Western Tharu languages

Dangaura and Kathariya Tharu are mutually-intelligible Tharu variants spoken west of the Gandaki River, by approximately 1.3 million people.^[8][9] Furthermore, an additional variant of Tharu, known as Sonha, is largely mutually intelligible with Dangaura.^[10]

Rana Tharu and Buksa are mutually-intelligible Tharu variants spoken by approximately 250,000 people west of Karnali river and in the Indian states of Uttrakahand and Uttar Pradesh. It sounds similar to Western Hindi and Awadhi.^[11] The Nepal Charter dated 18 May 2020 lists Rana Tharus as a distinct ethnic group and their language as a distinct language.^[12]

Central Tharu languages

Chitwania Tharu also known as Lalpuriya Tharu, Madhya Ksetriya Tharu or Central Tharu is spoken by approximately 250,000 speakers east of the Gandaki River, in and around the Chitwan Valley. Certain Chitwania variants appear to have considerable lexical similarities with Manchad, a Sino-Tibetan language.^[13][14]

Eastern Tharu languages

Kochila Tharu also called Morangiya, Saptariya Tharu, Madhya-Purbiya Tharu or Mid-Eastern Tharu is a diverse Tharu variant, spoken by approximately 250,000 people, in regions of eastern and central Nepal.^[15] Kochila Tharu communities are not found in isolation, but live in districts intermixed with speakers of other languages. “In contrast with western Terai where the Tharus are the only and dominant ethnic minority, the eastern – especially the far eastern – Terai is inhabited by several ethnic groups with very different linguistic affiliation”. Kochila has three main dialects spoken throughout mid-central and eastern Nepal which are Western Kochila, Saptariya Kochila and Morangiya Kochila on the basis of their intelligibility.^[16]

Nepal

In Nepal Tharu languages are spoken throughout the Terai region from Mechi river in the east to Mahakali river in the west in following districts:^[18][25]

• Koshi Province: Jhapa District, Morang District, Sunsari District and Udayapur District
• Madhesh Province: Parsa District, Bara District, Rautahat District, Sarlahi District, Mahottari District, Siraha District and Saptari District
• Bagmati Province: Chitwan District, Makwanpur District, Sindhuli District and a sizeable population in Kathmandu (Kathmandu District, Bhaktapur District and Lalitpur District)
• Gandaki Province: Nawalpur District and a sizeable population in Kaski District (Pokhara)
• Lumbini Province: Banke District, Bardiya District, Dang District, Kapilvastu District, Parasi District and Rupandehi District
• Karnali Province: Surkhet District
• Sudurpaschim Province: Kailali District and Kanchanpur District

With an increase in internal migrants and international emigration Tharu-speaking people have emerged in every district of Nepal and various countries such as the US, Japan, Qatar, UAE and Australia.^[26][27]

India

In India Tharu language is spoken in border side areas of Nepal. In the state of Uttrakhand it is spoken in the district of Udham Singh Nagar.^[28] In Bihar it is spoken in East Champaran and West Champaran districts.^[29] In Uttar Pradesh it is spoken in Lakhimpur Kheri, Balrampur, Shravasti, Gorakhpur, Basti, Bahraich and Gonda districts.^[4]

Consonants

• /n/ can be heard as a palatal [ɲ] when preceding a palatal affricate.
• /ɾ, ɾ̤/ may be in free variation with trill sounds [r, r̤] in the Rana dialect.
• Palato-alveolar affricate sounds /tʃ, tʃʰ, dʒ, dʒʱ/ are heard as alveolar affricate sounds [ts, tsʰ, dz, dzʱ] in the Rana dialect.^[30]

Vowels

• Nasalization also occurs as /ĩ, ũ, ẽ, ə̃, õ, ã/.
• Vowels /i, u, e, a/ are heard as [ɪ, ʊ, ɛ, ɑ] when in lax form.
• /ə/ is heard as [ɐ] when preceding or following velar or glottal consonants.
• /a/ can be heard as [æ] when following /j/ or as [ɒ] when following /w/.^[31]