Kutchi language

2021-07-22T10:17:32Z

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{{More citations needed|date=February 2012}}
{{Distinguish|text=the [[Kachi Koli]] or the [[Kachin language|Kachin]] languages or with the Kacchi dialect of [[Thali dialect|Thali]]}}
{{Infobox language
| name = Kutchi
| nativename = કચ્છી, {{script|Sind|𑊺𑋀𑋪𑋁𑋢}}
| states = [[India]]<br>[[Pakistan]]<ref name=kutchpak/>
| region = [[Kutch]] (India)<br>[[Sindh]] (Pakistan){{efn|Near the border with Kutch, India}}
| speakers = 1,031,000 (in India)
| date = 2011
| ethnicity = [[Kutchi people|Kutchi]]
| ref = <ref>{{cite web|title = 2011 Census tables: C-16, population by mother tongue|website = Census of India Website|url = http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-16.html|access-date = 4 November 2018}}</ref>
| familycolor = Indo-European
| fam2 = [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]]
| fam3 = [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]]
| fam4 = [[Northwestern Indo-Aryan languages|Northwestern]]
| fam5 = [[Sindhi languages|Sindhi]]
| script = [[Gujarati script|Gujarati]],<ref name=omniglot>{{cite web|title=Gujarātī|url=http://www.omniglot.com/writing/gujarati.htm|publisher=Onmiglot.com|access-date=3 May 2014}}</ref> [[Khudabadi script|Khudabadi]], [[Khojiki script|Khojiki]], [[Arabic script|Perso-Arabic]]
| iso3 = kfr
| notice = Indic
| glotto = kach1277
| glottorefname = Kachchi
| dialects =
| image = Kutchi language.png
| imagesize = 150px
| imagecaption = Kutchi in Khudabadi, Gujarati and Arabic scripts
}}

'''Kutchi''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ʌ|tʃ|i}}; કચ્છી, {{script|Sind|𑊺𑋀𑋪𑋁𑋢}}, ڪڇيی) is an [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan language]] spoken in the [[Kutch]] region of [[India]] and also in the [[Sindh]] region of [[Pakistan]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Is Kutchi Rabita Committee any good in a peaceful Lyari?|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/101618-Is-Kutchi-Rabita-Committee-any-good-in-a-peaceful-Lyari|access-date=2020-06-09|website=www.thenews.com.pk|language=en}}</ref> The name of the language is also transliterated as Kutchhi, Kachchi, Kachchhi, Kachhi or Cutchi.

== Influences from other languages ==
Kutchi is considered by some to be a dialect of Sindhi,<ref>{{britannica|Kachchhi-language}}</ref> with which it is mutually intelligible.<ref>http://www.kutchimaadu.com/general/kutchi-language/ kutchimaadu.com; retrieved August, 2019</ref> Over time, it has borrowed vocabulary from [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]].

Most Kutchis living in India are bilingual or trilingual, due to exposure to closely related neighbouring languages such as Gujarati. Many [[Kutchi Memon|Pakistani Kutchis]] are also bilingual or trilingual; many residents of [[Karachi]] speak Kutchi.<ref name=kutchpak>{{Cite news|title=Voter you thinking?: Kutchis unsure where to place their thumbs on ballots|work=The Express Tribune|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/531745/voter-you-thinking-kutchis-unsure-where-to-place-their-thumbs-on-ballots/?amp=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Lyari's dissidents pose challenge for health officials|work=The Express Tribune|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2203803/1-lyaris-dissidents-pose-challenge-health-officials/?amp=1}}</ref>
It is a unique language in itself especially in the way it is spoken and has many common words from Marwari (Rajasthan) as well. It is spoken by the Kutchi people specifically, these are the Rajputs [[Jadeja]], [[Bhanushali]]s, [[Lohana]]s, Brahmins (Rajgor), [[Meghwal]]s, Visa Oswal and Dasa Osval (Oshwal) Jains, followers of [[Satpanth]], [[Bhatia caste|Bhatia]]s, Patidar,Rabaris and various Muslim communities in the region, including the Muslim Kutchi Khatris, the Muslim Khojas, the Muslim Rajput-Rayma and Kutchi Memons.

By way of emigration during the British reign many members of Kutchi communities left India / Pakistan and settled in regions of East Africa such as Kenya, Uganda, Zaire/Congo, Tanzania, and even far south as South Africa. The landing point of entry into Africa was in [[Zanzibar]] which was a trading post of goods between India and East Africa in the late 1800s. Asians in this region of Africa often adopted [[Swahili language|Swahili]] words and phrases into their language, producing a [[creole language]] called [[Cutchi-Swahili|Kutchi-Swahili]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cutchi-Swahili - MultiTree|url=http://www.multitree.org/codes/ccl.html|access-date=2021-05-16|website=www.multitree.org}}</ref>

== Common words and phrases ==
There are distinct regional accents and variations in grammar. As in many languages spoken along Asian trade routes. Many Kutchi speakers also speak [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] 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 to [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]] and [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] due to historical, cultural and geographic influences. These relationships are evident in the following examples:

{|class=wikitable
! Kutchi !! Sindhi !! Gujarati !! Memoni !! Gloss
|-
| {{transl|kfr|chhado hane/ chhadela}}|| {{transl|sd|Haaiyo hane/chhado hane}} || {{transl|gu|Bas chhodo have}} || ''Chhado Hane'' || ''Now drop it''
|-
| {{transl|kfr|Achanto/Vinanto}} || {{transl|sd|Achantho/Vinatho'}} || {{transl|gu|Aavu(n)' chhu(n)' / Jaau(n)' chhu(n)'}} || ''Achanto/Vinato'' || ''I am coming / going''
|-
| {{transl|kfr|Kichadi Khayo taa?}} || {{transl|sd|Kichadi khaaoo tha?}} || {{transl|gu|Kichdi khaao chho?}} || ''Kichadi Khiyo taa?'' || ''Are you eating kichdi?''
|-
| {{transl|kfr|Toke vaachejo naye?}}|| {{transl|sd|Toke vachejo naye?'}} || {{transl|gu|Tane vachvanu nathi?}} || ''Toke vachejo naye?'' || ''Don't you have to study?''
|-
| ''Booey taraf ji ticket'' || ''Bohe taraf ji ticket'' || ''Banne taraf ni ticket'' || ''Banne taraf ji ticket'' || ''A round trip ticket''
|-
| ''Mujo samaan venaji paiyo'' || ''Munjo samaan vinayi vayo'' || ''Maro saman khovai gayo che'' || ''Mijo samaan khovai vayo'' || ''I lost my luggage''
|-
|}

== Writing system ==
Kutchi is normally written using a modified version of the [[Gujarati alphabet|Gujarati script]].<ref name=omniglot /> Many books and magazines are published in the language using the modified Gujarati script, including ''Vadhod'' ("Inquiry"). In earlier times it was written in [[Khudabadi script|Khudabadi]] and [[Khojki|Khojki script]], which is now extinct. Dr Rajul Shah, an [[Ayurveda|ayurvedic]] doctor, psychologist and a graphologist has created a script to use for the language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kutchimaadu.com/general/kutchi-language-gets-script/|title=Kutchi Language gets script – Kutchi Maadu|website=Kutchimaadu.com|access-date=2017-08-20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/kutchi-language-gets-script/365943/|title=Kutchi language gets script|agency=Press Trust of India|date=5 August 2009|publisher=Business Standard|access-date=2017-08-20}}</ref>

There are examples of the Kutchi script in the [[Kutch Museum]], though the script is believed to be now extinct.

== Kutchi people ==
{{main|Kutchi people}}

== See also ==
* [[Kutchi cinema]]
* [[Kutchi Memon]]
* [[Memoni language]]
* [[Oswal]]
* [[Bhatia (caste)|Bhatia]]
* [[Lohana]]
* [[Lohani]]
* [[Khojki]]
* [[Bhanushali]]
* [[patidar]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Incubator|code= kfr}}
* [http://kutchilanguageonline.org Kutchi Language Online]

{{Languages of India}}
{{Languages of Pakistan}}
{{Indo-Aryan languages}}

[[Category:Languages of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Languages of Sindh]]
[[Category:Western Indo-Aryan languages]]
[[Category:Culture of Kutch]]

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Kutchi language