Language Contact and Language Choice among the Marawari People of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Abstract

Marwari is one of the ethnic community of Nepal has been living in Kathmandu valley since 18th century. This research analyzes the language contact and language choice among the Marawari People living in Kathmandu Valley. The aim of this research is to understand the language choices made by the migrant settlers in their new environment, particularly for informal interactions. The study utilized the communication accommodation theory and the constructivist paradigm to analyze the data collected from 150 participants in 3 Marawari communities living in Kathmandu valley. The findings revealed that Hindi, the language of the Marawari, has been preserved and widely spoken across generations. However, the older generation of Marwari people used Newari and Nepali, while the younger generations engaged in code switching or code mixing with English, Newari, and Nepali. The setting and subject of communication also play role on choosing contact language in the process of communication.