Re: how many languages
I can speak English, Tamil and a li'l hindi and can read arabic....
Here is something about my contry too
Major Indian Languages
Sir George Grierson's twelve-volume Linguistic Survey of India , published between 1903
and 1923, identified 179 languages and 544 dialects. The 1921 census listed 188 languages
and forty-nine dialects. The 1961 census listed 184 "mother tongues," including those with
fewer than 10,000 speakers. This census also gave a list of all the names of mother tongues
provided by the respondents themselves; the list totals 1,652 names. The 1981 census--the
last census to tabulate languages--reported 112 mother tongues with more than 10,000
speakers and almost 1 million people speaking other languages. The encyclopedic People of
India series, published by the government's Anthropological Survey of India in the 1980s
and early 1990s, identified seventy-five "major languages" within a total of 325 languages
used in Indian households. In the early 1990s, there were thirty-two languages with 1 million
or more speakers
Determining what should be called a language or a dialect is more a political than a linguistic
question. Sometimes the word language is applied to a standardized and prestigious form,
recognized as such over a large geographic area, whereas the word dialect is used for the
various forms of speech that lack prestige or that are restricted to certain regions or castes
but are still regarded as forms of the same language. Its found that there are over 1600
dialects in India.
Here is a list of those Indian languages spoken by more than a million people. English is
spoken as a second language by more than ten million Indians. The highlighted links lead to
documents on this server. These documents list resources available on the net on the
language. Some of these resources are common to all Indian languages; they are also listed
seperately.
ASSAMESE
14,604,000 in India (1994 IMA); a few in Bangladesh (1991 D. Barrett SB). Assam,
Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh. Also in Bhutan. State language of Assam. Bengali script.
AWADHI
20,000,000 in India (1951 census); 540,000 in Nepal (1993 Johnstone); 20,316,950 in all
countries. Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Kanpur, Delhi. Awadhi is the standard
for literature. There is considerable epic literature. "Kosali" is a name used for the Eastern
Hindi group. Caribbean Hindi is related to Awadhi.
BAGRI
1,721,000 in India (1994 IMA); 200,000 in Pakistan (1993); 1,921,000 in all countries.
Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh. Nomadic between Pakistan and India.
BENGALI
67,200,000 in India (1994 IMA); 100,000,000 in Bangladesh (1994 UBS); 70,000 in
United Arab Emirates (1986); 600 in Singapore; 189,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA).
West Bengal and neighboring states. State language of West Bengal. Bengali script.
BHILI
1,600,000 (1986 MARC); 5,624,000 including languages in the Bhil group (1994 IMA).
Kotvali 12,688 (1994 IMA). Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu,
Kashmir, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura; mountainous areas.
Connecting link between Gujarati and Rajasthani. 'Bhil' is an ethnic designation.
BHOJPURI
23,375,000 in India (1994 IMA); 1,370,000 in Nepal (1993); 25,000,000 in all countries.
Bihar Purnea area, Assam, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. The
cover term "Bihari" is used for Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Magahi. Kaithi script.
CHHATTISGARHI
10,985,000 including 10,910,000 Chattisgarhi (1994 IMA), 75,156 Laria (1994 IMA).
Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa, and possibly in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Tripura.
Devanagari script. Used in newspapers, radio, TV. Speakers use Hindi or Oriya as second
languages.
DECCAN
10,709,800 (1990). Central Maharashtra, Deccan Plateau. Distinct from Deccan (Dakhini,
Mirgan) dialect of Urdu.
DOGRI-KANGRI
2,095,280, including 2,005,000 Dogri (1994 IMA), 90,279 Kangri (1994 IMA). The
home area is in the outer hills and strip of plain in Jammu and Kashmir between the Ravi and
Chenab Rivers. Central states from north to south; West Bengal, Chandigarh, Himachal
Pradesh (Kangra and Hamirpur districts). Urdu (middle aged and older), Hindi (school,
shops, cities), and Punjabi (shops) are spoken as additional languages for certain purposes.
Radio programs.
GARHWALI
2,081,756 (1994 IMA). Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh.
GUJARATI
43,312,000 in India (1994 IMA); 140,000 in United Kingdom (1979 Wagner and
Dayton); 6,203 in Fiji; 9,600 in Zimbabwe (1973); 12,000 in Zambia (1985); 147,000 in
Uganda (1986); 5,000 in Malawi (1993); 50,000 in Kenya (1995); 800 in Singapore
(1985); 44,000,000 in all countries. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Madhya
Pradesh. Also in Bangladesh, South Africa, Pakistan, Reunion. State language of Gujarat.
Gujarati script.
HARYANVI
13,000,000 or 85% of Haryan population of 16,000,000 (1992 SIL), including 102,348
Haryanvi proper (1994 IMA); 154,340 Mewati (1994 IMA). Haryana, Punjab,
Karnataka, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh. "Bangru" now used for speakers in
Jind area. "Khadar" is used by speakers in Jind to refer to the speech of Rohtak and
Sonepat. "Bagdi" is the variety used around Fatehabad and Sirsa, and south of Bhiwani
(distinct from the Wagdi language in southern Rajasthan). Intelligibility among dialects is
good, but not intelligible with Hindi, the closest language. Speakers of all ages. Hindi is used
as second language; some bilingual ability in all social groups for education and contact with
non-Haryanvi speakers.
HINDI
180,000,000 in India (1991 UBS); 346,513,000 or nearly 50% including second language
users in India (1994 IMA); 346,000 in Bangladesh (1993); 26,253 in USA (1970 census);
685,170 in Mauritius; 890,292 in South Africa; 232,760 in Yemen; 147,000 in Uganda;
5,000 in Singapore; 2,900 in Nepal; 11,200 in New Zealand (1987); 24,500 in Germany
(1984 Time); 182,000,000 in all countries or more. 418,000,000 including second language
users (1995 WA). Throughout northern India. Also in Kenya, United Arab Emirates,
United Kingdom. Hindi, Hindustani, Urdu could be considered co-dialects, but have
important sociolinguistic differences. Hindi uses the Devanagari writing system, and formal
vocabulary is borrowed from Sanskrit, de-Persianized, de-Arabicized. Literary Hindi, or
Hindi-Urdu, has four varieties: Hindi (High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, Literary Hindi, Standard
Hindi); Urdu; Dakhini; Rekhta. State language of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab,
Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh. Languages and dialects in the
Western Hindi group are Hindustani, Bangaru, Braj Bhasha, Kanauji, Bundeli.
HO
1,026,000 in India (1994 IMA); 444,000 in Singhbhum, Devanagari script area; 203,000
in Orissa, Oriya script area (1990 UBS). Mainly in Singhbhum District of Bihar, and
Mayurbhanj and Koenjhar districts of Orissa. Also in West Bengal and Bangladesh.
Language use is vigorous in home and community in most areas. Oriya, Santali, and Hindi
are used in limited domains. Grammar, dictionary. "Kherwari" (Khanwar, Kharar, Kharoali,
Kharwari) is a group name for Ho, Mundari, and Santhali, which are closely related
languages, and some other smaller languages or dialects. Distinct from Ho (Hani) of
Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Laos.
KANAUJI
6,000,000 (1977 Voegelin and Voegelin). Uttar Pradesh.
KANNADA
33,663,000 (1994 IMA); 44,000,000 including second language users (1995 WA).
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra. State language of Karnataka.
Kannada script; similar to Telugu script.
KASHMIRI
4,161,000 in India (1994 IMA); 105,000 in Pakistan (1993); 115,000 in United Kingdom
(1991); 4,381,000 in all countries. Jammu and Kashmir (52.29% of the population),
Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Kashmir Valley. Literature can be traced to the 1400's, and
poetry is important. Persian-based script. Not used in primary education. Urdu and English
are used as second languages.
KHANDESI
2,246,105 including 742,111 Ahirani (1994 IMA), 1,503,994 Khandesi (1994 IMA).
Maharashtra, Gujarat.
KONKANI
2,056,841 in all countries (1994 IMA). North and central coastal strip of Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Kerala.
KONKANI (GOANESE)
2,000,000 in all countries (1977 Voegelin and Voegelin); 3,900 in Kenya (1987). Southern
coastal strip of Maharashtra, primarily in the districts of Ratnagari and Goa; also Karnataka
and Kerala. Also in United Arab Emirates. Daldi and Chitapavani are transitional dialects
between Goanese and Standard Konkani.
KUMAONI
2,013,000 in India (1994 IMA). Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
Kumaon; Maharashtra, Nagaland. Also in Nepal.
KURUX
1,747,000 in India (1994 IMA); 2,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA). Bihar, Madhya
Pradesh, Assam, Tripura, West Bengal, Orissa. Also in Bangladesh. Related to Malto.
Distinct from Nepali Kurux.
LAMANI
1,961,000 (1994 IMA), plus 769,120 Banjari. Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orissa, West Bengal.
"Gormati" is self name. Each of the three dialects needs a different script: Maharashtra uses
Devanagari script, Karnatak uses Kannada script, Andhra Pradesh uses Telugu script.
MAGAHI
10,821,000 (1994 IMA). Southern districts of Bihar, eastern Patna district, northern
Chotanagpur district, and Malda district of West Bengal. Also used as a religious language.
MAITHILI
22,000,000 in India including Dahati (1981); 2,260,000 in Nepal (1993); 24,260,000 in all
countries. Bihar, Delhi, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal. There is a
Maithili Academy. Dictionary.
MALAYALAM
33,667,000 in India (1994 IMA); 300,000 in United Arab Emirates (1986); 37,000 in
Malaysia; 10,000 in Singapore (1987); 313 in Fiji; 34,014,000 in all countries. Kerala,
Laccadive Islands, and neighboring states. Also in United Kingdom, Bahrain, Qatar. State
language of Kerala. Malayalam script.
MALVI
1,050,000 (1994 IMA). Northwest Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat.
Considered the standard dialect of south-eastern Rajasthani.
MARATHI
64,783,000 (1994 IMA). Maharashtra and adjacent states. The dialect situation throughout
the greater Marathi speaking area is complex. Dialects bordering other major language
areas share many features with those languages. See separate entries for dialects or closely
related languages: Konkani, Goanese, Deccan, Varhadi, Nagpuri, Ikrani, Gowlan. State
language of Maharashtra. Devanagari script.
MARWARI
12,104,000 Marwari, Rajasthani, and Mewari (1994 IMA). Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya
Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, throughout India. The standard form of
Rajasthani. 23 dialects. Different from Marwari of Pakistan, and from Mewati, dialect of
Haryanvi. Devanagari script.
MEITHEI
1,252,000, including 1,181,000 Meithei in India (1994 IMA), 71,414 Bishnupuriya (1994
IMA); 92,800 in Bangladesh; 6,000 in Myanmar (1931); 1,351,000 in all countries.
Assam, Manipur, Kankan; Nagaland, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal. 7 clans
(Ningthonia, Luwang, Angom, Moirang, Khabanaganba, Chonglei). They had an earlier
script called "Meithei Mayek".
MUNDARI
1,467,515 in India (1994 IMA), including 973,000 Mundari, 494,515 Munda; 5,700 in
Nepal (1993); 1,473,000 or more in all countries. Assam, mainly in southern and western
parts of Ranchi district in Bihar. Also in Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa,
Tripura, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Also in Bangladesh. Closely related
to Ho and Santali, but a separate language.
NEPALI
6,000,000 in India (1984 Far Eastern Economic Review); 300,000 in Bhutan (1973 Dorji);
9,900,800 in Nepal (1993); 16,200,000 in all countries. West Bengal, Darjeeling area,
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh.
NIMADI
1,295,000 (1994 IMA). Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra.
ORIYA
30,158,000 in India (1994 IMA); 13,299 in Bangladesh (1961 census); 31,000,000 in all
countries. Orissa, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Andhra Pradesh. Some of the larger dialects
have many subdialects. State language of Orissa. Oriya script.
PUNJABI
25,690,000 in India (1994 IMA); 43,000 in Malaysia (1993); 10,000 in Kenya (1995);
9,677 in Bangladesh (1961 census); 1,167 in Fiji; 25,700,000 in all countries. Punjab,
Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir. Also in United Arab Emirates, Singapore,
United Kingdom. Gurmukhi script.
SADRI
1,861,965 including 1,315,710 Sadani (1994 IMA), 546,255 Nagpuria (1994 IMA);
200,000 in Bangladesh (1993); 2,062,000. Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal,
Maharashtra, Orissa, Andaman Islands, Nagaland. Hindi, Oriya, and Bengali are used as
official languages. Dictionary. Language of wider communication among tribal groups.
Devanagari script.
SANTHALI
5,675,000 in India (1994 IMA); 100,000 in Bangladesh (1983 UBS); 40,000 in Nepal
(1985); 5,800,000 in all countries. Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Tripura, West Bengal. Also in
Bhutan. Closely related to Ho and Mundari, but a separate language.
SINDHI
2,678,000 in India (1986 MARC); 16,992,000 in Pakistan (1993); 5,000 in Singapore
(1993); 19,675,000 in all countries. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh,
Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh. Also in Afghanistan.
Arabic and Gurumukhi scripts used.
TAMIL
58,597,000 in India (1994 IMA); 3,000,000 in Sri Lanka (1993); 250,000 in South
Africa; 274,218 in Malaysia (1970 census); 191,200 in Singapore (1980); 35,000 in
Germany; 7,000 in Netherlands; 22,000 in Mauritius (1993); 6,663 in Fiji; 62,000,000 or
more in all countries first language speakers; 69,000,000 including second language users
(1995 WA). Tamil Nadu and neighboring states. Also in Bahrain, Qatar, Reunion, Thailand,
United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom. State language of Tamil Nadu. Tamil script.
TELUGU
66,318,000 in India (1994 IMA); 30,000 in Malaysia (1993); 2,008 in Fiji; 300 in
Singapore (1970); 73,000,000 in all countries (1995 WA). Andhra Pradesh and
neighboring states. Also in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates. State language of Andhra
Pradesh. Telugu script.
TULU
1,856,000 (1994 IMA). Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka,
Meghalaya.
URDU
45,773,000 in India (1994 IMA); 8,000,000 in Pakistan (1988); 3,562 in Fiji; 170,000 in
South Africa; 30,000 in Oman; 20,000 in Bahrain; 19,950 in Qatar; 16,800 in Germany;
54,000,000 or more in all countries. Jammu and Kashmir and by Muslims in many parts of
India. Also in Afghanistan, USA. "Dakhini" is freer of Persian and Arabic loans than Urdu.
Both are written in Arabic script. "Rekhta" is a form of Urdu used in poetry. State language
and medium of instruction in government schools in Jammu and Kashmir
