List of Indo-Aryan languages

Indo-Aryan languages, grouping according to SIL Ethnologue:

  Central and East Central zones

  Northern zone

  Northwestern zone

  Eastern zone

  Southern zone

  Insular

The Indo-Aryan languages include some 210 (SIL estimate) languages and dialects spoken by many people in Asia; this language family is a part of the Indo-Iranian language family.

Historical

Further information: Linguistic history of India

• Old Indic (ca. 1500-300 BC)
  • early Old Indic: Vedic Sanskrit (1500 to 500 BCE)
  • late Old Indic: Epic Sanskrit, Classical Sanskrit (500 to 300 BCE)
• Middle Indic (ca. 300 BCE to 1500 CE)
  • early phase: 3rd century BC
    • Ashoka-Prakrits (3rd century BC regional dialects)
    • Pali (language of the Buddhist canon)
    • early Ardhamagadhi (language of the oldest Jain sutras)
  • middle phase (200 BCE to 700 CE)
    • Niya Prakrit
    • Ardhamagadhi (later Jain canon)
    • Dramatic Prakrits (Maurya period)
      • Maharashtri Prakrit
      • Magadhi Prakrit
      • Sauraseni Prakrit
    • Sinhala Prakrit
    • hybrid Sanskrit (Mahayana canon)
  • late phase: Apabhramsa (700 CE to 1500 CE)
    • Abahatta (Maghadi Apabhramsa)
    • Elu (Sinhalese Apabhramsa)
• Early Modern Indic (Mughal period, 1500 to 1800)
  • early Dakkhini (Kalmitul-hakayat 1580)
  • emergence of Khariboli (Gora-badal ki katha, 1620s)
  • emergence of "Urdu" at Delhi fort (1670s)

Contemporary languages

This classification follows Kausen (2005). The main differences from SIL are noted.

(SIL includes the Nuristani languages within Indo-Aryan.)

Dardic

Main article: Dardic languages

(The relation of this family to other Indo-Aryan languages is unclear; SIL includes it in the Northwestern zone, despite these languages having a very different grammatical structure from that of the Classical Indo-Aryan languages.)

Kunar languages

• Pashayi
• Gawar-Bati
• Dameli
• Shumashti
• Nangalami (includes Grangali)

Chitral languages

• Khowar
• Kalasha

Kohistani languages

• Kalami
• Torwali
• Kalkoti
• Indus Kohistani
• Bateri
• Chilisso
• Gowro
• Wotapuri-Katarqalai
• Tirahi

Shina languages

• Shina language
• Brokskad (the Shina of Baltistan and Ladakh)
• Ushojo
• Domaaki
• Palula
• Savi

Kashmiri

• Kashmiri
• Poguli

Northern Zone

• Garhwali (includes Tehri)
• Kumauni
• Nepali (Gurkali; includes Palpa)

North-Western Zone

Map of areas where Dogri-Kangri languages are spoken

Dogri-Kangri languages (Western Pahari)

(included in Pahari by SIL)

• Dogri-Kangri
• Gaddi
• Churahi
• Bhattiyali
• Bilaspuri
• Harijan Kinnauri
• Chambeali
• Mandeali
• Mahasu Pahari
• Jaunsari
• Pangwali

Lahnda languages

• Potwari (also known as Mirpuri or Pothohari and usually classified as Pahari)
• Hindko
• Saraiki (South Punjabi or Multani)

Sindhi languages

• Sindhi
• Jadgali
• Kachchi

Western Zone

(SIL includes these languages in the Central zone)

• Mewati (of uncertain affiliation)

Rajasthani languages

• Marwari (includes Mewari)
• Harauti
• Goaria
• Malvi
• Nimadi
• Gujari
• Bagri
• Lambadi
• Loarki

Gujarati languages

• Southern Gujarati
• Vasavi
• Sourashtra

Bhil languages

• Bhili (includes Gamit)

Khandeshi

• Ahirani (Kandeshi)

Domari-Romani

(treated as a separate group by Kausen)

• Domari
• Romani languages

Central Zone

Indic, Central Zone

Main article: Hindi languages

North Central Zone (Punjabi)

• Eastern or Central Punjabi
  • Majhi or Majhail
  • Malwi or Malwai
  • Doabi
  • Powadhi

West Central Zone (Western Hindi)

• Hindi-Urdu
• Braj Bhasa-Kanauji
• Haryanvi
• Bundeli
• Bhaya
• Sansi
• Chamari
• Ghera
• Gowli

East Central Zone (Eastern Hindi)

• Awadhi (includes Fijian Hindi)
• Bagheli
• Chhattisgarhi

Eastern Zone (Magadhan)

These languages derive from Magadhi Prakrit through Ardhamagadhi ("Half-Magadhi").

Assamese–Bengali languages

• Assamese (Ôxômiya)
• Bengali (Bangla) (includes Mal Paharia)
• Bishnupriya Manipuri (Imar Thar)
• Chakma
• Chittagonian
• Hajong
• Kharia Thar
• Rajbangsi
• Rohingya
• Sylheti
• Tanchangya

Bihari languages

• Angika
• Bhojpuri (includes Caribbean Hindustani)
• Maithili
• Magahi
• Majhi
• Musasa
• Oraon Sadri
• Sadri

Oriya languages

• Oriya (Oŗia)
• Adivasi Oriya
• Halbi

Tharu

• Tharu (several languages)

Southern Zone languages

• Marathi
• Dakhini
• Konkani
• Nawayathi

Insular Indic

The insular languages are spoken in the islands of Sri Lanka and Maldives along with the island of Minicoy. The insular languages share several characteristics which set them apart significantly from their continental sister languages. (SIL makes them a separate branch of Indo-Aryan.) However, Sinhala and Dhivehi are no longer mutually intelligible.

• Dhivehi
• Sinhala
• Vedda

Unclassified

The following languages have not been classified within the Indo-Aryan family.

• Dhanwar Rai
• Tippera
• Kanjari
• Od
• Usui
• Vaagri Booli
• Darai
• Kumhali
• Chinali

See also

• Nuristani languages
• Varieties of Hindi
• Proto-Indo-Iranian
• List of languages of India

References

• Ernst Kausen, 2006. Die Klassifikation der indogermanischen Sprachen (Microsoft Word, 133 KB)
• SIL Ethnologue, 2000. (online edition)