Tibetanspeaking

Tibetanspeaking refers to the use of Tibetan languages by people who identify as ethnic Tibetans or who live in Tibetan-speaking regions. It encompasses a range of dialects and closely related Tibetic languages spoken mainly on the Tibetan Plateau, across parts of the People's Republic of China, India, Nepal, and Bhutan, as well as in diaspora communities.

The Tibetic language group belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family. The major varieties include Central Tibetan (often called Lhasa Tibetan), Amdo Tibetan, and Kham Tibetan. The dialects form a continuum, and mutual intelligibility declines with distance. Standard Tibetan, based largely on the Lhasa dialect, serves as a literary and prestige variety used in education, media, and administration in parts of China and by Tibetan communities worldwide.

Writing is done with the Tibetan script, an abugida derived from the Brahmi family, used for religious texts and secular writing. Classical Tibetan remains important in Buddhist literature, while modern Tibetan orthographies adapt the script for daily usage.

Language policy and education affect Tibetan use. In China, bilingual education policies promote Mandarin alongside Standard Tibetan in schools; across borders, Tibetan languages are maintained through family transmission, community organizations, and media in exile communities. Some dialects face pressures from dominant languages, but many Tibetans continue to speak Tibetan across generations.