Bhojpuri language#Vocabulary

The oldest presence of the word "Bhojpuri" is found as Bodjpooria in 1789 in the translator's preface of a book titled A Translation of the Sëir Mutaqherin, which is a translation of a Persian book written in 1780 by Ghulam Hussain Khan.{{Cite book |title=A Translation of the Sëir Mutaqherin |year=1789}} The paragraph in which reads:

{{Blockquote|text="Don't make so much noise" said of the them in his Bhojpooria idiom, "we go to-day with the Frenghees, but we all are servant to Chëyt Singh, and may come back tomorrow with him and then question will not be about your roots, but about your wives and daughters."|title=A Translation of the Sëir Mutaqherin|source=Translator's Preface}}

The word Bhojpuri is derived from Bhojpur. After the conquest of Chero and Ujjainiya Rajputs in 12th century, who were the descendants of Raja Bhoj from Ujjain, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh captured Shahabad and named their capital Bhojpur (City of Raja Bhoj).{{Cite book|title=Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal|year=1871|pages=111–129}} The seat of their government was Bhojpur village which was near Dumraon in Buxar. Two villages named Chhotka Bhojpur and Barka Bhojpur still exist in Buxar, where the ruins of their Navratna Fortress can still be seen. Slowly the word Bhojpur became the synonyms of the Shahabad or Arrah region (Today's Bhojpur district, Buxar, Kaimur and Rohtas){{Cite book|last=Rennel|first=James|title=Bengal Atlas|year=1781}} and the adjective Bhojpuri or Bhojpuriya extended to mean the language or people of Bhojpur and even beyond it. Apart from Bhojpuri in the Eastern UP and Western Bihar, there were other names also for the language and people, at different places, the Bhojpuriya in Mughal armies were used to called Buxariya.{{Cite book|last=Irvine|first=William|title=The Army of the Indian Moghuls|year=1903|location=London|pages=168–169}} In Bengal, they called Paschhimas (Westerners) and Bhojpuri people also called them Deshwali or Khoṭṭa, in upper provinces like Oudh they called Purabiya. Besides these, Banarasi, Chhaprahiya, and Bangarahi has also used for the language and People. Rahul Sankrityayan has suggested two names for it i.e. Mallika or Malli (due to ancient tribe of Malla) and Kashiki (due to ancient Kashi).{{Cite book|last=Tiwari|first=Udai Narayan|title=The Origin and Development of Bhojpuri|publisher=The Asiatic society|location=Kolkata}} The Girmityas who were taken to British colonies called it simply Hindustani or Hindi and it became Fiji Hindi in Fiji and Caribbean Hindustani in the Caribbean region.{{Cite book |last1=Hua |first1=Z. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cliHDAAAQBAJ&dq=bhojpuri+in+fiji&pg=PA202 |title=Language Learning and Teaching as Social Inter-action |last2=Seedhouse |first2=P. |last3=Cook |first3=V. |last4=Wei |first4=L. |date=31 July 2007 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-230-59124-0 |language=en}} Similarly, in South Africa, while often locally referred to by speakers as 'Hindustani', the variety brought by indentured labourers who embarked at Calcutta was also known as 'Kalkatia'.

Bhojpuri is a descendant of Magadhi Prakrit which started taking shape during the reign of the Vardhana dynasty. Bāṇabhaṭṭa, in his Harshacharita has mentioned two poets named Isānchandra and Benibhārata who used to write in local language instead of Prakrit and Sanskrit.{{Cite book|last=Tiwari|first=Arjun|title=Bhojpuri Sāhitya ke itihāsa|publisher=Vishwavidyala Prakashan|year=2014|location=Varanasi|pages=35}}{{Cite book|last=Cowell|first=Edward Byles|title=The Harsa-carita of Bana|publisher=Royal Asiatic Society|year=1897|location=London|pages=32}}

The earliest form of Bhojpuri can be traced in the Siddha Sahitya and Charyapada as early as the 8th century A.D.{{Cite book|last=Tiwari|first=Arjun|title=Bhojpuri Sahtiya Ke Itihas}}{{Cite journal|last=Tahmid|first=Syed Md|title=Buddhist Charyapada & Bengali Identity|url=https://www.academia.edu/4687613|language=en|access-date=29 October 2020|archive-date=22 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220822090115/https://www.academia.edu/4687613|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|last=Pandey|first=Narmadeshwar Sahay|title=Comprehensive History of Bihar (Bhojpuri Language and literature of Bihar)}}.{{Page needed|date=January 2025}} This period is also called as Siddha period.

Between the 11th and 14th centuries A.D., much Bhojpuri folklore such as Lorikayan, Sorathi Birjabh, Vijaymal, Gopichand, Raja Bharthariar came into existence.{{Cite book|last=Prasad|first=Vishwanatha|title=Yathopaari}} Alongside these, the Nath Saint composed literature in Bhojpuri. In this period, the Bhojpuri language altered and its regional boundaries were established.{{Sfn|Pandey|1986|p=41-42}}

In this era, saints from different sects such as Kabir, Dharni Das, Kina Ram and Dariya Saheb used Bhojpuri as their language of discourse. In the same period Arabic and Persian words came into Bhojpuri. Folk songs are also said to have been composed in this era.{{Sfn|Pandey|1986|p=57-61}}

{{Quote box

| title = A document of Horil Siha, the King of Bhojpur, dated 1728, script: Kaithi

| quote = Kaithi

{{Script|Kthi|𑂮𑂹𑂫𑂷𑂮𑂹𑂞𑂱 𑂮𑂹𑂩𑂱 𑂩𑂱𑂣𑂳𑂩𑂰𑂔 𑂠𑂶𑂞𑂹𑂨𑂢𑂰𑂩𑂰𑂉𑂢𑂵𑂞𑂹𑂨-𑂄𑂠𑂱 𑂥𑂱𑂥𑂱𑂡 𑂥𑂱𑂩𑂠𑂫𑂪𑂲 𑂥𑂱𑂩𑂰𑂔𑂧𑂰𑂢 𑂧𑂢𑂷𑂢𑂞 𑂮𑂹𑂩𑂲 𑂧𑂰𑂯𑂰𑂩𑂰𑂔𑂰𑂡𑂱𑂩𑂰𑂔 𑂩𑂰𑂔𑂰 𑂮𑂹𑂩𑂲-𑂔𑂱𑂫 𑂠𑂵𑂫 𑂠𑂵𑂫𑂰𑂢𑂰𑂧𑂹 𑂮𑂠𑂰 𑂮𑂧𑂩 𑂥𑂱𑂔𑂶𑂢𑂰𑃀 𑂄𑂏𑂵 𑂮𑂳𑂫𑂁𑂮 𑂣𑂰𑂁𑂚𑂵 𑂣𑂩𑂰-𑂄𑂏 𑂍𑂵 𑂇𑂣𑂩𑂷𑂯𑂱𑂞 𑂣𑂰𑂓𑂱𑂪 𑂩𑂰𑂔𑂢𑂹𑂯 𑂍𑂵 𑂇𑂣𑂩𑂷𑂯𑂱𑂞 𑂯𑂈𑂯𑂲 𑂮𑂵 𑂯𑂧𑂯𑂳 𑂄𑂣𑂢 𑂇𑂣𑂩𑂷𑂯𑂱𑂞 𑂍𑂆𑂪𑃀 𑂔𑂵 𑂍𑂵𑂇 𑂣𑂩𑂰-𑂃𑂏 𑂧𑂰𑂯 𑂄𑂫𑂵 𑂮𑂵 𑂮𑂳𑂫𑂁𑂮 𑂣𑂰𑂁𑂚𑂵 𑂍𑂵 𑂧𑂰𑂢𑂵, 𑂇𑂔𑂵𑂢 𑂢𑂰𑂫 𑃁𑃀 ११३६ 𑂮𑂰𑂪 𑂧𑂷𑂍𑂰𑂧 𑂠𑂰𑂫𑂰 𑂡𑂳𑂮 𑂮𑂧𑂞 १७८५ 𑂮𑂧𑂶 𑂢𑂰𑂧 𑂥𑂶𑂮𑂰𑂎 𑂮𑂳𑂠𑂱 𑂞𑂱𑂩𑂷𑂠𑂮𑂱 𑂩𑂷𑂔 𑂥𑂳𑂡𑃀 𑂣𑂹𑂩𑂏𑂢𑂵 𑂦𑂷𑂔𑂣𑂳𑂩 𑂏𑂷𑂞𑂩 𑂮𑂫𑂢𑂍 𑂧𑂳𑂪 𑂇𑂔𑂵𑂢 𑂔𑂰𑂞𑂱 𑂣𑂰𑂫𑂰𑂩}}

{{Script|Kthi|𑂮𑂳𑂫𑂁𑂮 𑂔𑂵 𑂣𑂰𑂓𑂱𑂪𑂰 𑂩𑂰𑂔𑂢𑂹𑂯 𑂍𑂵 𑂇𑂣𑂩𑂷𑂯𑂱𑂞 𑂯𑂈𑂯𑂲 𑂮𑂵 𑂯𑂧𑂯𑂳 𑂍𑂆𑂪 𑂃𑂣𑂢 𑂇𑂣𑂩𑂷𑂯𑂱𑂞}}

Devnagari

स्वोस्ति स्रि रिपुराज दैत्यनाराएनेत्य-आदि बिबिध बिरदवली बिराजमान मनोनत स्री माहाराजाधिराज राजा स्री-जिव देव देवानाम् सदा समर बिजैना। आगे सुवंस पांड़े परा-आग के उपरोहित पाछिल राजन्ह के उपरोहित हऊही से हमहु आपन उपरोहित कईल। जे केउ परा-अग माह आवे से सुवंस पांड़े के माने, उजेन नाव ॥। ११३६ साल मोकाम दावा धुस समत १७८५ समै नाम बैसाख सुदि तिरोदसि रोज बुध। प्रगने भोजपुर गोतर सवनक मुल उजेन जाति पावार

सुवंस जे पाछिला राजन्ह के उपरोहित हऊही से हमहु कईल अपन उपरोहित

English Translation

The statement is that: Suvansa pande of Prayag is the priest of the past Rājās, so I also made him my priest. Whosoever among the Ujjen (Rajputs) comes to Prayag should have regard for him. Year 1136 place Dawa (The old place of the Rajas of Bhojpur, now a village) samat 1785 (A.D. 1728) date 13th of the bright part of Baisakha, Wednesday Paragana Bhojpur, Gotra Sawanak, origin Ujen, caste Pawara.

Suvans, who is the priest of the past Rājās, him I also made my priest.

| author = Horil Siha (King of Bhojpur)

| source = Origin and Development of Bhojpuri, pp 218-219

}}

In this period the British established themselves as the colonial power in India, and scholars from Britain conducted the first academic study of Bhojpuri. Bhojpuri folk literature was researched, and the Bhojpuri region was mapped for the first time. In this period Bhojpuri became an international language.{{Sfn|Pandey|1986|p=105}} Between 1838 and 1917 labourers from the Bhojpuri region were taken to British Colonies like Fiji, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and South Africa, as well as the Dutch colony of Suriname as plantation workers. Linguistic analysis of the South African context indicates that while the majority of migrants arriving via Calcutta (1860-1911) originated from Bhojpuri-speaking areas of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh, there was also a substantial presence of speakers from Awadhi-speaking regions. This resulted in a process of language coalescence and the formation of a distinct koiné variety of Bhojpuri in South Africa, influenced by contact between these related dialects. Music genres based on Bhojpuri folk music such as Chutney music, Baithak Gana, Geet Gawanai and Lok Geet arose in those countries.{{cite news|title=The legacy of Indian migration to European colonies|url=https://www.economist.com/news/international/21727896-century-after-india-ended-system-indentured-labour-its-diaspora-building|access-date=2 September 2017|newspaper=The Economist|date=2 September 2017|archive-date=1 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901212224/https://www.economist.com/news/international/21727896-century-after-india-ended-system-indentured-labour-its-diaspora-building|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Indian Arrival Day|url=https://www.nalis.gov.tt/Resources/Subject-Guide/Indian-Arrival-Day|website=www.nalis.gov.tt|access-date=29 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212091036/https://www.nalis.gov.tt/Resources/Subject-Guide/Indian-Arrival-Day|archive-date=12 February 2017|url-status=dead}} In the Caribbean, particularly Trinidad, the evolution from Bhojpuri folk traditions performed at weddings led to the development of Chutney music as a distinct genre, often incorporating English lyrics and Soca rhythms alongside Bhojpuri elements.{{Cite book |title=ORAL LITERARY WORLDS (Chapter 4) |editor-last=Marzagora |editor-first=Sara |pages=145–165 |language=En}}

File:Paramaribo - Kleine Combeweg - Baba en Mai 20160922.jpgOlga van der Klooster & Michel Bakker, Architectuur en bouwcultuur in Suriname (2009). KIT Publishers. {{ISBN|978-90-6832-531-7}}. Blz. 329-330.]]

British scholars like Buchanan, Beames and George Abraham Grierson studied the language in details. Beames published the grammar of Bhojpuri for the first time in 1868. Grierson compiled and published the folksongs of Bhojpuri in 1884. He published the folklore of Bhojpuri and also made the dictionaries in Bhojpuri. He also conducted the Linguistic Survey of India.{{Sfn|Pandey|1986|p=101-111}}

In the 19th century, notable works like Devakshara Charita, Badmash Darpan were published. In the 20th century, Bhikhari Thakur contributed significantly to Bhojpuri literature and theatre with his notable plays like Bidesiya, Beti Bechwa, Gabarghichor and novels like Bindia and Phulsunghi were published. In 1962, the first Bhojpuri film, Ganga Maiyya Tohe Piyari Chadhaibo was released and became the founding stone of the Bhojpuri film industry.

Bhojpuri is listed as a potentially vulnerable language in the UNESCO world atlas of languages due to the influence of Hindi.{{Cite web |title=Bhojpuri |url=https://en.wal.unesco.org/languages/bhojpuri }} Words like Bujhã are being replaced by Hindi words like Samjhã.{{Cite journal |last=Gambhir |first=Surendra K. |date=1983 |title=Diglossia in Dying Languages: A Case Study of Guyanese Bhojpuri and Standard Hindi |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/30027654 |journal=Anthropological Linguistics |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=28–38 |jstor=30027654 |issn=0003-5483 |access-date=12 October 2024 |archive-date=14 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240414065416/https://www.jstor.org/stable/30027654 |url-status=live }}

The Bhojpuri-speaking region covers the area of 73,000 square kilometres approximately in India and Nepal{{Cite book|last=Jain|first=Dinesh|title=The Indo-Aryan Languages|publisher=Routledge|year=2007|isbn=978-1135797102}} and borders the Awadhi-speaking region to the west, the Nepali-speaking region to the north, the Magahi and Bajjika-speaking regions to the east and the Chhattisgarhi and Bagheli-speaking regions to the south. In Nepal, Bhojpuri is a major language. There are a number of Bhojpuri-speaking Muslims that are part of the Muhajir community in Pakistan, as well as in Bangladesh, where they are referred to as Stranded Pakistanis due to them speaking Bhojpuri and Urdu as their native tongue and not Bengali as most Bangladeshis do. They migrated to Bangladesh there during the Partition of India when the area was part of East Pakistan, before gaining independence as Bangladesh.

File:East Indian Coolies in Trinidad - Project Gutenberg eText 16035.jpg

Bhojpuri is spoken by descendants of indentured labourers brought in the 19th and early 20th centuries for work in plantations in British colonies. These Bhojpuri speakers live in Mauritius, Fiji, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Jamaica, and other parts of the Caribbean.{{cite web|title=Forced Labour|year=2010|publisher=The National Archives, Government of the United Kingdom|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackhistory/india/forced.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161204015712/http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackhistory/india/forced.htm|archive-date=4 December 2016}} In South Africa, speakers were historically concentrated in the Natal province. However, the language experienced significant decline throughout the 20th century, undergoing language shift towards English, with intergenerational transmission largely ceasing by the late 1900s. This South African variety also experienced language contact effects from English, Zulu, and Fanagalo. In Mauritius, music is considered a primary vehicle for maintaining the language, with songs often reflecting adaptation to new environments and mixing Bhojpuri with Mauritian Creole. In Trinidad and Tobago, while Caribbean Hindustani remains, popular music forms like Chutney often feature significant English admixture, reflecting linguistic creolisation, as exemplified by artists like Sundar Popo.

File:Indo-Aryan language map.svg of South Asia; Eastern Indo-Aryan languages in shades of yellow]]

Bhojpuri is an Indo-European language and belongs to the Eastern Indo-Aryan group of the Indo-Aryan languages. The Magahi and Maithili languages of Eastern Indo-Aryan group are closest living relatives of Bhojpuri. Odia, Bengali and Assamese are also closely related.{{Cite book|last=Dept|first=West Bengal (India) Information and Public Relations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JITKDDK11M4C&q=Bhojpuri+and+Bengali|title=Introducing West Bengal|date=1976|publisher=Department of Information and Public Relations, Government of West Bengal|language=en}}{{Cite book|last=Tuṅga|first=Sudhāṃśu Śekhara|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lRRYBHQvXdsC&q=Bhojpuri+and+Bengali&pg=PA79|title=Bengali and Other Related Dialects of South Assam|date=1995|publisher=Mittal Publications|isbn=978-81-7099-588-3|language=en}} Bhojpuri along with Magahi and Maithili, are grouped together as the Bihari languages. Together with the other branches of Eastern Indo-Aryan, the Bihari languages are considered to be direct descendants of the Magadhi Prakrit.

Bhojpuri is classified as an Eastern Indo-Aryan Language because it has similar inflexion system to the other languages of the same family such as Bengali, Maithili and Odia. For example, the pronunciation of the vowel a is broad in Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, and sounds like o in Bengali, on moving westwards it becomes less broad but still can be differentiated from the sharp cut a in Middle Indo-Aryan.{{clarify|reason=What are the IPA symbols for these sounds?|date=July 2022}} In Bhojpuri, the clear cut a and the drawled a, which sounds like aw in the word awl{{clarify|reason=What is the IPA symbol for this sound? The word cited is pronounced differently in different dialects of English.|date=July 2022}} are present and the contrast between the two gives a different tone to the language.{{Cite book|last=Pandey|first=Shruti|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z35jAAAAMAAJ&q=Similar|title=A Comparative Study of Bhojpuri and Bengali|date=2003|publisher=Vishwavidyalaya Prakashan|isbn=978-81-7124-343-3|pages=122|language=en}} This drawled a is represented by Avagraha (ऽ), for instance, the word dekh'la, you see, is written as देेखऽलऽ.Other proposed methods to represent the drawled "a" sound are, देख'ल', देखःलः and देखअलअ.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} Other property of Eastern Indo Aryan languages is that the adjectives does not change with the noun. For instance, moṭā is the feminine form of moṭī in Hindi. However, as with Bebgali, in Bhojpuri, only moṭ is used. The past and future tense in Bhojpuri is formed in same way as other Eastern Indo-Aryan Languages, by adding a suffix stating from -la and -ba respectively to the verb. Form example, I shall See, in Bengali is dekh-bo and in Bhojpuri is dekh-ab.

Some scholars has also divided the East Indo Aryan or Magadhan languages in to three sub-groups viz. Western, Central and Eastern. Bengali, Assamese, Odia belongs to Eastern Magadhan, Maithili and Magahi to Central and Bhojpuri to western.{{Cite book|last=Varmā|first=Śīlā|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qndjAAAAMAAJ&q=Bhojpuri+magahi+Maithili|title=The Structure of the Magahi Verb|date=1985|publisher=Manohar|pages=6|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I34LAQAAMAAJ&q=western+Magadhan|title=International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics: IJDL.|date=2008|publisher=Department of Linguistics, University of Kerala|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O1RbjdP6nrgC&q=western+Magadhan|title=The New Encyclopædia Britannica|date=1983|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|isbn=978-0-85229-400-0|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0yAKAQAAIAAJ&q=western+Magadhan|title=The History and Culture of the Indian People|date=1951|publisher=G. Allen & Unwin|pages=358|language=en}} Bhojpuri is classified as Western Magadhan because it has some properties which are peculiar to itself and are not present in other Magadhan Languages. Some striking differences are:

• raürā or raüwā as an honorfic pronoun for second person along with the apne form is used Bhojpuri. apne form is their in other Magadhan Languages but raüwā is totally absent.
• Verb substantive in other Magadhan language is of -acch for but Bhojpuri has -baṭe and hawe.{{Cite book|last=Study|first=Indian Institute of Advanced|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c_M7AQAAIAAJ&q='bate'|title=Transactions|date=1969|publisher=R. Nivas.|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SBzaAAAAMAAJ&q=bate+|title=Bihar in Folklore Study: An Anthology|date=1971|publisher=Indian Publications|language=en}}
• The simple present is made by Bhojpuri by adding a suffix starting from -la with the verb, but this is totally absent in the other languages of Magadhan group. Hence, he sees, is dēkhe-lā in Bhojpuri but in but dekhait-chhi in Maithili and dekhechhi in Bengali.

Bhojpuri has several dialects: Southern Standard Bhojpuri, Northern Standard Bhojpuri, Western Standard Bhojpuri,[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/lsi/6968AK Parable of the prodigal son in Benares Bhojpuri] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101536/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/lsi/6968AK |date=4 March 2016 }}, A Recording in May 1920 by Rajaji Gupta, Linguistic Survey of India, Digital South Asia Library, University of Chicago, USA and Nagpuria Bhojpuri.[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/lsi/6588AK Parable of the prodigal son in Nagpuria Bhojpuri] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304210005/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/lsi/6588AK |date=4 March 2016 }}, A Recording in 1920 by Shiva Sahay Lal, Linguistic Survey of India, Digital South Asia Library, University of Chicago, USA[http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?menu=004&LangID=133 Bhojpuri] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225194746/http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?menu=004&LangID=133 |date=25 February 2014 }} Language Materials Project, University of California, Los Angeles, United States

Southern Standard Bhojpuri is prevalent in the Shahabad district (Buxar, Bhojpur, Rohtas, and Kaimur districts) and the Saran region (Saran, Siwan and Gopalganj districts) in Bihar, the eastern Azamgarh (Ballia and eastern Mau districts) and Varanasi (eastern part of Ghazipur district) regions in Uttar Pradesh, and in the Palamu division (Palamu and Garhwa districts) in Jharkhand. The dialect is also known as Kharwari.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Northern Bhojpuri is common in the western Tirhut division (east and west Champaran and in Muzaffarpur district) in Bihar, and Gorakhpur division (Deoria, Kushinagar, Gorakhpur, and Maharajganj districts) and Basti division ( Sidharthanagar, and Sant Kabir Nagar districts) in Uttar Pradesh. It is also spoken in Nepal.Shaligram Shukla (1981), Bhojpuri Grammar, Georgetown University School of Language, {{ISBN|978-0878401895}}

Western Bhojpuri is prevalent in the areas of Varanasi (Varanasi, Chandauli, eastern Jaunpur, and the western part of Ghazipur district), Azamgarh (Azamgarh district, western part of Mau district) and Mirzapur (eastern Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts) divisions in Uttar Pradesh.{{Cite book |last1=Cardona |first1=George |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OtCPAgAAQBAJ&dq=Mirzapur+district+Bhojpuri+language&pg=PA518 |title=The Indo-Aryan Languages |last2=Jain |first2=Dhanesh K. |date=26 July 2007 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-79711-9 |language=en}} Banarasi is a local name for Bhojpuri, named after Banaras.{{citation needed|date=February 2024}}

Nagpuria Bhojpuri is the southernmost popular dialect, found in the Chota Nagpur Plateau of Jharkhand, particularly parts of Palamu, South Chotanagpur and Kolhan divisions. It is sometimes referred to as Sadari.Monika Horstmann (1969), Sadari, Indologia Berolinensis, Otto Harrassowitz – Wiesbaden, Germany, pp 176–180{{Cite journal |last=Thiel-Horstmann |first=M. |date=1969 |title=Sadani : a Bhojpuri dialect spoken in Chotanagpur |s2cid=127410862 |language=en}}

A more specific classification recognises the dialects of Bhojpuri as Bhojpuri Domra, Madhesi, Musahari, Northern Standard Bhojpuri (Basti, Gorakhpuri, Sarawaria), Southern Standard Bhojpuri (Kharwari), Western Standard Bhojpuri (Benarsi, Purbi) and Nagpuriya Bhojpuri.

Among the seven languages which are sociolinguistically often counted as Hindi dialects (Haryanvi, Braj, Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Bundeli, Bagheli, and Kannauji),Diwakar Mishra and Kalika Bali, [http://www.icphs2011.hk/resources/OnlineProceedings/RegularSession/Mishra/Mishra.pdf A COMPARATIVE PHONOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE DIALECTS OF HINDI] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201170926/http://www.icphs2011.hk/resources/OnlineProceedings/RegularSession/Mishra/Mishra.pdf|date=1 February 2014}}, ICPhS XVII, Hong Kong, 17–21 August 2011, pp 1390 Bhojpuri has the most allophonic variations in vowels.Diwakar Mishra and Kalika Bali, [http://www.icphs2011.hk/resources/OnlineProceedings/RegularSession/Mishra/Mishra.pdf A COMPARATIVE PHONOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE DIALECTS OF HINDI] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201170926/http://www.icphs2011.hk/resources/OnlineProceedings/RegularSession/Mishra/Mishra.pdf |date=1 February 2014 }}, ICPhS XVII, Hong Kong, 17–21 August 2011, pp 1390–1393

Bhojpuri has 6 vowel phonemes and 10 vocoids. The higher vowels are relatively tense, and the lower vowels are relatively lax. The language has 31 consonant phonemes and 34 contoids (6 bilabial, 4 apico-dental, 5 apico-alveolar, 7 retroflex, 6 alveo-palatal, 5 dorso-velar, and 1 glottal).

Linguist Robert L. Trammell published the phonology of Northern Standard Bhojpuri in 1971.{{Cite journal |jstor=30029290|title=The Phonology of the Northern Standard Dialect of Bhojpuri|journal=Anthropological Linguistics|volume=13|issue=4|pages=126–141|last1=Trammell|first1=Robert L.|year=1971}}Verma, Manindra K. (2003), Bhojpuri, In Cardona et al. (Editors), The Indo-Aryan Languages, 515–537. London: Routledge According to him, the syllable system is peak type: every syllable has the vowel phoneme as the highest point of sonority. Codas may consist of one, two, or three consonants. Vowels occur as simple peaks or as peak nuclei in diphthongs. The intonation system involves 4 pitch levels and 3 terminal contours.Shukla, Shaligram (1981), Bhojpuri Grammar, Washington, D. C., Georgetown University Press

{{main|Bhojpuri Grammar}}

According to George Abraham Grierson, the grammar of Bhojpuri is simpler than other languages of the same family.{{Cite book|last=Grierson|first=G.A.|title=Linguistic Survey of India. Vol V. Part II|year=1902}} Nouns in Bhojpuri have three forms: short, long and redundant. The adjectives of nouns do not change with genders. Plurals are made by adding either the suffix -na or ni with the nouns or adding the multitudes such as sabh (all) or lōg (people).

Examples:

Except few instances the Verb forms of Bhojpuri depend only on the subject and the object has no effect on it. Unlike other Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, Bhojpuri has a different verb form for the present tense, which corresponds to the Future forms of Nepali. It is formed by adding the suffix -lā to the present subjunctive. Therefore, for the verb to see the Bhojpuri verb is dekhe and the present form is dhekhelā, which is peculiar to itself and is not found in other languages of the same family like Magahi (dekhaït haï), Maithili (dekhaït achi) and Bengali (dekhechī). The Verbs forms of second person singular (dekh'be; you will see) is considered vulgar in Bhojpuri, plural form ({{lang|bho-Latn|dekhab'}}) is used in general. When it is desired to show respect the first person singular form ({{lang|bho-Latn|dekhab}}; I will see) is used instead of second person plural ({{lang|bho-Latn|dekhab'}}). To show plural number the suffix -sa' or -ja is also used with the 2nd and third person forms, thus dekhe-la'-sa is they see. The present perfect form is made by adding ha' to the past form. Thus, ham dekh'li (I saw) is the past from and its present perfect form is {{lang|bho-Latn|ham dekh'li ha'}} (I have seen). Past perfect in regular verbs are made by adding the suffix -al to the verb (dekh - dekhal), but in some cases it has irregular forms like kar (kail), mar (mual) etc.

Numerals of Bhojpuri take the classifier gō and ṭhō, which emphasises the countability and totality both. To show inclusiveness and exclusiveness, Bhojpuri used the suffixes -o and -e as in ham āmo khāïb (I will eat mangoes too) verses ham āme khāïb (I will eat only mangoes). These suffixes can be added to any lexical category such as numerals, adjectives etc.{{Cite book|last1=Jain|first1=Dinesh|title=The Indo-Aryan Languages|last2=Cardona|first2=George|publisher=Routledge|year=2007|isbn=9781135797119}}

The auxiliaries in Bhojpuri are formed on five bases viz. ha, ho, hokh, bāṭ, rah. These also act as the Copula. The bāṭ form provides for the tenses and the hokh or ho form provides for the modes, where as rah is the past of other three.

File:Kaithi2.png script by Babu Rama Smaran Lal in 1898]]

Bhojpuri was historically written in Kaithi script, but since 1894 Devanagari has served as the primary script. Kaithi has variants as the locality changes, the three classified varianta are Tirhuti, Magahi and Bhojpuri variants. The Bhojpuri variant is used for writing Bhojpuri. Kaithi is now rarely used for Bhojpuri.

Kaithi script was used for administrative purposes in the Mughal era for writing Bhojpuri, Awadhi, Maithili, Magahi, and Hindustani from at least the 16th century up to the first decade of the 20th century. Government gazetteers{{who|date=January 2020}} report that Kaithi was used in a few districts of Bihar throughout the 1960s. Bhojpuri residents of India who moved to British colonies in Africa, the Indian Ocean, and the Caribbean in the 19th and early 20th centuries used both Kaithi and Devanagari scripts.Rajend Mesthrie, Language in indenture: a sociolinguistic history of Bhojpuri-Hindi in South Africa, Routledge, 1992, {{ISBN|978-0415064040}}, pages 30–32

File:Kaithi signboard.jpg (on the left side), Persian script (on the right side) and Roman script (above).]]

By 1894 both Kaithi and Devanagari became common scripts to write official texts in Bihar. At present almost all Bhojpuri texts are written in Devanagari, even in islands outside of India where Bhojpuri is spoken. In Mauritius, Kaithi script was historically considered informal, and Devanagari was sometimes spelled as Devanagri. In modern Mauritius, the major script is Devanagari.Sarita Boodho, Bhojpuri traditions in Mauritius, Mauritius Bhojpuri Institute, 1999, {{ISBN|978-9990390216}}, pages 47–48 and 85–92

{{self-contradictory|about=the number of levels of politeness|date=July 2022}}

Bhojpuri syntax and vocabulary reflects a three-tier system of politeness. Any verb can be conjugated through these tiers. The verb to come in Bhojpuri is aail and the verb to speak is bolal. The imperatives come! and speak! can be conjugated in five ways, each marking subtle variation in politeness and propriety. These permutations exclude a host of auxiliary verbs and expressions, which can be added to verbs to add another degree of subtle variation. For extremely polite or formal situations, the pronoun is generally omitted.

{{plain row headers}}

Similarly, adjectives are marked for politeness and formality. The adjective your has several forms with different tones of politeness: tum (casual and intimate), "tōhār" (polite and intimate), "t'hār" (formal yet intimate), rā'ur (polite and formal) and āpke (extremely formal). Although there are many tiers of politeness, Bhojpuri speakers mainly use the form tu to address a younger individual and raua for an individual who is older, or holds a higher position in workplace situations.

Greater official recognition of Bhojpuri, such as by inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India, has been demanded.{{by whom|date=January 2020}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3429620.ece|title=Chidambaram speaks a surprise|date=17 May 2012|agency=The Hindu|access-date=5 June 2012|location=Chennai, India|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120520172134/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3429620.ece|archive-date=20 May 2012}} In 2018, Bhojpuri was given second-language status in Jharkhand state of India.{{cite news|title=Jharkhand gives second language status to Magahi, Angika, Bhojpuri and Maithili|url=https://www.avenuemail.in/ranchi/jharkhand-gives-second-language-status-to-magahi-angika-bhojpuri-and-maithili/118291/|access-date=17 December 2019|work=Avenue Mail|date=21 March 2018|archive-date=28 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328090028/https://www.avenuemail.in/ranchi/jharkhand-gives-second-language-status-to-magahi-angika-bhojpuri-and-maithili/118291/|url-status=dead}}

Bhojpuri is taught in matriculation and at the higher secondary level in the Bihar School Education Board and the Board of High School and Intermediate Education Uttar Pradesh.{{Citation needed|date=November 2019}} It is also taught in various universities in India, such as Veer Kunwar Singh University,{{Cite web|url=https://vksu.ac.in/new/bhojpuri/|title=Bhojpuri|access-date=17 December 2019|archive-date=17 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217170106/https://vksu.ac.in/new/bhojpuri/|url-status=dead}} Banaras Hindu University,{{Cite web|url=http://www.bhu.ac.in/arts/bhojpuri/pc.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718084839/http://bhu.ac.in/arts/bhojpuri/pc.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 July 2014|title=Banaras Hindu University, Faculty of Arts, bhojpuri addhyan kendra Varanasi|website=www.bhu.ac.in|access-date=17 December 2019}} Nalanda Open University,{{Cite web|url=http://www.nalandaopenuniversity.com/notices/Schools/school%20of%20language/content%20for%20website%20for%20Certificate%20course%20in%20Bhojpuri.pdf|title=Bhojpuri in NOU|access-date=17 December 2019|archive-date=28 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228073002/http://www.nalandaopenuniversity.com/notices/Schools/school%20of%20language/content%20for%20website%20for%20Certificate%20course%20in%20Bhojpuri.pdf|url-status=dead}} and Dr. Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University.{{Cite web |url=http://dsmru.up.nic.in/User/course.aspx |title=Archived copy |access-date=6 June 2019 |archive-date=16 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516181428/http://dsmru.up.nic.in/User/course.aspx |url-status=dead }}

{{main|Bhojpuri literature}}

File:Badmash Darpan (cover).jpg by Teg Ali Teg]]

Lorikayan, the story of Veer Lorik contains Bhojpuri folklore from Eastern Uttar Pradesh.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=75e5RRqIhMQC&q=lorik+ahir&pg=PA8 |title=Traditions of heroic and epic poetry |date=4 December 1969 |access-date=27 February 2014|isbn=9780900547720 |last1=Auty |first1=Robert }} Bhikhari Thakur's Bidesiya is a play, written as a book. Phool Daliya is a well-known book by Prasiddha Narayan Singh. It comprises poems of veer ras (A style of writing) on the theme of azaadi (Freedom) about his experiences in the Quit India movement and India's struggle with poverty after the country gained independence.

Although Bhojpuri is not one of the established literary languages of India, it has a strong tradition of oral literature.{{cite web |url=https://www.mustgo.com/ |title=Bhojpuri |access-date=30 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129164832/https://www.mustgo.com/worldlanguages/bhojpuri/?amp |archive-date=29 January 2023 }} This "persistent orality" continues in the diaspora, where the language often thrives more through performance, particularly song and music (like folk songs and Chutney), than through formal print literature, adapting across multiple media platforms like radio, recordings, and digital formats.

The first journal to be published in Bhojpuri was Bagsar Samāchar which was published in 1915, but was closed in 1918.{{cite book |title=Journal of Historical Research |date=2004 |publisher=Department of History, Ranchi University. |page=91 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7qZQAQAAMAAJ&q=bagsar+samachar+bhojpuri+1915|quote=The first quarterly in Bhojpuri Bagsar Samachar came up in 1915 but was closed down in 1918}} The first Bhojpuri weekly was published on 15 August 1947. Bhojpuri journalism rose massively in 1960s and 1970s, Bhojpuri Parivar (Patna), Bhojpuri Mandal (Motihari), Bhojpuri Samaj (Arrah) were some prominent journals of that time.{{Cite journal |last=Yadav |first=Minakshi |date=2023 |title=Debunking the Myth of the Standard: Development of Hindi in Bihar |journal=International Journal of English and Studies |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=10}} Many Bhojpuri magazines and papers are published in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh. Several Bhojpuri newspapers are available locally in northern India. Parichhan is a contemporary literary-cultural Maithili-Bhojpuri magazine, published by a Maithili-Bhojpuri academy and the government of Delhi, and edited by Parichay Das. The Sunday Indian, Bhojpuri{{Cite web|url=http://www.thesundayindian.com/bh/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130031143/http://www.thesundayindian.com/bh/|url-status=dead|title=Today Bhojpuri Newspaper Update Headlines India- The Sunday Indian Online Magazine – The Sunday Indian|archive-date=30 January 2014|website=www.thesundayindian.com|access-date=17 December 2019}} is a regular national news magazine in Bhojpuri. Aakhar is a monthly online Bhojpuri literature magazine.{{cite web|url=http://www.aakhar.com |title=आखर भोजपुरी पत्रिका Aakhar Bhojpuri Magazine |access-date=13 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305153456/http://www.aakhar.com/ |archive-date=5 March 2016 }} Other media in Bhojpuri include Lok Lucknow,{{cite web|url=https://rni.nic.in/display_language.asp |title=Archived copy |access-date=10 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225130153/http://rni.nic.in/display_language.asp |archive-date=25 February 2015 }} and the channels Mahuaa TV and Hamar TV. Bhojpuri Wikipedia was launched in 2003.{{Cite book|title=A Study on the Usage of Internet by Working Women of Vadodara City for Performing Their Household Responsibilities|publisher=Anchor Academic Publishing|year=2016|isbn=978-3960675518}} On 22 May 2022, Google Translate added Bhojpuri as one of their languages.{{cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/google-translate-gets-24-new-languages-including-assamese-bhojpuri-sanskrit-1948298-2022-05-11 | title=Google Translate now supports Sanskrit and Bhojpuri | date=11 May 2022 | access-date=3 November 2022 | archive-date=3 November 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221103095819/https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/google-translate-gets-24-new-languages-including-assamese-bhojpuri-sanskrit-1948298-2022-05-11 | url-status=live }}

Bhojpuri vocabularies have similarity with other Indo Aryan languages and also have loanwords from Persian. Tiwari has classified the words of Bhojpuri in to 6 parts:{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=xliv}}

• Words of Sanskrit origin
• Words with untraceable origin
• Words borrowed from other Indo-Aryan Languages
• Sanskrit words either in original or modified form
• Words of non-Aryan Indian origin
• Foreign origin (Arabic, British etc.)

Words of Persian origin are roughly classified under the following head:{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=xlv}}

• Words pertaining to kingly states: amīr, kābū, hajūr
• Words relating to Revenue, Administration and Law: darogā, hak, huliyā
• Words relating to Islam: Allāh, tobā, mahjid
• Words of intellectual culture, music, education: ilīm, ijjat, munsi
• Words of material culture: kāgaj, kismis, sāl

Since Bengal has been one of the greatest centre for Bhojpuri-speaking people, Bhojpuri has taken a number of words from Bengali. It is also probable that words of European origin came to Bhojpuri through Bengali.{{Sfn|Tiwari|1960|p=xlvi}} The specific vocabulary of South African Bhojpuri also reflects contact with other languages prevalent in the region, notably incorporating loanwords from Zulu and the pidgin Fanagalo, alongside English.

|-

|Welcome/Please come in

|{{interlinear|lang=bho|Aain na|आईं ना|}}

|-

|How are you?

|{{interlinear|lang=bho|Ka haal ba? / Kaisan hava?|का हाल बा? / कइसन हवऽ?|}}

|-

|I'm good. And you? / We're good. And you

|{{interlinear|lang=bho|Hum theek baani. Aur rauwa? / Humni theek hañi. Aur aap?|हम ठीक बानी। अउर रउवा? / हमनी ठीक हईं। अउर आप?|}}

|-

|What is your name?

|{{interlinear|lang=bho|Tohaar naav ka ha? / Raur naav ka ha?|तोहार नाँव का ह? / राउर नाँव का ह?|}}

|-

|My name is ...

|{{interlinear|lang=bho|Hamar naav ... ha|हमार नाँव ... ह|}}

|-

|What's up?

|{{interlinear|lang=bho|Kaa howat aa?|का होवत आ?|}}

|-

|I love you

|{{interlinear|lang=bho|Hum tohse pyaar kareni / Hum tohra se pyaar kareni|हम तोहसे प्यार करेनी / हम तोहरा से प्यार करेनी|}}

|}

• atharāiṭīs (𑂃𑂟𑂩𑂰𑂅𑂗𑂲𑂮/अथराइटीस): From Arthritis.
• afkaran (𑂃𑂤𑂺𑂍𑂩𑂢/अफ़करन): Used in South African Bhojpuri, Borrowed from English phrase "Half a Crown".{{Cite book |last=Dalby |first=Andrew |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7dHNCgAAQBAJ&dq=%22bhojpuri%22+%22word%22+%22english%22+%22loanword%22&pg=PA91 |title=Dictionary of Languages: The definitive reference to more than 400 languages |date=28 October 2015 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-4081-0214-5 |language=en}}
• askūṭara (𑂃𑂮𑂹𑂍𑂴𑂗𑂩/अस्कूटर): From Scooter.
• asaṭāṭ (𑂃𑂮𑂗𑂰𑂗/असटाट): From English verb Start. sṭāṭ is used in South Aftican Bhojpuri. It was borrowed in sense of starting a Motor vehicle or any other mechanical device.{{Cite book |last1=Barz |first1=Richard Keith |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lMns1oU3n14C&dq=%22bhojpuri%22+%22word%22+%22english%22+%22loanword%22&pg=PA162 |title=Language Transplanted: The Development of Overseas Hindi |last2=Siegel |first2=Jeff |date=1988 |publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag |isbn=978-3-447-02872-1 |language=en}}
• aspatāla (𑂃𑂮𑂹𑂣𑂞𑂰𑂪/अस्पताल): From Hospital.
• injin (𑂅𑂢𑂹𑂔𑂱𑂢/इन्जिन): From Engine.
• eroplena (𑂉𑂩𑂷𑂣𑂪𑂵𑂢/एरोपलेन): From Aeroplane.
• kār (𑂍𑂰𑂩/कार): From English Car. khār is used in South African Bhojpuri.
• ṭībī (𑂗𑂲𑂥𑂲/टीबी): From T.B., the short form of Tuberculosis.
• ṭeksī (𑂗𑂵𑂍𑂹𑂮𑂲/टेक्सी): From Taxi.
• ṭesan (𑂗𑂵𑂮𑂢/टेसन): from English Station.
• ḍākṭar (𑂙𑂰𑂍𑂹𑂗𑂩/डाक्टर): From Doctor. In South African Bhojpuri ḍokṭar or ḍokṭe is used.
• nars (𑂢𑂩𑂹𑂮/नर्स): From Nurse. nes or staf-nes (Staff Nurse) in South African Bhojpuri.
• peṭarol (𑂣𑂵𑂗𑂩𑂷𑂪/पेटरोल): From Petrol.
• palaga (𑂣𑂪𑂏/पलग): From Plug.
• baeṭrī (𑂥𑂉𑂗𑂹𑂩𑂲/बएट्री): From Battery.
• ba's (𑂥𑂮/बस): From Bus. baz in South African Bhojpuri.
• bhaena (𑂦𑂉𑂢/भएन): From Van. ven is used in South African Bhojpuri.
• moṭar (𑂧𑂷𑂗𑂩/मोटर): From English word Motor, also used for Motor vehicle.
• rēl (𑂩𑂵𑂪/रेल): from English rail, meaning Train.
• rēl-gār̤ī (𑂩𑂵𑂪𑂏𑂰𑂚𑂲/रेलगाड़ी): gār̤ī is a Bhojpuri word meaning Vehicle.
• laurī (𑂪𑂸𑂩𑂲/लौरी): From English word Lorry. Lori is used in South African Bhojpuri.
• sāikīl (𑂮𑂰𑂅𑂍𑂲𑂪/साइकील): From bicycle.
• sīka (𑂮𑂲𑂍/सीक): From sick. Used in South African Bhojpuri, with the verbal form sīkā gael (has become sick).
• sūgar (𑂮𑂴𑂏𑂩/सूगर): From sugar, meaning Diabetes.
• hāṭ (𑂯𑂰𑂗/हाट): From Heart, it used for any heart related disease.

The following is Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in four languages:

• Bhojpuri (kaithi){{Snd}}{{Script|Kthi|𑂃𑂢𑂳𑂒𑂹𑂓𑂵𑂠 १: 𑂮𑂥𑂯𑂱 𑂪𑂷𑂍𑂰𑂢𑂱 𑂄𑂔𑂰𑂠𑂵 𑂔𑂢𑂹𑂧𑂵𑂪𑂰 𑂄𑂇𑂩 𑂋𑂎𑂱𑂢𑂱𑂨𑂷 𑂍𑂵 𑂥𑂩𑂰𑂥𑂩 𑂮𑂧𑂹𑂧𑂰𑂢 𑂄𑂋𑂩 𑂃𑂡𑂱𑂍𑂰𑂩 𑂣𑂹𑂩𑂰𑂣𑂹𑂞 𑂯𑂫𑂵 𑃀 𑂋𑂎𑂱𑂢𑂱𑂨𑂷 𑂍𑂵 𑂣𑂰𑂮 𑂮𑂧𑂕-𑂥𑂴𑂕 𑂄𑂇𑂩 𑂃𑂢𑂹𑂞:𑂍𑂩𑂝 𑂍𑂵 𑂄𑂫𑂰𑂔 𑂯𑂷𑂎𑂞𑂰 𑂄𑂋𑂩 𑂯𑂳𑂢𑂍𑂷 𑂍𑂵 𑂠𑂷𑂮𑂩𑂰 𑂍𑂵 𑂮𑂰𑂟 𑂦𑂰𑂆𑂒𑂰𑂩𑂵 𑂍𑂵 𑂥𑂵𑂫𑂯𑂰𑂩 𑂍𑂩𑂵 𑂍𑂵 𑂯𑂷𑂎𑂪𑂰 𑃁}}
• Bhojpuri (Devanagari){{Snd}} अनुच्छेद १: सबहिं लोकनि स्वतंत्रे जन्मेलन अउर ओखिनियहूं के समान सम्मान अउरी अधिकार प्राप्त हवे। ओखिनियो के पास समझ-बूझ अ अंत:करण के स्वर होखता आओर हुनके हुं के दोसरा के साथ भ्रातृत्त्व के बेवहार करय के चाही।{{cite web |title=Universal Declaration of Human Rights{{Snd}} Bhojpuri |url=https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/bhj.pdf |website=United Nations |access-date=3 January 2020 |page=1 |language=bho |date=23 April 2019 |archive-date=3 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103114805/https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/bhj.pdf |url-status=live }}
• Sarnámi Hindustani (a dialect of Caribbean Hindustani){{Snd}} {{lang|hns-Latn|Aadhiaai 1: Sab djanne aadjádi aur barabar paidaa bhailèn, iddjat aur hak mê. Ohi djanne ke lage sab ke samadj-boedj aur hierdaai hai aur doesare se sab soemmat sè, djaane-maane ke chaahin}}.{{cite web |title=Universal Declaration of Human Rights{{Snd}} Sarnámi Hindustani |url=https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/hns.pdf |website=United Nations |access-date=3 January 2020 |page=2 |version=(in Sarnámi Hindustani) |date=9 December 2013 |archive-date=3 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103114804/https://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Documents/UDHR_Translations/hns.pdf |url-status=live }}

{{Portal|India|Language}}

• Culture of Bhojpuri Region
• Bhojpuri cinema

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{{Reflist|30em}}

• Rajathi, J; Perumalsamy, P (2021). "[http://lsi.gov.in/MTSI_app/DraftReport/Bihar/9.%20BHOJPURI.pdf Bhojpuri" in Linguistic Survey of India Bihar Volume], New Delhi: Office of the Registrar General. pp. 293–407.
• {{Cite book |last=Pandey |first=Rasbihari |title=Bhōpurī Bhāshā kā itihāsa |publisher=Lok Sahitya Sangam |year=1986 |edition=1st |location=Arrah |language=Hi}}
• {{Cite book |last=Tiwari |first=Uday Narayan |title=The Origin And Development Of Bhojpuri |publisher=The Asiatic Society |year=1960}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |title=Bhojpuri Grammar |first=Shaligram |last=Shukla |publisher=Georgetown University Press |date=1981 |isbn=9780878401895}}
• {{Cite thesis |type=Masters |first=Gopal Thakur |last=Lohar |url=https://archive.org/details/a-sociolinguistic-survey-of-bhojpuri-by-gopal-thakur |title=A Sociolinguistic Survey of the Bhojpuri Language in Nepal |date=4 June 2006 |location=Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal |publisher=Central Department of Linguistics, Tribhuvan University}}
• Ghosh, Aditi (2012). "Bhojpuri as a non-dominant variety of Hindi". In: Muhr,. Rudolf et al (eds.). Non-Dominant Varieties of Pluricentric Languages. Getting the Picture. In Memory of Michael Clyne, hrsg. v. Rudolf Muhr (Österreichisches Deutsch - Sprache der Gegenwart 14). Frankfurt am Main, Berlin, Bern, Bruxelles: Peter Lang, 2012. pp. 435–452.
• {{cite thesis |first=Gopal Thakur |last=Lohar |title=A Grammar of Bhojpuri |type=PhD |location=Kathmandu, Nepal |publisher=Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Tribhuvan University |date=2020 |url=https://www.academia.edu/45566555}}

;On Diasporic Bhojpuri:

• {{cite journal |last=Gambhir |first=Surendra K. |title=Diglossia in Dying Languages: A Case Study of Guyanese Bhojpuri and Standard Hindi |journal=Anthropological Linguistics |volume=25 |issue=1 |date=1983 |pages=28–38 |jstor=30027654}}
• {{Cite journal |last=Mesthrie |first=Rajend |title=Koineization in the Bhojpuri–Hindi diaspora ― with special reference to South Africa |journal=International Journal of the Sociology of Language |issue=99 |date=1993 |pages=25–44 |doi=10.1515/ijsl.1993.99.25}}
• {{cite book |title=Language in Indenture: A Sociolinguistic History of Bhojpuri-Hindi in South Africa |first=Rajend |last=Mesthrie |publisher=Routledge |date=2020 |orig-year=1991}}
• {{cite journal |last=Jayaram |first=N. |title=The Dynamics of Language in Indian Diaspora: The Case of Bhojpuri/Hindi in Trinidad |journal=Sociological Bulletin |volume=49 |issue=1 |date=2000 |pages=41–62 |doi=10.1177/0038022920000103 |jstor=23619888}}

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{{InterWiki|code=bh|Bhojpuri}}

• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Bhojpuri, United Nations Information Centre, India (1998)
• [https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/4250/simple-search?filterquery=Bhojpuri&filtername=language&filtertype=equals Archived open-access recordings of Bhojpuri] from Kaipuleohone
• [https://arxiv.org/abs/1905.02239 English-Bhojpuri Machine Translation System]
• [http://lsi.gov.in/MTSI_app/DraftReport/Bihar/9.%20BHOJPURI.pdf Bhojpuri]. Linguistic Survey of India.
• [https://digital.library.unt.edu/explore/collections/BPLR Bhojpuri Language Resource] collection of Bhojpuri language documentation in the Computational Resource for South Asian Languages (CoRSAL) archive

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