Endangered Languages Project

ALSO KNOWN AS		Kinnaura Yanuskad, Kanoreunu Skad, Kanorug Skadd, Lower Kinnauri, Kinori, Kinner, Kanauri, Kanawari, Kanawi, Kunawari, Kunawur, Tibas Skad, Kanorin Skad, Kanaury Anuskad, Koonawure, Malhesti, Milchanang, Milchan, Milchang, Kinauri, Kanāwri, Kanāwarī, Kanoreunu Skadd, Kanōrug Skadd, Tibas Skadd, Lower Kanauri, Lower Kănawi, Upper Kanauri, Minchhang, Minchhanäng
CLASSIFICATION		Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Kanauri
ORTHOGRAPHY		None
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		kfk
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search

Compare Sources (6)

Information from: “Personal communication on Kinnauri” . Harvinder Negi (2020)

Threatened

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
Unknown
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
40,000
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
"Census data puts population of areas where Kinnauri is spoken to be around 40,000. There is no thorough sociolinguistic study to give an exact number of language speakers, fluent or partially. Nobody is learning the language as L2."

DATE OF INFO: 2011

DOMAINS OF USE

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

"Children prefer Hindi over Kinnauri due to increased importance of Hindi, due to education policy and modernity. Intergenerational transfer of language is not happening because of preference for Hindi or English."

SPEAKER ATTITUDE

Neutral

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

None

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

None

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Hindi
English

LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS

"Neutral feelings, speakers do not realize that the language is fast losing fluent speakers to Hindi."

Scripts (Writing system)

None

More on Orthography

"No script or literary traditions."

PLACES: India;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: In villages in Kalpa, Sangla and Nichar Tehsil, Moorang and Ropa, Giabong villages in Pooh tehsil in Kinnaur District, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
63,800
Native speakers worldwide

DATE OF INFO: 2000

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY
LANGUAGE CONTEXT COMMENTS: Kinnauri is a trade language.
Scripts (Writing system): Devanagari script

PLACES: India

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Himachal Pradesh, Kinnaur, Lahul-Spiti districts, Chauhra to Sangla and north along Satluj River to Morang, upper Ropa River Valley villages; Shimla and Rampur area; Uttar Pradesh; Punjab; Kashmir.

Threatened

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available
<84,000
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
84,298

DATE OF INFO: 2011

DOMAINS OF USE

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

In a survey conducted in 2011, 90% of respondents in the older age group reported using Kinnauri as the language of choice in the home. In contrast, 60% of middle aged respondents and only 20% of younger respondents reported using Kinnauri in the home. Hindi is the primary language of interaction in the marketplace and in education

SPEAKER ATTITUDE

Strong positive language attitudes among older and middle aged speakers. Younger speakers feel less strongly, but still hold positive attitudes towards the language.

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

Hindi

Scripts (Writing system)

No written script

PLACES: India

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: the northern side of Himachal Pradesh

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
65,097
Native speakers worldwide

PLACES: India

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
48,778
Native speakers worldwide

		2001	Census of India: Distribution of the 100 Non-Scheduled Languages of India	Census of India								http://www.censusindia.gov.in/Census_Data_2001/Census_Data_Online/Language/partb.htm					65,097		10000-99999							Vulnerable (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)					India
0199255911		2005	The World Atlas of Language Structures			Bernard Comrie and David Gil and Martin Haspelmath and Matthew S. Dryer	Oxford University Press			New York				2005. "The World Atlas of Language Structures." edited by Bernard Comrie et al. Oxford University Press.																			31.5,78.0
	16	2009	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16th Edition (2009)			M. Paul Lewis	SIL International			Dallas, TX		http://www.ethnologue.com/		Lewis, M. Paul (ed.). 2009. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 16 edn. http://www.ethnologue.com/home.asp. (15 February, 2011.)	ll_pub		63,800	2000	10000-99999			Hindi		Kinnauri is a trade language.		Vulnerable (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)					India	Himachal Pradesh, Kinnaur, Lahul-Spiti districts, Chauhra to Sangla and north along Satluj River to Morang, upper Ropa River Valley villages; Shimla and Rampur area; Uttar Pradesh; Punjab; Kashmir.
		2020	Personal communication on Kinnauri								University of Delhi		Harvinder Negi			40,000	Unknown	2011	10000-99999	"Census data puts population of areas where Kinnauri is spoken to be around 40,000. There is no thorough sociolinguistic study to give an exact number of language speakers, fluent or partially. Nobody is learning the language as L2."	Home, religion	Hindi, English	Neutral	"Neutral feelings, speakers do not realize that the language is fast losing fluent speakers to Hindi."	Most	Threatened (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	12	"Children prefer Hindi over Kinnauri due to increased importance of Hindi, due to education policy and modernity. Intergenerational transfer of language is not happening because of preference for Hindi or English."	13	12	India;	In villages in Kalpa, Sangla and Nichar Tehsil, Moorang and Ropa, Giabong villages in Pooh tehsil in Kinnaur District, Himachal Pradesh, India.	31.58333, 78.41667
		2012	A sociolinguistic profile of the Kinnaura Tribe		101-105			Nepalese Linguistics	27			http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/nepling/pdf/Nep_Ling_27.pdf#page=106	Harvinder Kumar Negi	Negi, Harvinder Kumar. 2012. A sociolinguistic profile of the Kinnaura Tribe. Nepalese Linguistics 27: 101-105.		84,298	<84,000	2011	10000-99999		Education, Marketplace, some inter-regional interactions	Hindi	Strong positive language attitudes among older and middle aged speakers. Younger speakers feel less strongly, but still hold positive attitudes towards the language.			Threatened (100 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	11	In a survey conducted in 2011, 90% of respondents in the older age group reported using Kinnauri as the language of choice in the home. In contrast, 60% of middle aged respondents and only 20% of younger respondents reported using Kinnauri in the home. Hindi is the primary language of interaction in the marketplace and in education	14	12	India	the northern side of Himachal Pradesh
			World Oral Literature Project									http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.			48,778		10000-99999							Vulnerable (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)

Kinnauri

Language metadata

Language information by source

Threatened

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

Unknown

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

63,800

Threatened

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

<84,000

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

65,097

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

48,778

Discussion

Kinnauri

Language metadata

Language information by source

Threatened

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

Unknown

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

63,800

Threatened

100 percent certain, based on the evidence available

<84,000

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

65,097

Vulnerable

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

48,778

Discussion

Suggest information or improvement

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