Kurmali language

What links here Related changes Page information
Created by Rajesh Ghosh
Last edited April 30, 2026

Template:Distinguish


Template:Infobox language Kurmali or Kudmali (ISO: Kuṛmāli) is an Indo-Aryan language classified as belonging to the Bihari group of languages spoken in eastern India.[1][2][3] As a trade dialect, it is also known as Panchpargania (Template:Langx), for the "five parganas" of the region it covers in Jharkhand. Kurmali language is spoken by around 550,000 people mainly in fringe regions of Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal. There is also a sizeable population speaking Kurmali in the Assam tea valleys.[1] Kurmali is one of the demanded languages for enlisting in Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.[4]

Geographical distribution

Kurmali language is mainly spoken in three eastern states of India, that is, in southeastern district Seraikela Kharswan, East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Bokaro and Ranchi districts of Jharkhand; in northern district Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Kendujhar, Jajpur and Sundargarh of Odisha; and in south western district Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Bankura, Purulia and northern districts Maldah, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakhin Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri of West Bengal. Apart from the core area of the language, the language is also spoken in Udalguri and a few speakers are also found in Cachar, Santipur, Nagaon of Assam; the eastern districts of Chandrapur and Gadchiroli in Maharashtra. Apart from this, a few speakers are also found in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar[5][6] and in neighbour country Bangladesh[7][8] and Nepal.[9][10][8]

Grierson's linguistic map of East Chota Nagpur, 1903

During the British Raj, the Kurmali language was known as Panchpargania (means "language of five regions") for present-day Bundu, Barenda, Sonahatu (split into Sonahatu and Rahe), Silli, Tamar blocks of Ranchi district of Jharkhand state as a trade language between four linguistic region. Now the Sonahatu and Rahe make the core region of Panchpargania.[11][12]

Template:Pie chart

As per the Census of 2011, there are 311,175 Kurmali Thar speakers in India (hailing mostly from West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Maharashtra) and 244,914 Panch Pargania speakers (mostly from Jharkhand), making a total of 556,089 Kurmali speakers in India.[5] They are grouped under the umbrella of "Hindi languages".[13] Note that both, Kurmali Thar and Panch Pargania are dialects of the Kurmali language.[13] In Nepal, there are 227 Kurmali speakers.[9] However, it is claimed that the actual number of Kurmali speakers is far higher than the number cited in the census.[11]

Language variation

Template:Broader

style="background-color:Template:Infobox language/family-color; text-align:center; padding:5px;" |Historical speaker of Kurmali language variety
Census Kurmali Thar Panch Pargania Total
1951 6,348 – 6,348
1961 1,068 57,947 59,015
1971 21,328 160,947 181,413
1981 – – –
1991 236,854 151,599 388,455
2001 425,920 193,769 619,689
2011 311,178 244,914 556,089
Source: Census of India[14]Template:Efn

The speakers of Kurmali are spread over a vast region of East India, especially in fringe areas of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. These states are mostly dominated by Bengali, Nagpuri and Odia speakers. Local dialectal change and language shift can be noticed in these areas. The Kurmi of West Bengal identify themselves as speakers of Kurmali, considering it part of their ethnic identity. But due to age-long settlement in the Bengali region their language is shifting towards the Manbhumi dialect of Bengali, as similarly occurred in northern Odisha with Bengali and Odia admixture.[13] In the 1903 Linguistic survey of India, the shift was explained this way:Template:Sfn Template:Blockquote Similarly, in the 1911 census, according to the Linguistic Survey of India and Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi the Panchpargania was noted as: Template:Blockquote

The Kurmali language was initially recorded, notably by G.A. Grierson in the early 20th century, as the language of the Kuṛmi community, who were in a transitional phase to Bengali after settling in Bengali-speaking regions, bordering Hindi and Odia-speaking areas. Thus, it was commonly regarded as a variety of Bengali in the region, but Template:Harvp classified Kurmali Thar (Thar means "style", i.e., the style of Kuṛmi vocabulary) and Panch Pargania within the Bihari group of languages as Eastern Magahi, based on its distinct structural features and vocabulary, which were shaped by substratal language, diverging from Bengali.[15] On the basis of this categorization, Kurmali Thar and Panch Pargania was officially classified as a variety of Hindi (or Hindustani) in the 1911 census, a classification that continued in subsequent censuses.[16] However, while the speaker remained in a transitional phase, Kurmali gained increasing recognition as a separate linguistic identity after the 1961 census, largely driven by growing sociopolitical consciousness among its speakers.[17]Template:Sfn[18][16]

The Kurmali language bears between 61 and 86 per cent lexical similarity with Panchpargania; Template:Avoid wrap with Khortha; Template:Avoid wrap with Nagpuri (Sadri); Template:Avoid wrap with Odia; Template:Avoid wrap with Bengali; and Template:Avoid wrap with Hindi.[1] Hence the Panchpargania is usually considered a major variety of the Kurmali language, although sometimes it is classified as a distinct language. Similarly, due to the great influence of the Bengali language on Kurmali (as the speakers of this language are in the process of shifting to dominant or prestige languages of the region), many linguists label it as Jharkhandi Bangla and sometimes it is clustered as a Manbhumi dialect.[19] Kurmali also closely resembles the Khortha language and has a good number of loanwords from the Munda language family, specifically from the Santali language, although not as much as Khortha language.[11]Template:Rp

It is believed that the early form of the Kurmali language was spoken by Kudmi Mahato, a group that was one of the original homesteaders of erstwhile Manbhum region of Bihar.[17] Although the language is now Indo-Aryan in nature, it has some distinctive features like lexical items, grammatical markers and categories that are neither available in Indo-Aryan nor Dravidian, nor even in Munda languages.[11] The language has its own traditional precedence, and Magahi is not generally regarded as its linguistic source by some authors.[20] Thus it is believed that the language was once a separate, unrelated language. However, because of its long settlement in the Aryan belt, the native speakers gradually abandoned the original structure and switched to an Aryan form of the language, while retaining the substrate of the old.[11] The language currently falls in 6b (threatened) and 7 (language shifting) level of the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS), which correspond to the UNESCO language endangerment category level "Vulnerable" and "Definitely Endangered".[21][22] However, Ethnologue place Kurmali at 6a (vigorous) level and its variety Panchpargania (widely used in Jharkhand) at level 3 (trade) of EGIDS, both of which correspond to "Safe" status of UNESCO language endangerment category level.[1][23]

Variety

Template:See also

Three Kurmali language specimens recorded in 1903

The language is transferred orally from generation to generation and the Kurmali language remains unstandardised due to influence of other Indo Aryan languages. Thus its speakers use different varieties and accents. However, the language can be classified on the basis of the speakers' territorial region, viz., Singhbhum Kudmali, Dhalbhum Kudmali, Ranchi Kudmali (Panchpargania), Manbhum Kudmali, Mayurbhanj Kudmali are the major regional varieties.[21] All those varieties bear between 58 and 89 per cent lexical similarity with each other.[1]

Present regional varieties of language[13][24]
English Dhalbhum Kudmali
(Jharkhand) 		Manbhum Kudmali
(West Bengal) 		Mayurbhanj Kudmali
(Odisha)
He likes it. Oẽ iTa pOsOnd kOrOt. Oẽ iTa pOsOnd kOrEi. U iTa pOsOnd kare.
One person is sitting. ek lOke bOise ahe. ek lok gObchOlahe. ek lok bOsinchhe.
Invite all of them. Okhrak sObke neuta de deo. Okhrake sobhekaike neuta dei deliOn. arā sObuke neuta/ khabar diyan deo.
The tree comes out from the seed. muji lẽ gach hek. Bihin lẽ gach heuEik. muji lẽ gach haye.
Cows are grazing in the field. gOru gila bai dẽ cOrOhOt. gOru gilin taiNdẽ cOrOhOt. gOru gila bai dẽ cOrchhen.
You are not going to school. tÕe iskulẽ ni jais. tÕe iskulẽ nihi jais. tuiñ iskulẽ na jais.
He did not do the work. Õe kamTa ni kOrlak. Õe kamTa nihi kOllak. U kamTa nai kærla.
Go to my house. mOr gharke ke ja. Moi Ghar jaho. hamar gharke ke ja.

Numbers

The basic Kurmali cardinal numbers are:

English Kurmali (Old) Kurmali (Current)
1 eRi ek
2 dORi/duhuñ dui
3 ghurOin tin
4 chail/gONda caer
5 cOmpa pãc
6 jheig chO
7 sutOil sat
8 aaThoi aTh
9 nomi nO
10 baNri dOs
20 khonRi/khonDi kuRie
40 mOn dui kuRie

Language use

The language Kurmali (Kudmali) is spoken by 555,465 people as a native language in India.[5] The Kudmi (Kudmi Mahato), the native speakers of the language, are the main users.Template:Efn As per The People of India (1992), the language is spoken by ten communities as a mother tongue, including two Scheduled Tribe and three Scheduled Caste communities.[25]Template:Efn Those ten communities include Bedia, Bagal, Dharua, Dom, Jolha, Kamar, Kumhar, Tanti, Nai, Ghasi, Karga, and Rautia.[26][27][8] In addition, bilingual tribals like Bhumij, Ho, Kharia, Lohara (or Lohar), Mahli, Munda, Oraon, Santal, Savar and Bathudi communities speak the language as a second or subsequent language.[28][13]

The language contributes to community identity in festivals like Bandna, Tusu, Karam and Jhumair, in which the songs are formatted in Kurmali. An example of this is the Jhumar song.

Education

There are some institutions, where the Kurmali language is a higher education core subject. Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Kudmali. Ethnologue. Retrieved 18 May 2019.
  2. ↑ Language and Literature: Divers Indian Experiences{{#if:Alam|, Alam}. Atlantic Publishers & Dist(1996). ISBN 978-81-7156-586-3
  3. ↑ Fayez, S. M., & Rajiv Ranjan Mahto. (2021). A Sociolinguistic Study of Kudmali in Jharkhand. Aligarh Journal of Linguistics, 11(ISSN: 2249-1511), 117–132.
  4. ↑ Constitutional provisions relating to Eighth Schedule. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named CensusStatements
  6. ↑ C-16 POPULATION BY MOTHER TONGUE. censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  7. ↑ মাহাতোদের মাতৃভাষা ও সংস্কৃতিচর্চায় কুড়মালি পাঠশালার উদ্বোধন, প্রতিনিধি. Prothomalo(27 August 2022). Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 कुड़माली भाषा शिक्षण एवं साहित्य{{#if:Keduar|, Keduar}. Shivangan Publication(2016). ISBN 9788193221587Template:Questionable source
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 POPULATION MONOGRAPH OF NEPAL{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Central Bureau of Statistics, Govt. of Nepal(2014). ISBN 9789937289726
  10. ↑ National Population and Housing Census 2011 (National Report). cbs.gov.np. Government of Nepal National Planning Commission Secretariat(November 2012). Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 How one language became four: the impact of different contact-scenarios between "Sadani" and the tribal languages of Jharkhand. Journal of South Asian Languages and Linguistics({Template:Date).
  12. ↑ Template:Harvnb
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named KurmaliThar
  14. ↑ Census year wise source;
  15. ↑ Magahī Phonology: A Descriptive Study{{#if:Prasad|, Prasad}. Concept Publishing Company(2008). ISBN 978-81-8069-525-4
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 East India (Constitutional Reforms).: Indian Franchise Committee, 1932 ... Report ... [and Memoranda Submitted by the Local Governments and the Provincial Franchise Committees and Selections from Memoranda Submitted by Individuals and Oral Evidence{{#if:Committee|, Committee}. H.M. Stationery Office(1932)
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Template:Cite magazine
  18. ↑ Language Handbook{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Manager of Publications, civil lines(1956)
  19. ↑ Fourth World Dynamics, Jharkhand{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Authors Guild Publications(1982) Alt URL
  20. ↑ Jharkhand Movement: Ethnicity and Culture of Silence{{#if:Basu|, Basu}. Indian Institute of Advanced Study(1994). ISBN 978-81-85952-15-4
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Kudmali and its Impending Challenges, Mahto, R. R.; and Fayez, S. M.. soas.ac.uk. SOAS University of London(17 December 2021). Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  22. ↑ Kudmali in India. UNESCO WAL. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  23. ↑ Language of the day: Panchpargania. Ethnologue(9 October 2021). Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  24. ↑ Linguistic Traits Across Language Boundaries: A Report of All India Linguistic Traits Survey{{#if:Krishan|, Krishan}. Anthropological Survey of India(1990)
  25. ↑ People of India{{#if:Singh|, Singh}. Anthropological Survey of India(1992). ISBN 978-81-85579-09-2
  26. ↑ Census and the Aspects of Growth and Development of Bangla vs. Bangla-Hindi Bilingualism-With Special Focus on West Bengal. Language in India({Template:Date).
  27. ↑ OLAC resources in and about the Kudmali language. www.language-archives.org. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  28. ↑ Encyclopaedia of Scheduled Tribes in Jharkhand{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Gyan Publishing House(2010). ISBN 978-81-7835-121-6
  29. ↑ Department : Arsha College. arshacollege.org. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  30. ↑ Welcome To The Official Website of Bandwan College. www.bandwanmahavidyalaya.com. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  31. ↑ PG TRL, KURMALI, SEM-II, CC-2, कुड़माली डमकच गीत - Kolhan University. www.kolhanuniversity.ac.in. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  32. ↑ Kotshila Mahavidyalaya : Home. kotshilamahavidyalaya.ac.in. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  33. ↑ Panch Pargana Kisan College Bundu Ranchi Jharkhand India. www.ppkcollegebundu.in. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  34. ↑ :: Departments : Ramananda Centenary College ::. www.ramanandacentenarycollege.in. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  35. ↑ Chitta Mahato Memorial CollegeHome. chittamahatomemorialcollege.ac.in. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  36. ↑ ঝাড়গ্রামের সাধু রামচাঁদ মুর্মু বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের নতুন ভবনের উদঘাটন করলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী, amaderbharat.com. AmaderBharat.com(5 September 2022). Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  37. ↑ আনন্দবাজার পত্রিকা - পুরুলিয়া. archives.anandabazar.com. Retrieved 10 October 2022.

Bibliography

Template:Refbegin

  • Part II. Specimens of Bihari and Oriya languages{{#if:Grierson|, Grierson}. Government Printer, India(1903) Alt URL
  • Linguistic survey of the Sadar subdivision of Manbhum and Dhalbhum (Singhbhum){{#if:|, {{{last}}}}(1958)
  • Linguistic Survey of India – Bihar{{#if:Ghosh|, Ghosh}. Language division, Office of the Registrar General, India(2020)
  • Linguistic Survey of India – Jharkhand{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Language division, Office of the Registrar General, India(2021)

Template:Refend

Further reading

  • Historical Perspective of Kurmali Language{{#if:SINGH|, SINGH}. Blue Rose Publishers(25 November 2020)Template:Self-published inline
  • Kurmali Kinship Terms and Its Morphology: An Anthropo-linguistic Study. Jadavpur Journal of Languages and Linguistics({Template:Date).
  • Kurmali noun morphology. An inflectional study on gender and number{{#if:Dash|, Dash}(5 August 2014). ISBN 978-3-656-71900-7
  • Dictionary of the Kurmali Language: Bangla-Kurmali-English-HIndi{{#if:|, {{{last}}}}. Jadavpur University Press(2021). ISBN 978-93-83660-54-4
  • Kurmāli śabdakosha{{#if:Mahato|, Mahato}. Purulia Pustak Mandir(1983)

Template:Bihari languages Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Kurmali_language&oldid=547339"
Discover more