Writing systems of indigenous languages in Nepal

Abstract

The linguistic diversity of Nepal is a treasure house of both wildlife and human culture in the Himalayan range. Languages are the vast resources for the prosperous and dignified life of the human world. The writing systems, in their turn, capture and preserve the language in time and space, thus accumulating the experience and knowledge of individuals and communities. Language and culture are intertwined, and without a writing system both cannot exist. Language is also one of the fundamental rights of indigenous peoples. This paper attempts to explore the writing systems of the indigenous languages of Nepal. The study applied the “armchair” method for the collection of data. The authors critically examined the journals, books, government documents, magazines, official papers and other materials from museums, libraries and other agencies working in the fields relevant to the present study. The findings show that the linguistic diversity exists and sustains only on condition that the exploration, codification, recognition, appreciation, and celebration of the existing languages are properly carried out. In this regard, public awareness is a must, while prevailing government efforts to date have not been enough. To prevent language loss, the government of Nepal needs to work intensely to explore this issue, and both the national and international community should also show prime concern for this rich cultural and traditional heritage preserved by writing systems as national and local cultures are part of the world patrimony. The study also indicates that further in-depth research into the scripts of indigenous languages is necessary.