Khandeshi language

{{Original research|date=November 2021}}

{{Short description|Indo-Aryan language spoken in India}}

{{Redirect|Ahirani|the village|Ahirani, Pindra}}

{{Distinguish|text=Ahiri language (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox language

| name = Khandeshi

| altname = Ahirani, Khandeshi

| nativename = {{lang|khn|खान्देशी, अहिराणी}}

| pronunciation =

| states = Maharashtra, India

| region = Khandesh

| speakers = 1.86 million

| date = 2011 census

| ref = {{Cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language_MTs.html|title=Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues - 2011|publisher=Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India|website=www.censusindia.gov.in|access-date=2018-07-07}}

| familycolor = Indo-European

| fam2 = Indo-Iranian

| fam3 = Indo-Aryan

| fam4 = Western[http://homepages.fh-giessen.de/kausen/klassifikationen/Indogermanisch.doc Ernst Kausen, 2006. Die Klassifikation der indogermanischen Sprachen] (Microsoft Word, 133 KB)

| script = Devanagari{{Cite web |title=Khandeshi alphabet, pronunciation and language |url=https://omniglot.com/writing/khandeshi.htm |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=omniglot.com}}

| lc1 = khn

| ld1 = Khandeshi

| lc2 = ahr

| ld2 = Ahirani (dialect)

| glotto = khan1272

| glottorefname =

| map = Distribution of khandeshi speakers 2011.jpg

| mapcaption = Distribution of Khandeshi speakers (2011)

| dia2 = Dangri

| dia1 = Khandeshi

| dia3 = Ahirani

| glotto2 = ahir1243

| glottoname2 = Ahirani (deprecated)

| glottoname = Khandesi

}}

Khandeshi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Khandesh region of north-west Maharashtra and also in Gujarat.{{Cite web |title=Khandeshi alphabet, pronunciation and language |url=https://omniglot.com/writing/khandeshi.htm |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=omniglot.com}} It consists of Khandeshi proper, and the Dangri and Ahirani dialects.{{cite book |author=Robert Vane Russell |title=pt. II. Descriptive articles on the principal castes and tribes of the Central Provinces |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4lfhAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA19 |year=1916 |publisher=Macmillan and Company, limited | pages=19–}} Kunbi and Rangari also are dialects. The Ahirani dialect of this language is mostly spoken. Devanagari script is used to write Khandeshi language.{{Cite web |title=Khandeshi alphabet, pronunciation and language |url=https://omniglot.com/writing/khandeshi.htm |access-date=2023-06-20 |website=omniglot.com}} The words "Ahirani" and "Khandeshi" are sometimes used interchangeably: Ahirani as the caste-based name (after Ahirs), and Khandesh as the region-based name. The Census of 1911, 1921 and 1931 counted the Ahirani speaking people as Gujaratis P. 12535 Parliamentary Debates, House of the People: Official Report By Indian Parliament, Lok Sabha but in latter decades they have been recognized as a different language.