Bhil languages

Bhil
Ethnicity:	Bhil people
Geographic distribution:	India
Linguistic classification:	Indo-European Indo-Iranian Indo-Aryan Western Bhil
Subdivisions:	—

The Bhil languages are a group of Western Indo-Aryan languages spoken by some 6 million Bhils in western, central, and by small numbers, even in far eastern, India. They constitute the primary languages of the southern Aravalli Range in Rajasthan and the western Satpura Range in Madhya Pradesh, north western Maharashtra and south Gujarat.

Relationship

The Bhil languages form a link midway between the Gujarati language and the Rajasthani–Marwari languages.

The group comprises the following languages:

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

Kalto, AKA Nahali, is another Bhil language.

The Vasavi language is spoken by ethnic Bhils, but is closer to Gujarati.

Further reading

• Khare, Randhir. The Singing Bow: Song-Poems of the Bhil. New Delhi: HarperCollins Publishers India, 2001. ISBN 8172234252
• 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.