Sherpa Language

It is time now to assume a Sherpa as out casted Sherpa if one doesn’t speak Sherpa language. Sherpa language has its own identity, existence and character. It is itself a bloomed language. It has many terminologies to pay respect to others than other languages. Sherpa language is not in the condition to borrow any words from other languages. This is the unique character of our language. Sherpa language and script have its own important pride and history. Language is a social matter with human touch. We use this in linguistic community in the society. Language is a medium to communicate and exchange experience, perception and idea. So it is my belief that any Sherpa will have pride in one’s language and script.

Modernizing Sherpa language has become the greatest challenge in this modern age. Everyday new research, new things and new theories are introduced in the field of knowledge, and science and technology. As a result new concepts and ideas are appearing. Whatever language they are in, they affect us through our language.

That is why we will be able to easily use the necessary skills and knowledge. Only if we equip our language and make it clear and free of errors. If we develop the habit of communicating developing and changing our knowledge and skill through our language, there will be probability that our language will be replete with wisdom and our language will be equipped. But if we learn through foreign language, it will be limited in the periphery of foreign idea. It makes our expressive quality blunt and there will be fear and danger of destroying it every day.

There are hundreds of languages to the world. There were around 360 mother tongues in India when Gautama Buddha gave his preaching. National census 2011 A.D has recorded 123 mother tongues in Nepal. There doesn’t seem compatibility among these languages in the areas like traditions, customs, activities, and environment and in regarded to asset gain.

There are two forms of language: (a) Oral and (b) Written. Oral language is communicated through sound or talk and written language is communicated through script. We have our own language, script and grammar. Words are outcome of human consciousness and it becomes intellectual base in the development of society. It does so being created with combination of words. But our language has become limited in script and in theory, as our common people don’t use our language. But it has been in good practice in Bhutan and in Tibet. Sambota script is in practice in the Himalayan region of Nepal and in some states of India.

Due to unused of our script and language and increasing encroachment of foreign language, Sherpa language’s original and special form is felt to be blurred.

Language is social object related to human. We have to use in society its linguistic community. We encourage you all, as it is a medium to communicate our idea, experience and perception. Our language is suffering through existential crisis. It has its own value and identity. It has its own features and it is a mature language. There are lots of respectful terms in our language than other languages. Sherpa language is not in difficult position to borrow words from other language. This is the special feature of Sherpa language. I believe that Sherpa language and script has its own history, importance and glory. So, every Sherpa will pride in his/her language and script.

There are certain ways to protect a language and a script from destruction and increase every day. This applies in all the languages of the world and especially it applies in the case of Sherpa language. To protect our language from destruction we should learn from religion.

The inscription of 1038 A.D in developing Sherpa language is the proof that it is 1000 years old. Probably it might have been in oral practice from longer than that. In such a deteriorating condition, if we don’t do anything to protect our language, there won’t be any progress in other caste’s initiative.

Sherpa caste and language is one of the 125 castes and 123 languages of Nepal. It is counted as an age-old caste and language. So it is mature language. In spite of similarity with the old language of Tibet, there is much difference in speaking style. For example: words like earth (Sa), water (Chuu), fire ( Me), air ( Lung ) hill (Ri), island (Ling), home (Khang ba) goat (Ra), sheep (look), horse (Ta), Yak (Yak) Tiger (Tak), Leopard (Jik), Lion (Senge), Bear (Tom) head and hand (go tang lakpa), have similarity with Tebetan language. But there is some difference. Words like ‘aula’ for moon, ‘Lhermu’ for entertainment, ‘gorpu’ for big, ‘tikpe’ for small and elder ‘tapa’ for ladder appear neither in old nor in new Tibetan language. This shows originality of Sherpa language. It is also a pioneering language among the ethnic language. Non- the- less grammar is same. The rule of grammar is generally same.

There are a lot of respectful words in a Sherpa language. That’s why Sherpa language is taken as source of believe ability for example so; these are some of the respectful words of our language. When we communicate, it is clearly noticed that it is not strong in its nature, rather it sounds sweet.