Editorial and Acknowledgement

Uday Raj Aaley

Resource Person and Editor

[email protected]

Nepal is a multilingual country. All ethnic groups have their own languages. There are more than 123 mother tongues as languages in Nepal. Tharu language is spoken in the Terai region of Nepal and India. The name of language has been derived from tribe name (ethnonym) i.e. Tharu. Dangauriya Tharu [thl] belongs to Indo-Aryan branch of Indo-European family. Deukhuriya is listed in the Ethnologue with the same ISO Code as Dangauriya. There are regional varieties in the Tharu language. A dictionary does not write itself, to accomplish it I spent numerous hours at computer keyboard. A dictionary is compiled with a view to bringing out the meanings of words. The demand of today is for the dictionary that reflects the language as it is used both orally and in the written texts. This Tharu Advanced Dictionary is based on a modern understanding of language and is derived from a corpus of contemporary Tharu usage. The written material is primarily from newspapers, magazines, reports, leaflets, websites etc. In addition, the main information sources of spoken materials include everyday conversations, interviews, discussions, and FM radio. It was strongly felt to compile a new and more scientific dictionary. Tharu Advanced Dictionary represents primarily present usage showing the development of lexemes and their usage over time. It is high time to standardize the language in order to cope with the demand of its speech community. With the development of the community the functions of its language also develop and new words are coined to meet the needs of the modern world. I as a lexicographer often consulted Tharu scholars when deciding if a new coinage should be included in the dictionary, as it is spoken by the Tharu. New words are included from a variety of fields. In course of time some words became obsolete and new words appear. An attempt is made to include the words, phrases, and senses representing both written texts and oral usage. This is an attempt to update the coverage of regional vocabulary with all possible corrections and improvements.

Dictionary is essential for standardization and development of language. A large number of languages are used in different territories but are not considered official. The languages of the indigenous peoples are used within the territory where these people live. Deukhuriya and Dangauriya dialects have been used in this dictionary. It deals with the Dangauriya and Deukhuriya Tharu who live in or trace their origin Dang valley. They are now found living outside Dang and Deukhuri. The compilation of this dictionary is to document, preserve, and vitalize the Tharu language. It is a multilingual dictionary. It lists the meanings of Tharu words into equivalent English and Nepali. Global communication and educational systems today demand a bilingual or multilingual dictionary that covers a wide spectrum of social and cultural terms. It is, therefore, for the laymen and professionals as well. The dictionary is also intended for the foreigners who are interested in learning the Tharu language. The dictionary is designed to help and serve the needs of all the Tharu living anywhere in the world by bridging the communication gap. It records the rich vocabulary that has been used for ages and consists of alphabetical list of words with their parts of speech and accepted pronunciations. Compiled after more than three years of research, the dictionary is user-friendly for both natural users and learners of the language. The main entries are given in the source language while the equivalent meaning is given target languages. Competence in communicating in languages in addition to mother tongue enriches learning and creates a new foundation for intellectual growth. Words which are no longer in popular use or those which are purely regional in form and meaning are included in the dictionary.

This dictionary shows how Tharu language has developed and how the various influences on the language have intermingled. The following salient features are given in the dictionary:

head entry and alternative word with clear and simple definition

spelling and pronunciation

phrase and phrasal verb

parts of speech

phonetics

target languages; English and Nepali with Tharu synonym and antonym

pictorial

The Tharu words are written in the Devanagari script. The conventionally accepted part of speech follows the Devanagari Tharu. The head entries are in bold characters. Every language has a rich repertoire of idioms and these are mostly culture-specific which reflect common human behaviour, feeling or thought. Such culture-specific words and phrases have been compiled. Loan words that have been assimilated and modified in the source language are included as the head entry. The assimilated loan word from other languages is given both its modified and original form. The entries which function as different parts of speech have each of these listed. The verb with the suffix –na is written head word entry. The International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is used to present pronunciations. If a word has different meanings, the meanings are explained in the target languages. Definition is given in brief and explained to clarify the meaning. The word of masculine gender that is changed into feminine gender by adding suffix is included as the head entry. Verbal prefixes and suffixes of common use are entered. Synonym and antonym of the source language is listed following the Nepali meaning. Proverb or saying is included.

A dictionary has definite limits; the compilers agreed to include the common words of literature and conversation, colloquial and dialectal, and loan words. The language presents undefined frontier when it is viewed in relation to time. The living word is no more permanent in its domain. It is not to-day what it was years ago. In Nepal, most of the indigenous languages have not developed their standard forms. The work of collecting words has not yet been completed and the phonetic variety in which they exist in different localities and the demand of standard written form requires an accepted orthography. In the process of integrating into the wider dominant society, Tharu speakers are losing their native language ability. Their children are taught in the dominant languages. As a result many native words are being replaced with the grammar and lexicon of the dominant languages. As the children shift language domains, they lose the quality of their own grammatical features and lexicon. This dictionary can trigger in use of language and increase teaching and learning. Only recently, linguistic studies have been conducted and these have prepared the way for standardization with the publication of dictionaries, grammars, and literary materials.

For the transfer of a language, survival of a language is essential. Pronunciation is the living form of a word. Phonology is based on the commonly spoken form of the language. For a Tharu speaker the pronunciation of the words having dental sounds is quite unnatural. Many of those with whom I spoke about the words expressed a strong desire to put their language in the dictionary for future generations. Today, many Tharu speakers than before are eager to master their mother tongue. This dictionary focuses on the spellings, pronunciations, and meanings of the words and expressions as they are used. It is necessary to reduce the lacuna between the spoken and written form.

The most important challenge that I tackled in this multilingual dictionary is to define source language into the target languages. Equivalents names of animals, birds, insects, plants etc of the source language are difficult to find in the target languages. Not only are the equivalents difficult to find but some words are difficult to be explained. Ethnic names are based on intrinsic criteria such as one’s sense of belonging to a language group. To mitigate the problem such word and phrase, equivalent translation is given. Phonemic symbols with equivalent to Devanagari script:

Vowels

ə c a cf i O ʊ p e P ɒ cf]

Consonants

k s kh v ɡ u ɡh 3 ŋ ª ŋh ª\x

tʃ r tʃh 5 dʒ h dʒh em

t 6 th 7 d 8 dh 9

n g nh Gx p k ph km b a bh e m d mh Dx

j o r / rh /\x l n lh Nx w j wh Jx

s ; h x

Tharu phonemes:

Vowels

Front Central Back

Close i ʊ Highŭ

Half close e ɒ High

Half Open ə

Open ă Low

a

Consonants

Bilabial Dental Alveolar Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal

vl. vd. vl. vd. vl. vd. vl. vd. vl. vd. vl. vd. vd.

Stops p b t d t d [d} k ɡ

ph bh th dh th dh kh ɡh

Nasals m n ŋ

mh nh ŋh

Affricates tʃ dʒ

tʃh dʒh

Fricative s h

Trill r

rh

Lateral l

lh

Glides w j

The dictionary compilation took many months, and a few friends and colleagues are remembered in memoriam. There are many people who have contributed over the years to this dictionary project. I deeply appreciate all their support, contribution, and sacrifices which made this project possible. Over the years, the ‘Tharu interest group’ has contributed scholarly advice.

Finally, my deep appreciation to Mr. Bal Govind Chaudhary and Mr. Chet Ram Chaudhary for their management. When I first discussed the project with them, their encouragement made the dictionary to be better. I had the good fortune to be advised by a dedicated and intellectually stimulating team. Miss Goma Kalathoki who worked for phonetic transcription, Mr. Rajendra Prasad Chaudhary, Mr. Hira Lal Chaudhary, Mr. Dev Narayan Chaudhary, Mr. Kunna Narayan Chaudhary, Mr. Jagat Ram Chaudhary, Mr. Kamal Narayan Chaudhary, and Mr. Ram Prasad Chaudhary helped in compiling Tharu Words and Nepali meaning. Mr. Shishir Kandel and Mr. Basant Shah spent several hours with me at computer. I am grateful to Prof. Dr. Kul Prasad Koirala, Vice-Chancellor, Nepal Sanskrit University, Beljhundi, Dang and Dr. Lava Dev Awasthi, Chairperson, Language Commission, Shankhamul, Kathmandu, Kathmandu for their Best Wishes. This is the first attempt that it may contain spelling or other errors, me as resource person and editor and all the compilers are aware that much remains to be done in the documentation, both in terms of language of today and of that of the past. I am glad to be able to offer this printed version. However, it needs further help and a special appeal is hereby made to all who are interested in the development of Tharu language. I believe this dictionary contains information, along with practical meaning, and that you will find it a useful, interesting, and entertaining work of reference. Dictionary is an important learning tool and every home should contain at least one. The readers can, I hope, feel that suggestions of new entries for inclusion in the dictionary will be considered and suggestions are always welcome.