey David
Series Issue: 
2011-034
Issue Date: 
2011
Date Created: 
1995
Publisher: 
SIL International
Publisher Place: 
Dallas, Texas
Is Part Of Series: 
SIL Electronic Survey Reports 2011-034
Extent: 
x, 89 pages
Abstract: 
The myth of bilingualism suggests that everyone in Nepal is fluent in Nepali; however, this study shows large segments of the Tibeto-Burman population are only minimally proficient in speaking and understanding Nepali. This thesis presents data on bilingual proficiency collected in 1992 and 1993 from speakers in seven different Tibeto-Burman ethnolinguistic groups in rural Nepal. Over five hundred subjects were tested, using sentence repetition tests. These data are correlated with demographic variables to show the significant indicators of Nepali proficiency among the target populations. The results show that only well-educated subjects are comparably proficient with mother-tongue Nepali speakers. Because the same demographic factors in different areas produce parallel patterns of second-language proficiency, the most significant factors can comprise a model to substantially predict Nepali bilingualism. Based on extensive field data, these results provide a powerful tool for language policy and planning in Nepal.
Publication Status: 
Published
Country: 
Nepal
Content Language: 
Work Type: 
Nature of Work: 
Entry Number: 
41676