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{{Short description|Indo-Aryan language group of India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox language family
| name = Bhil
| ethnicity = [[Bhil people]]
| region = [[India]]
| familycolor = Indo-European
| fam2 = [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]]
| fam3 = [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]]
| fam4 = [[Western Indo-Aryan languages|Western]]<ref>[http://homepages.fh-giessen.de/kausen/klassifikationen/Indogermanisch.doc Ernst Kausen, 2006. ''Die Klassifikation der indogermanischen Sprachen''] ([[Microsoft Word]], 133 KB)</ref>
| child1 = Northern
| child2 = Central
| child3 = Bareli
| glotto = bhil1254
| glottorefname = Bhil
| ancestor =
| glottoname =
| notes =
| map = Bhili map.png
| mapcaption = Bhili-speaking regions of India
}}

The '''Bhil languages''' are a group of [[lect]]s spoken by the [[Bhils|Bhil]] that are classified as dialects of [[Indo-Aryan languages]] such as [[Gujarati languages|Gujarati]] and [[Rajasthani languages|Rajasthani]].<ref>{{cite book|author=George L. van Driem |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6EswEAAAQBAJ|title=Ethnolinguistic Prehistory| date=25 May 2021 |page=220| publisher=BRILL | isbn=978-90-04-44837-7 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Prakash Chandra Mehta|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoQqpkfrXfAC|title=Ethnographic Atlas of Indian Tribes| date=2004 |page=191| publisher=Discovery Publishing House | isbn=978-81-7141-852-7 }}</ref> They are spoken by around 10.4 million [[Bhil]]s in western and central [[India]] as of 2011<ref name="Cenus2011">{{cite web |title=ABSTRACT OF SPEAKERS' STRENGTH OF LANGUAGES AND MOTHER TONGUES - 2011 |url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf |website=www.censusindia.gov.in |publisher=Indian Census 2011, Government of India |access-date=7 July 2018}}</ref> 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.

According to the 52nd report of the commissioner for linguistic minorities in India, [[Ministry of Minority Affairs (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%).<ref name="MoMA">{{cite web |url=http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf |title=Report of the Commissioner for linguistic minorities: 52nd report (July 2014 to June 2015) |publisher=Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities, [[Ministry of Minority Affairs]], [[Government of India]] |access-date=21 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525141614/http://nclm.nic.in/shared/linkimages/NCLM52ndReport.pdf |archive-date=25 May 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

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

Other Bhil languages include [[Gamit language|Gamit]] (Gamti) and [[Mawchi language|Mawchi]]. [[Vasavi language|Vasavi]] is spoken by ethnic Bhils, but may be closer to Gujarati. Similarly, [[Malvi language|Malvi]] and [[Nimadi language|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 ==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Khare, Randhir. [http://www.randhirkhare.in/literary-career.html "Dangs: Journeys Into The Heartland". New Delhi: Harper Collins Publishers India.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219101516/http://www.randhirkhare.in/literary-career.html |date=19 February 2015 }}
* Khare, Randhir. [http://www.randhirkhare.in/literary-career.html "Flight Of Arrows". Selected Song Poems Of The Bhils.Pune:Grasswork Books]
* Khare, Randhir. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150219101516/http://www.randhirkhare.in/literary-career.html ''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.

{{Western Indo-Aryan languages}}

[[Category:Western Indo-Aryan languages]]
[[Category:Languages of Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Bhil|*]]
[[Category:Languages of Gujarat]]
[[Category:Languages of Madhya Pradesh]]
[[Category:Languages of Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Languages of Sindh]]
[[Category:Languages of India]]

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{{IndoAryan-lang-stub}}

Bhil languages - Revision history

ZFMOtis800669 at 10:00, 1 March 2026