The
Sikkimese language, also called "Sikkimese Tibetan", "Bhutia", "Drenjongké" ( "
Rice Valley language"),
Dranjoke,
Denjongka,
Denzongpeke, and
Denzongke, belongs to the
Southern Tibetic languages. It is spoken by the
Bhutia in
Sikkim and northeast
Nepal. The
Sikkimese people refer to their own language as Drendzongké and their homeland as Drendzong (; "Rice Valley").