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| Kutchi | |
|---|---|
| કચ્છી,𑊺𑋀𑋪𑋁𑋢,ڪڇّي | |
 Kutchi in Khudabadi, Gujarati and Sindhi scripts | |
| Native to | India Pakistan[1] |
| Region | Kutch (India)[a] Sindh (Pakistan) |
| Ethnicity | Kutchi |
Native speakers | 1,031,000 (in India) (2011)[2] |
| Dialects | |
| Gujarati,[3]Khudabadi,Khojki,Perso-Arabic | |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | kfr |
| Glottolog | kach1277 |
 Sindhic languages. Kutchi language shown in pink | |
Kutchi (/ˈkʌtʃi/; કચ્છી,𑊺𑋀𑋪𑋁𑋢, ڪڇّي,IPA:[kətːʃʰiː]) orKachhi[b] is anIndo-Aryan language spoken in theKutch region of the Indian state ofGujarat and some parts of the neighbouring state ofRajasthan and inSindh, Pakistan.[4][5]
Some scholars have considered Kutchi to be a dialect ofSindhi, but the two languages are quite distinct from one another.[6] Over time, it has borrowed vocabulary fromGujarati. The variety of Kutchi spoken inSindh and in theBanni region of Kutch is more similar to theLari dialect of Sindhi, whereas the Kutchi spoken in the eastern parts of Kutch has more Gujarati influence, and is slowly becoming more similar to Gujarati.
Most Kutchis living in India are bilingual or trilingual, due to exposure to closely related neighbouring languages such as Gujarati. ManyPakistani Kutchis are also bilingual or trilingual; many residents ofKarachi speak Kutchi.[1][7] Its differences from neighbouring languages are more pronounced in its spoken varieties, but it has many loans from Gujarati, Marwari (a major western Rajasthani language) and Hindi-Urdu as well. Kutchi-speakers are often part of theCharans,Jadeja,Bhanushalis,Lohanas,Brahmins (Rajgor),Meghwals, VisaOswal and Dasa Osval (Oshwal)Jains,Ismaili Khojas (and followers of theSatpanth),Bhatias,Rabaris,Siddis,Muslim Kutchi Khatris, the MuslimRoyma, andKutchi Memons.[8] TheJadeja rulers ofCutch andRajputs of Kutch, speak Kutchi language.[9]
During the British reign, many traders and families of the Kutchi communities left the Indian subcontinent and settled in regions ofEast Africa such as Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zaire/Congo, and even as far south as South Africa. The landing point of entry into Africa was inZanzibar, a trading post of goods between India and East Africa in the late 1800s. Kutchi communities in this region often integratedSwahili words and phrases into their language, producing acreole language calledKutchi-Swahili.
Kutchi, like otherSindhi languages, has a series ofimplosive consonants. However, its inventory is incomplete; only the bilabial and retroflex implosives are present and contrastive.
Kutchi has a 10-vowel system similar toSindhi and other New Indo-Aryan languages.[10][11] The vowels /ɪ, ʊ, ə/ are phonetically short.[12]
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i | u | |
| Near-close | ɪ | ʊ | |
| Close-mid | e | o | |
| Mid | ə | ||
| Open-mid | ɛ | ɔ | |
| Open | ɑ |
There are distinct regional accents and variations in grammar. As in many languages spoken along Asian trade routes. Many Kutchi speakers also speakGujarati as a separate language, especially as it is the language in which Kutchi speakers customarily write. Kutchi speakers' Gujarati accent and usage tends towards standard forms that any Gujarati speaker would be able to understand.
The following words are commonly used by Hindu individuals descending from the Kutch rural area of Gujarat, India, who, especially if in east Africa, reject Kutchi. These are colloquial forms of general Gujarati phrases that are often used in daily conversation in villages, particularly of Kutchi predominance, and are Gujaratisized versions of Kutchi words. Kutchi is also very close toSindhi andGujarati due to historical, cultural and geographic influences. These relationships are evident in the following examples:
| Kutchi | Sindhi | Gujarati | Memoni | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chhado hane/Chhadyo | Chad hane/Chhadyo hane | Chhodo have | Chhadyo Hane | Drop it now |
| Achanto/Vinanto | Maan Achan-tho/Va(n)a-tho | Aavu(n)' chhu(n)' / Jaau(n)' chhu(n)' | Achanto/Vinato | I am coming / going |
| Kichadi Khyo taa? | Kichadi khaaoo/khayo tha? | Kichdi khaao chho? | Kichadi Khiyo taa? | Will you eat kichdi? |
| Toke vaanejo naye? | Tokhe Van(j)ro nahe?' | Tare javanu nathi? | Toke vanchejo naye? | Don't you have to go? |
| Booey taraf ji ticket | Binhi/Ba-ii taraf ji ticket | Banne taraf ni ticket | Banne taraf ji ticket | A round trip ticket |
| Mujo samaan vinayi viyo | Muhinjo Samaan Vi(n-ae)ayji wayo/wiyo | Maro saman khovai gayo che | Mijo samaan khovai vayo | I lost my luggage |
Note: Bracketed texts indicatenasal or strong sounds
Kutchi is normally written using a modified version of theGujarati script.[3] Many books and magazines are published in the language using the modified Gujarati script, includingVadhod ("Inquiry"). In parts of Pakistan, the modifiedPerso-Arabic script is used instead.[13] In earlier times it was written in theKhudabadi andKhojki scripts, the latter of which is now extinct. Additionally, there may have been a Kutchi script, samples of which may be in theKutch Museum[citation needed]. Below is a table of how different Kutchi words can be written in different scripts:
| Meaning | Transliteration | Gujarati Script | Perso-Arabic Script | Khojki Script |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boy | Chokro | છોકરો | چوڪرو | 𑈏𑈲𑈈𑈦𑈲 |
| Clothes | Kapraa | કપ્રા | کپڑا | 𑈈𑈟𑈵𑈦𑈬 |
| Goodbye | Aavjo | આવજો | آوجو | 𑈁𑈨𑈐𑈲 |
| How are you doing? | Tu Kii Ai? | તુ કી આય? | تو کی آے؟ | 𑈙𑈯𑈺𑈈𑈮𑈺𑈁𑈥? |
| What happened? | Kuro Thiyoh? | કુરુ થિયુ? | کرو تھیو؟ | 𑈈𑈯𑈦𑈯𑈺𑈚𑈮𑈥𑈯? |
| Where is it? | Kidaa Ai? | કિદા આય? | کدا آے؟ | 𑈈𑈭𑈛𑈬𑈺𑈁𑈥? |
| Note: Bracketed texts indicatenasal or strong sounds | ||||
One of the issues confronting research into the Kutchi is the inaccessibility of information about the language. The Kutchi Language Online website (now archived) maintains a list of Kutchi vocabulary words, which can be accessed through their website.[14] Dr Rajul Shah, anayurvedic doctor, psychologist and a graphologist has created a script to use for the language.[15][16]
Some scholars have considered Kachchhi to be a dialect of Sindhi, but the two languages are quite distant from one another geographically, politically, and culturally.
