Bhili language

Western Indo-Aryan language spoken in west-central India

Bhili (Bhili: भीली), IPA: [bʱiːliː], is a Western Indo-Aryan language spoken in west-central India, in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh.^[3] Other names for the language include Bhagoria and Bhilboli; several varieties are called Garasia. Bhili is a member of the Bhil languages, which are related to Gujarati and Rajasthani. The language is written using the Devanagari script.

Bhili has no official status in India.

Phonology

Consonants

• /w/ may also be heard as [ʋ] in free variation.
• /ʃ/ occurs in loanwords from Persian and Hindi.^[4]
• [ŋ] is heard as an allophone of /n/ preceding /k/.

Vowels

• Vowels /i, u/ can also be heard as [ɪ, ʊ].
• [æ] is borrowed from Hindi.
• /ə/ may also be heard as [ɤ] in final position.^[5]

Further reading

• Bodhankar, Anantrao. Bhillori (Bhilli) – English Dictionary. Pune: Tribal Research & Training Institute, 2002.^{[[[Wikipedia:Cleanup|not Bhilori language?]]]}
• Jungblut, L. A Short Bhili Grammar of Jhabua State and Adjoining Territories. S.l: s.n, 1937.
• Thompson, Charles S. Rudiments of the Bhili Language. Ahmedabad [India]: United Printing Press, 1895.

See also

• Languages of India
• Languages with official status in India
• List of Indian languages by total speakers

References

1. "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues - 2011". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
2. "ScriptSource - Bhili". Retrieved 13 February 2017.
3. Ishtiaq, M. (1999). Language Shifts Among the Scheduled Tribes in India, A Geographical Study. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. ISBN 9788120816176.
4. Phillips, Maxwell P. (2012). Dialect Continuum in the Bhil Tribal Belt: Grammatical Aspects. University of London.
5. Vyas, Yogendra Dhirubhai (1967). A linguistic study of Bhili dialects: A descriptive study of central and north Bhili. Ahmedabad: Gujarat University.