Month: August 2023

Rajasthani languages emerged from Indo Aryan languages.

In prehistoric times there was a single language called Proto-Indo-European language. It was spoken during neolithic to early bronze age. From this language, emerged the Indo-European languages. They were spoken in part of Europe, Iranian Plateau and northern Indian subcontinent. Indo European languages gave rise to Indo Iranian languages. They were spoken in approximately the late 3rd millennium BC. From Indo Iranian languages 3 languages emerged: Indo Aryan, Iranian and Nuristani. Modern Indo-Aryan languages descend from Old Indo-Aryan languages such as Vedic Sanskrit through middle Indo-Aryan language such as Prakrit.

Modern Indo-Aryan languages can be further divided into these groups.

Dardic:

Dardic languages are a group of Indo-Aryan languages largely spoken in the northwestern frontier of the Indian subcontinent. Kashmiri is a Dardic language.

Northern Indo-Aryan languages:

These are also known as the Pahari (‘hill’) languages. They are spoken throughout the Himalayan regions of the subcontinent. Some examples are Nepali, Garhwali, Kumaoni, dogri, Kangri etc.

Northwestern Indo-Aryan languages:

These are spoken in the northwestern region of India and Eastern Pakistan such as Punjabi, Sindhi among many other languages.

Western Indo-Aryan languages:

These are spoken in the central and western areas within India, such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat. Examples are Rajasthani, Gujarati and bhil languages among others. Romani is also part of this group and spoken by Romani people in Europe who historically migrated from India.

Central Indo-Aryan Languages:

These are spoken primarily in the Hindi belt regions and the plains of Ganga including Delhi and the surrounding areas. Some of these languages are Braj and Awadhi,Haryanvi, Urdu, Hindi, Khariboli. Urdu is a Persianized derivative of Khariboli and Hindi is a standardized and Sanskritized version of Khariboli.  It is the official language of the Government of India.

Eastern Indo-Aryan Languages:

These are also known as Magadhan languages. They are spoken throughout the eastern subcontinent, including Odisha, Bihar, Bengal, Assam, Bangladesh alongside other regions surrounding the northwestern Himalayan corridor.

Southern Indo-Aryan Languages:

These include Marathi-Kokani languages. These are spoken in Maharashtra and Kokan region.

Insular Indo-Aryan languages:

Insular Indo-Aryan languages are spoken in Shri Lanka and Maldives. Examples are Sinhali and Maldivian.

Hindi Consonants:

There are total 34 consonants. Lot of Hindi consonants make same sounds as English consonants. But there are a few completely new sounds in Hindi that are not present in English language. To learn these new sounds, it will require practice and patience. It may seem difficult in the beginning, but it will be well worth in the end. One thing to notice is that all consonants have “अ(a)” sound inherently in them at the end. Try this: make a sound of “C (क)” in car. You will notice that in the end there is a sound of “A (अ)” as in around.

CONSONANTS AND THEIR PRONUNCIATIONS IN ENGLISH:

I have tried my best to give examples in English as close as possible but there are certain sounds which are not used in English language therefore no words are available for examples.

When practicing these sounds know the difference between an aspirated and unaspirated sound. Aspirated sounds are one that release a puff of air when pronouncing them. Unaspirated sound do not release air. You can put your palm in front of your mouth when practicing these sounds and notice the difference in sounds based on air movement.

Example:

• spin – no air felt on hand
• Pin – feel the puff of air on the hand

Also know the difference between voiced and unvoiced consonants. Voiced consonants are those which are pronounced using our vocal cords. Unvoiced consonants are pronounced by not using vocal cords. You can keep your hand on your throat over the vocal cords and feel the vibration with voiced sounds or no vibration with unvoiced sounds.

Example : Notice the difference between B and P. Keep the hand on your throat while saying then alternately. B is a voiced consonant and P is an unvoiced consonant.

Table of Hindi consonants

 

• क  ख    ग    घ   ङ
• ka kha  ga  gha  ṅa
• च  छ    ज   झ   ञ
• ca cha  ja  jha  ña
• ट  ठ       ड   ढ    ण
• ṭa ṭha  ḍa  ḍha  ṇa
• त    थ     द     ध     न
• ta tha  da   dha  na
• प   फ     ब     भ    म
• pa pha  ba  bha  ma
• य  र   ल   व
• ya ra   la   va
• श   ष     स    ह
• sha ṣha sa    ha
• क्ष  त्र      ज्ञ
• Ksh tra   gya

 

ASPIRATED consonants:

• ख [kha] makes sound of “kh” as in Khaki
• घ [gha] makes sound “gh” in Shanghai.
• छ [cha] makes sound of “ch” in choo choo train
• झ [jha] makes sound of “dge”  in hedgehog
• ठ [th] makes sound of “t” in tight.
• ढ [dh] makes sound “dh” in adhere.
• थ [tha] makes sound of “th” in thermos.
• ध [dha] makes sound of “dh” in dharma
• फ [pha] makes sound of “p” in push.
• भ [bha] makes sound of “bh” in abhor.
• श [sha] makes sound of “sh in shut.
• ष [sha] makes sound of “sh” in shut.

It occurs only in borrowed Sanskrit words in Hindi.

• ह [ha] makes sound of “h” in hurt
• क्ष [ksh] makes sound of “ictio” in friction.

UNASPIRATED consonants:

• क [ka] makes sound of “k” in skirt.
• ग [ga] makes sound of “g” in gum.
• ङ [nga] makes sound of “ong” in tongue.
• च [ca] makes sound of “ch” in church.
• ज [ja] makes sound of “j” in jug.
• ञ [nya] makes sound of “ina” pinata.
• ट [ta] makes sound of “t” in turf.
• ड [da] makes sound of “d” in dad.
• ण [ṇa] makes sound of “un” in grunt.
• त [ta] makes sound of “t” in pasta or “t” in Istanbul (city)
• द [da] makes sound of “th” in the or than
• न [na] makes sound “n” in nun.
• प [pa] makes sound of “p” in spit.
• ब [ba] makes sound of “b” in bus.
• म [ma] makes sound of “m” in mug.
• य [ya] makes sound of y” in yuck.
• र [ra] makes sound of “r” in run.
• ल [la] makes sound of “l” in luck.
• व [va] makes sound of “v in vent.
• स [sa] makes sound of “s” in sun

 

 

Rajasthani Language and dialects:

India is a very interesting country when it comes to languages. Usually people are very much surprised and awestruck when they find out that there are 22 official and numerous unofficial spoken languages in India and hundreds of dialects. Same rule applies to Rajasthan. Rajasthani is not one language. There are at least 18 spoken tongues or dialects in Rajasthan. It is still not settled that if they should be considered each a languages or a dialects. Then there are subdialects. These dialects are based on geographical area but also sometimes on the community or caste one is from. Word Rajasthani language was first used by Grierson who used the word “Rajasthani” to refer to the languages spoken in Rajasthan in the Linguistic Survey of India, published in 1908:

“Rajasthani means literally the language of Rajasthan….The name as connoting a language has been invented for the purposes of this survey in order to distinguish it from Western Hindi on the one hand and from Gujarati on the other.”

There has been a lot of push in Rajasthan to get national recognition for Rajasthani language. But it is still not part of 22 official languages of India. Though in Rajasthan, it is an unofficial second language. It is taught in universities and offered as an elective subject in some schools. The problem is that there is not one Rajasthani language so question arises which dialect to choose? How do you decide which dialect is worth promoting and others not?
More on different dialects and Rajasthan government’s effort to create a Unicode for Rajasthani language in my next blog…..Don’t forget to come back and check!