| Bajjika | |
|---|---|
| बज्जिका | |
 The word "Bajjika" written in Devanagari script | |
| Native to | India andNepal |
| Region | Bihar ofIndia andTerai (Madhesh Province) ofNepal |
Native speakers | c. 20 million (2013 estimate) |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | vjk |
| Glottolog | bajj1234 |
Bajjika is anIndo-Aryan language variety spoken in parts of Bihar, India and in Nepal.[1]
Bajjika language is spoken in the north-western part of Bihar, in a region popularly known asTirhut.[2] It is mainly spoken in theSheohar,Muzaffarpur,Sitamarhi,Samastipur andVaishali districts ofBihar.[3] A 2013 estimate based on 2001 census data suggests that there were 20 million Bajjika speakers in Bihar.[4]
Bajjika is also spoken by a major population inNepal, where it has 1,133,764 speakers according to the country's 2021 census. It is the most spoken language inRautahat,Sarlahi andMahottari district ofMadhesh Province.[5][6]
In a move aimed at protecting indigenous language and culture, the Bihar government has decided to set up two new academies to promote local dialects; Surjapuri and Bajjika, spoken in politically influential Seemanchal and Bajjikanchal regions of the state.[7]
TheSwadesh list for Bajjika, anEastern Indo-Aryan language spoken in Bihar, India, and parts of Nepal, is a standardized vocabulary set used for linguistic comparison. Bajjika, often considered a dialect of Maithili, lacks extensive public documentation, so itsSwadesh list is typically constructed by approximation, drawing from related languages like Maithili and Hindi, with adjustments for Bajjika's unique phonological and lexical features.
| S.No | English | Bajjika | IPA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I | हम | /ɦəm/ |
| 2 | You | तू | /t̪uː/ |
| 3 | we | हमनी | /ɦəməniː/ |
| 4 | This | ई | /iː/ |
| 6 | Who | के | /keː/ |
| 7 | What | का | /kɑː/ |
| 8 | No | न | /nə/ |
| 9 | All | सब | /səb/ |
| 10 | Many | बहुत | /bəɦʊt̪/ |
| 11 | One | एक | /eːk/ |
| 12 | Two | दुइ | /d̪ui/ |
| 13 | Big | बड़ा | /bəɽɑː/ |
| 14 | Long | लम्मा | /ləmmɑː/ |
| 15 | Small | छोट | /tʃʰoʈ/ |
| 16 | Women | औरत | /ɔːrət̪/ |
| 17 | Man | मर्द | /mərd̪/ |
Lakshmi Elthin Hammar Angna (2009) was the first formal feature film in Bajjika.Sajan Aiha Doli le ke subsequently followed.[8]
