Bhil languages

The Bhil languages are a group of lects spoken by the Bhil that are classified as dialects of Indo-Aryan languages such as Gujarati and Rajasthani.^[2][3] They are spoken by around 10.4 million Bhils in western and central India as of 2011^[4] and constitute the primary languages of the southern Aravalli Range in Rajasthan and the western Satpura Range in Madhya Pradesh, northwestern Maharashtra, and southern Gujarat.

Bhil
Geographic distribution	India
Ethnicity	Bhil people
Linguistic classification	Indo-European Indo-Iranian Indo-Aryan Western[1] Bhil
Subdivisions	Northern Central Bareli
Language codes
Glottolog	bhil1254
Bhili-speaking regions of India

According to the 52nd report of the commissioner for linguistic minorities in India, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Bhili is the most commonly spoken language of the district of Dadra and Nagar Haveli constituting 40.42% of its total population. Bhili speakers are also significant in the states of Gujarat (4.75%), Madhya Pradesh (4.93%) and Rajasthan (4.60%).^[5]

Relationship

The Bhil languages form a link midway between the Gujarati language and the Rajasthani–Marwari languages.

Grouped geographically, the Bhil languages are the following:

• Northern Bhil
  • Bauria
  • Wagdi (perhaps central: reportedly highly intelligible with Adiwasa, Patelia, and other varieties of Bhil proper)
  • Bhilori (Noiri, Dungra)
  • Magari (Magra ki Boli; incl. under Bhili proper in Ethnologue)
• Central Bhil
  • Bhili proper (Patelia), Bhilodi, Adiwasa & Rajput Garasia [mutually intelligible; some intelligible with Marwari]
  • Bhilali (Rathawi)
  • Chodri
  • Dhodia–Kukna
  • Dhanki
  • Dubli
• Eastern Bhil (Bareli)
  • Palya Bareli
  • Pauri Bareli
  • Rathwi Bareli
  • Pardhi
  • Kalto (Nahali)

Other Bhil languages include Gamit (Gamti) and Mawchi. Vasavi is spoken by ethnic Bhils, but may be closer to Gujarati. Similarly, Malvi and Nimadi may be closer to Rajasthani. The recently described Vaagri Booli may also be a Bhil language.

See also

• Rathwi Bareli
• Languages of India
• Gujarati language
• Gujarati people
• Languages with official status in India
• List of Indian languages by total speakers

References

1. Ernst Kausen, 2006. Die Klassifikation der indogermanischen Sprachen (Microsoft Word, 133 KB)
2. George L. van Driem (25 May 2021). Ethnolinguistic Prehistory. BRILL. p. 220. ISBN 978-90-04-44837-7.
3. Prakash Chandra Mehta (2004). Ethnographic Atlas of Indian Tribes. Discovery Publishing House. p. 191. ISBN 978-81-7141-852-7.
4. "ABSTRACT OF SPEAKERS' STRENGTH OF LANGUAGES AND MOTHER TONGUES - 2011" (PDF). www.censusindia.gov.in. Indian Census 2011, Government of India. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
5. "Report of the Commissioner for linguistic minorities: 52nd report (July 2014 to June 2015)" (PDF). Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2018.

Further reading

• Khare, Randhir. "Dangs: Journeys Into The Heartland". New Delhi: Harper Collins Publishers India. Archived 19 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine
• Khare, Randhir. "Flight Of Arrows". Selected Song Poems Of The Bhils.Pune:Grasswork Books
• Khare, Randhir. The Singing Bow: Song-Poems of the Bhil. New Delhi: HarperCollins Publishers India, 2001. ISBN 81-7223-425-2
• Varma, Siddheshwar. Bhil Dialects and Khandesi: A Linguistic Analysis. Panjab University Indological series, 23. Hoshiarpur: Vishveshvaranand Vishva Bandhu Institute of Sanskrit and Indological Studies, Panjab University, 1978.