Page 78 - A GRAMMAR OF BHOJPURI _ PhD Dissertation 2020 TU

stories about their ancestors, supernatural stories and stories related to the animal
kingdom. They have different types of songs for different rites and rituals from birth

ceremony to the funeral ceremony. Phonemic inventory, grammar, dictionary,
textbooks, literacy materials, newspapers, magazines and abundance of written
literature with folklore are now available in Bhojpuri along with different institutions

to promote Bhojpuri culture, language, literature and folklore.
The Bhojpuri speech community is almost monolingual, especially in the rural

areas. But due to the official vernacular Nepali as the medium of instruction, the
newer generation is stepping towards multilingualism, especially among those

educated as well as those living in urban areas. However, they are highly proficient in
mother tongue speaking.

Bhojpuri is used in different common domains of language use such as
counting, singing, joking, bargaining/shopping/marketing, story-telling,
discussing/debate, praying, quarrelling, abusing (scolding/using taboo words), telling

stories to children, singing at home, family gatherings and village meetings. It has
also been included as a subject in the basic and secondary education in Nepal.

Bhojpuri community in common is seen to have maintained their language
vitality. The rate of shifting toward Nepali is very low.

In general, Bhojpuri speakers have very positive attitudes towards their
language and they look confidant for continuity of their language even in the

grandchildren's generation.
The Bhojpuri speakers are proud of their linguistic identity to have their own
kinds of custom, language, life-style, way of thinking, belief and they want to

implement Bhojpuri as an official language of Nepal and a vernacular of education in
primary schools seeking help on behalf of the state and the community.

The Nepalese Bhojpuri region, geographically, from Jamuni river westward in
Bara up to whole Parsa district is the central, Nawalparasi and Rupandehi western,
Jamuni eastward in Bara up to Bakeya river in Rautahat mid eastern and Bakeya

eastward up to Sarlahi is the eastern Bhojpuri regions. Similarly, on the basis of
community, the dialect spoken by Tharu community in Rautahat is considered as

Tharu Bhojpuri and on the religious basis, the dialect of Sheikh community of
Muslims in central and western part of Rautahat as Sheikh dialect of Bhojpuri.

52