Skip to main content Skip to search

Ngalungkha

Ngalongkha is the native language of the western valleys of Bhutan extending from Pelela pass to Haa Valley. It has many dialects and belongs to the Central Bodish group according to the leading linguists working on Bhutan. Since the state administration of Bhutan was based in the western region from the 17th to the 20th century, the language became the medium of official administration. Because it was spoken for official administration in the dzongs, the language came to be known as Dzongkha and was adopted as the national language in 1960s. The national language Dzongkha is polished version of Ngalongkha and widely used in Bhutan in its spoken form.

Subject ID: S7384