Khaling language

Khaling (kʰɛ̂l brâː ख्या:ल् ब्रा:) is a Kiranti language spoken in Solukhumbu district, Nepal and Sikkim, Darjeeling, and Kalimpong in India. It is one of the few Kiranti languages with tonal contrasts, which are of secondary origin.

Khaling
khāliṅ
खालिङ
Native toNepal
RegionSolukhumbu and Khotang districts
EthnicityKhaling Rai
Native speakers
14,467 in Nepal (2011 census)
unknown number in India
Sino-Tibetan
  • Tibeto-Burman
    • Mahakiranti (?)
      • Kiranti
        • Western
          • Upper Dudhkosi
            • Khaling
Writing system
Devanagari
Language codes
ISO 639-3klr
Glottologkhal1275
ELPKhaling

Khaling has approximately 15,000 speakers and is therefore considered a vulnerable language. Khaling has a complex system of stem alternations: as many as 10 distinct stems have to be posited for a word (Jacques et al. 2012). Khaling is very unusual in having an auditory demonstrative (see Jacques and Lahaussois 2014). Khaling is also known as Rai, Khalinge Rai, Khael Bra, and Khael Baat.

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