| Bihari | |
|---|---|
| Geographic distribution | India andNepal |
| Ethnicity | Biharis (demonym) |
| Linguistic classification | Indo-European |
| Subdivisions | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-1 | bh (deprecated)[1] |
| ISO 639-2 /5 | bih |
| Glottolog | biha1245 |
Bihari languages are a group of theIndo-Aryan languages.[2][3] The Bihari languages are mainly spoken in theIndian states ofBihar,Jharkhand,Uttar Pradesh, andWest Bengal, and also inNepal.[4][5] The most widely spoken languages of the Bihari group areBajjika,Angika,Bhojpuri,Magahi andMaithili.
Despite the large number of speakers of these languages, onlyMaithili has been constitutionally recognised in India. Which gained constitutional status via the92nd amendment to the Constitution of India, of 2003 (gainingassent in 2004).[6] Maithili and Bhojpuri have constitutional recognition in Nepal.[7] Bhojpuri-Awadhi-Magahi mix is also official in Fiji asFiji Hindi. There are demands for including Bhojpuri and Magahi/Khortha in the 8th schedule of Indian constitution.
In Bihar,Hindi is the language used for educational and official matters.[8] These languages were legally absorbed under the overarching label Hindi in the 1961 Census. Such state and national politics are creating conditions for language endangerments.[9] After independence, Hindi was given the sole official status through the Bihar Official Language Act of 1950.[10] Hindi was displaced as the sole official language of Bihar in 1981, whenUrdu was accorded the status of the second official language.[11]
The number of speakers of Bihari languages is difficult to indicate because of unreliable sources. In the urban region most educated speakers of thelanguage nameHindi as their language because this is what they use in formal contexts and believe it to be the appropriate response because of unawareness.[clarification needed] The educated and the urban population of the region return Hindi as the generic name for their language.[12]
British linguist Grierson also mentioned that Bajjika, Angika and Surjapuri are also spoken in particular districts of Bihar. These languages are mostly spoken in rural areas.[13]
| Language[14] | ISO 639-3 | Scripts | No. of speakers[12] | Geographical distribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angika | anp | Devanagari; previouslyKaithi;Anga Lipi | 743,600[15] | EasternBihar, North-easternJharkhand and EasternMadhesh ofNepal |
| Bajjika | – | Devanagari; previouslyTirhuta;Kaithi | 8,738,000[citation needed] | North-CentralBihar and EasternMadhesh of Nepal |
| Bhojpuri | bho | Devanagari; previouslyKaithi | 52,245,300[16] | Recognized language in Nepal, Official language inFiji (as theFiji Hindi) andJharkhand (additional) InIndia : WesternBihar, EasternUttar Pradesh, WesternJharkhand, NorthernChhattisgarh, NortheasternMadhya Pradesh Terai region of Central Nepal |
| Khortha | _(sometimes counted under Magahi) | Devanagari; previouslyTirhuta | 8,040,000[17] | SouthBihar, North-eastern and North centralJharkhand |
| Kudmali (Panchpargania) | kyw, tdb | Devanagari; sometimesBengali,Kaithi | 556,809[17] | South-EasternJharkhand, SouthernWest Bengal,[18] northernOdisha,Assam |
| Magahi | mag | Devanagari; previouslyTirhuta;Kaithi,Siddham script | 14,035,600[19] | SouthBihar, NorthJharkhand and EasternMadhesh of Nepal |
| Maithili | mai | Devanagari; previouslyTirhuta,Kaithi | 33,890,000[19] | Northern and easternBihar,Jharkhand[20] and EasternMadhesh of Nepal |
| Nagpuri (Sadri) | sck | Devanagari; previouslyKaithi | 5,100,000[17] | West-centralJharkhand, North-easternChhattisgarh, NorthwesternOdisha |
| Tharu | thl, tkt, thr, the, thq, tkb, soi | Devanagari | 1,900,000[17][21] | Terai regions ofNepal and some parts of border side areas ofUttar Pradesh,Uttrakhand andBihar |
| Danuwar | dhw | Devanagari | 46,000[17][21] | Nepal |
| Bote-Darai | bmj, dry | Devanagari | 30,000[17][21] | Nepal |
| Kumhali | kra | Devanagari | 12,000[17][21] | Nepal |
| Majhi | mjz | Devanagari | 24,000[17][21] | Nepal |
Authority control databases: National |
|---|
