Classical Newar

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Classical Newar or Classical Nepal Bhasa (, ) also known as Old Newar, is the vernacular and literary form of Nepal Bhasa used prior to the 19th century. The term is most generally used to describe the form of Nepal Bhasa used in manuscripts and other sources from the Malla dynasty.

The antiquity of the Newar language is not known. The Sanskrit stone inscriptions from the Licchavi Dynasty contains frequent use of Sino-Tibetan words, especially for proper nouns like names of person, settlements and rivers, suggesting the existence of a vernacular Sino-Tibetan language which is believed to be an early form of the Newar language. Classical Newar language was the official language and lingua franca of Nepal Mandala during the medieval period.

History Licchavi period Newar words appeared in Sanskrit inscriptions in the Kathmandu Valley for the first time in the fifth century. The words are names of places, taxes and merchandise indicating that it already existed as a spoken language during the Licchavi period (approximately 400–750 AD). The inscriptions from the Licchavi period includes Newari words.

Medieval period

The earliest known (dated) document in Nepal Bhasa is called "The Palmleaf from Uku Bahal" which dates back to 1114 CE (235 NS). The earliest dated stone inscription in Thakuri dynasty is in Newar, dated Nepal Sambat 293 (1173 CE).

The earliest important books of Classical Newar from the 14th century are Haramekhalā (1374), Mānava Nyāyaśāstra (1380), Amarkośa (1381), and Gopālarāja Vaṃśāvalī (1389). The language continued growing in the Medieval period and enjoyed royal patronage. Some noted royal writers include Mahindra Malla, Siddhi Narasimha Malla, Jagatprakash Malla and Pratap Malla.

Grammar Noun cases Classical Newar has six cases and they are differentiated based on whether the term in question is animate or inanimate. The following charts provide case endings that can be affixed on the end of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in IAST transliteration for Classical Newar. +Noun Case Endings in Classical Newar InanimateAnimate/non-honorificAnimate/honorificCaseSingularSingularPluralSingularPluralInstrumental/Ergative-n-n-taseṃ-n, -seṃ-paniseṃAbsolutive-ø-ø-ta, -to-ø-paniSociative-va-va-mis(a)va-va-panis(a)vaDative-taṃ, -yātā-taṃ, -yātaṃ-mistaṃ-yātaṃ-panistaṃGenitive-yā-yā-tas, -mis-yā-panisLocative-s-(s)ke, -yākeX-(s)ke, -yāke-paniske ISO Classical Nepal Bhasa was introduced in ISO 639-2 code list in 2004. Literature

Classical Newar

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