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Tsum is a language from the subgroup of Tibetic languages spoken by the Tsum people primarily in the Tsum Valley of the Gorka District of Nepal. The language is also known as Tsumke.

Speakers

There are over 4000 speakers of Tsum, known as Tsumpas. Many speakers of the language have migrated away from the Tsum valley, and now live in Kathmandu and abroad. Younger Tsumpas are more likely to be educated in Nepali and English, leading to attrition of the language.

Language structure

Tsum has a two-tone language system.

Relationship to other languages

There is a varying degree of mutual intelligibility between Tsum and other Kyirong-Yolmo varieties. It is most closely related to Nubri and Gyalsumdo, and more distantly related to other languages in the family.

References

1. Tsum at Ethnologue (25th ed., 2022)
2. N. Tournadre (2005) "L'aire linguistique tibétaine et ses divers dialectes." Lalies, 2005, n°25, p. 7–56
3. ^ Mark Donohue and Dubi Nanda Dhakal (2016). A Tsum Lexicon. München: LINCOM. pp. ii. ISBN 9783862886821.
4. Webster, Jeff (1992). A Socio-linguistic Survey of the Tibeto-Burman Dialects of North Gorkha District. ms, SIL.
5. Gawne, Lauren (2013). "Report on the relationship between Yolmo and Kagate". Himalayan Linguistics. 12: 1–27.

Sources

• Dhakal, Dubi Nanda & Mark Donohue. 2015. Inchoative/causative verb pairs in Tsum. Nepalese Linguistics 30. 45-49.
• Donohue, Mark & Dubi Nanda Dhakal. 2016. A Tsum Lexicon. (Languages of the World/Dictionaries, 61.) München: LINCOM. 197pp.
• Liu, Naijing. 2015. Tsum tone: a challenge for typology and phonological description. (MA thesis, Australian National University).
• Webster, Jeff. 1992. A Socio-linguistic Survey of the Tibeto-Burman Dialects of North Gorkha District, Nepal. Ms.

v t e Sino-Tibetan branches
Western Himalayas (Himachal, Uttarakhand, Nepal, Sikkim)	West Himalayish Tamangic Newaric Newar Baram–Thangmi Kiranti Dhimalish Dhimal Toto Lhokpu Lepcha Greater Magaric Magaric Magar Kham Chepangic Chepang Bhujel Raji–Raute Dura–Tandrange
Eastern Himalayas (Tibet, Bhutan, Arunachal)	Bodish Tibetic East Bodish Tshangla Basum Nam? Gongduk ʼOle Tani Chamdo
Myanmar and Indo- Burmese border	Karbi Kuki-Chin Mruic Mru Hkongso Pyu Taman "Naga" Ao Angami–Pochuri Meitei Tangkhulic Zeme Sal Boro–Garo Konyak Jingpho–Luish
East and Southeast Asia	Sinitic Bai Tujia Nungish Karenic Gong Kathu Cai–Long Caijia Longjia Luren Burmo-Qiangic Qiangic Gyalrongic Ersuic Naic Lolo-Burmese Mondzish Burmish Loloish
Dubious (possible isolates) (Arunachal)	Hrusish Hruso Mijiic Kho-Bwa Puroik Miju–Meyor Songlin Greater Siangic Siangic Koro Milang Idu–Taraon
Proposed groupings	Central Tibeto-Burman Kuki-Chin–Naga Macro-Bai Mahakiranti Rung Tibeto-Burman Tibeto-Kanauri
Proto-languages	Proto-Sino-Tibetan Proto-Tibeto-Burman Proto-Loloish Proto-Karenic Proto-Min Proto-Hakka
Italics indicates single languages that are also considered to be separate branches.

• Languages of Nepal