Kham (also Khamkura, Kamkura) is a language complex of Bodic Tibeto-Burmese lects spoken in the remoter highlands of Rapti Zone and Dhaulagiri Zone, western Nepal by the four northern clans of the Magar tribe, called collectively Kham Magars or Northern Magars.

These highlands are centered in a 4,000 meter knot of ridges forming a triple divide between the Gandaki, Karnali-Bheri and Rapti river systems. From there Kham speaking areas extend north into Rukum district toward Dhaulagiri Himal and south into Salyan, Rolpa and Pyuthan districts along ridges down to about 2,000 meters, but lower valleys are populated by Hindus who speak Nepali plus scattered enclaves of bilingual Nepali/Newari speakers. Areas where Khamkura is spoken or once was spoken tend to have names for streams ending in "ri" or "di" which means "stream" or "river", for example Bheri, Mardi or Madi, Myagdi and Jimri. The Nepali names are usually formed by adding "Khola" (stream), which is redundant.

Since upper tributaries of the Karnali-Bheri and the Gandaki river systems rise in the trans-Himalayan regions north of the Himalayan "abode of snow", these rivers have always been conduits for trade and travel between Tibet and India. These relatively easy routes have always funneled traders and travelers around Kham-speaking highlands. Kham can be conceptualized as a vestigal language remaining in an exceptionally isolated area. Limited contact with Hinduizers from the south and with Tibetanizers from the north has helped Kham to persist.

Migrations from Kham hinterlands east into the uplands of the Gandaki basin gave rise to more Hinduized people called Magars, who speak a variety of "Magar" dialects and are politically more closely allied with the Shah dynasty.

Regional varieties

The Kham Magars consist of 4 clans:

• Budha
• Pun
• Gharti
• Roka

The language itself consists of 3 main lects with several sub-lects:

• Sheshi
  • Tapanangi
  • Jangkoti
• Gamale
  • Tamali
  • Ghusbangi
• Parbate
  • Eastern Parbate
    • Nishel
    • Bhujel
  • Western Parbate
    • Wale
    • Thabangi
    • Lukumel
    • Takale
    • Maikoti

The term Parbate is actually a cover term for all non-Sheshi/non-Gamale lects. The Takale variety is the prestige dialect and lingua franca of the Parbate group.

Sounds

The description below is primarily of Takale Kham.

Consonants

Takale Kham has 22 consonants:

• The rhotic /ɾ/ is realized as a trill at the end words. Otherwise, it is a flap.

Vowels

Takale Kham has 25 vowels:

• length
• nasalization
• diphthongs
• vowel harmony

Tone

• voice register

Syllable

Grammar