6.2 Language use by age, education, and gender
6.2.1 Language use according to age
Does language use in these domains vary between younger
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and older people? Do younger people speak more Nepali than Lohorung? Table 13 shows the responses to the questions above, only stratified by age.
Table 13. Language use according to age Question
Young Old
What language do you usually speak... n=
a
Loh Both
Nep n=
Loh Both
Nep
while doing puja? 20
65 5
25 21
80 10
10 while in family gatherings?
20 50
10 40
21 62
5 33
while scolding? 20
30 15
55 21
38 10
52 while in village meetings?
20 35
10 55
21 14
19 67
while quarreling? 19
26 11
58 19
26 21
53 while telling stories to children?
20 20
5 75
21 19
19 62
while debating? 20
20 10
65 21
19 24
57 while joking?
20 15
25 55
21 24
24 52
while storytelling? 20
10 15
75 21
14 10
76 while counting?
20 20
5 70
21 5
5 90
while singing at home? 20
10 –
90 18
– 17
83 while shopping?
20 10
10 75
21 –
19 81
while singing? 20
10 5
80 21
– 5
95
a
One young respondent answered that he usually uses Nepali, Lohorung, and English equally often in the domains of counting, singing, debate, puja, quarrelling, and telling stories to children. He also reported usually using both
Nepali and English equally often when shopping and storytelling. The responses in Table 13 show that both young and old respondents said that they speak Nepali
more frequently than Lohorung in most of these domains. The two domains where Lohorung is reportedly used more often than Nepali are puja and family gatherings. The responses of both young and
older people reflect this.
6.2.2 Language use according to education
Does language use differ according to education? Do people who have been educated in Nepali speak Nepali more frequently than Lohorung? Table 14 displays language use responses by education.
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Throughout this paper Young refers to those ages 15–34 while Old refers to those ages 35 and above.
Table 14. Language use according to education Question
Uneducated
a
Educated
What language do you usually speak when...
n= Loh
Both Nep
n=
b
Loh Both
Nep
while doing puja? 17
88 6
6 23
65 4
26 while in family gatherings?
17 65
6 29
23 48
9 43
while scolding? 17
47 12
41 23
26 9
65 while in village meetings?
17 29
24 47
23 22
9 69
while quarreling? 15
33 27
40 23
22 4
70 while telling stories to children?
17 24
12 65
23 17
9 74
while debating? 17
29 24
47 23
13 9
74 while joking?
17 18
35 47
23 22
13 60
while storytelling? 17
6 12
82 23
17 9
74 while counting?
17 18
6 76
23 9
4 82
while singing at home? 14
7 14
79 23
4 –
96 while shopping?
17 –
18 82
23 9
9 78
while singing? 17
6 6
88 23
4 4
87
a
Throughout this report, “Uneducated” refers to individuals who have received fewer than five grades of formal education. “Educated” refers to individuals who have been educated through at least grade 5.
b
One educated respondent answered that he usually uses Nepali, Lohorung, and English equally often in the domains of counting, singing, debate, puja, quarrelling, and telling stories to children. He also reported usually
using both Nepali and English equally often when shopping and storytelling. Both educated and uneducated respondents reported speaking Nepali more frequently than
Lohorung in most domains. Both groups reported higher Lohorung use in puja and family gatherings. More uneducated respondents reported that they usually speak Lohorung than Nepali in one other
domain: scolding.
6.2.3 Language use according to gender
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