Khortha language

{{Infobox language

| name = Khortha

| altname = Eastern Magahi

| nativename = खोरठा

| image = Khortha language.svg

| imagecaption = The word "Khortha" written in Devanagari script

| states = India

| region = North Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana, Jharkhand

| speakers = 8.04 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}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mag|title=Magahi |website=ethnologue}}(additional speakers counted under Hindi)

| familycolor = Indo-European

| fam2 = Indo-Iranian

| fam3 = Indo-Aryan

| fam4 = Eastern

| fam5 = Bihari

| fam6 = Magahi

| script = Devanagari

| nation = {{IND}}

Jharkhand (additional){{Cite web|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/|date=2018-03-21|website=Avenue Mail|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-27|archive-date=2019-03-28|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}}

| iso2 =

| iso3 =

| glotto =

| glottorefname =

| map =Khortha language distribution.svg

| mapcaption ={{align|center|Distribution of Khortha language}}

}}

Khortha (also romanized as Kortha or Khotta) or alternatively classified as Eastern Magahi{{cite web |title=LSI Vol-5 part-2 |publisher=dsal |page=145 |url=http://dsal.uchicago.edu/books/lsi/lsi.php?volume=5-2&pages=466#page/161/mode/1up |quote="Eastern Magahi" }} is a language variety (which is considered a dialect of the Magahi language) spoken primarily in the Indian state of Jharkhand, mainly in 16 districts of three divisions: North Chotanagpur, Palamu division and Santhal Pargana. Khortha is spoken by the Sadaans as native language and used by the tribal as a link language.{{Cite web|author=Atul Aman, Niladri Sekhar Dash, Jayashree Chakraborty|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343035416|title=DESIGNING A LINGUISTIC PROFILE OF KHORTHA: A LESS RESOURCED LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN THE STATE OF JHARKHAND, INDIA.|website=ResearchGate|date=January 2020|access-date=11 August 2022}} It is the most spoken language variety of Jharkhand.{{Cite book|last=Pattanayak|first=Binay|url=https://www.academia.edu/4227936|title=Language Diversity in Jharkhand|language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2014-01-17 |title=Magahi |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language-of-the-day/2014-03-16 |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=Ethnologue |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Khortha a Dying Language and Urgency to Retain its Pure Variety |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326895570 |website=ResearchGate}}

Geographical distribution

{{Pie chart

|caption=Distribution of Khortha language in the state of India{{Cite web |title=C-16: Population by Mother tongue |url=https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10191/download/13303/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-0000.XLSX |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604072054/https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/10191/download/13303/DDW-C16-STMT-MDDS-0000.XLSX |archive-date=4 June 2022 |access-date=4 June 2022 |website=censusindia.gov.in}}

|value1 = 96.27

|label1 = Jharkhand

|value2 = 1.93

|label2 = West Bengal

|value3 = 1.67

|label3 = Bihar

|other = yes

|other-color = orange

}}

Khortha is spoken in North Chota Nagpur division and Santal Pargana division of Jharkhand. The 13 districts are Hazaribagh, Koderma, Giridih, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Chatra, Ramgarh, Deoghar, Dumka, Jamtara, Sahebganj, Pakur and Godda.

In Bihar, districts where Khortha is spoken include Aurangabad, Gaya and Nawada.Shekhar Dash, Niladri. "Language Attitude of Khortha Speakers in Giridih: A Survey Report". Linguistic Research Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata.

Classification

George Grierson classified Khortha as a dialect of the Magahi language in his linguistic survey. and in reality Khortha and magahi are almost same with 99% similarities. The Khortha of Hazaribah is same as Magahi of Gaya, Khortha of Deoghar is same as Magahi of Jamui and Khortha of Giridih is same as magahi of Nawada. So, we can say that it's just the government of Bihar and Jharkhand who identifies both as distinct language. even after this much effort of creating differences between Khortha and Magahi, the locals peopels follows same culture and they knows that both are same.{{Cite journal|last1=Paudyal|first1=Netra P.|last2=Peterson|first2=John|date=2020-09-01|title=How one language became four: the impact of different contact-scenarios between "Sadani" and the tribal languages of Jharkhand|journal=Journal of South Asian Languages and Linguistics|language=en|volume=7|issue=2|pages=275–306|doi=10.1515/jsall-2021-2028|issn=2196-078X|doi-access=free}}

Literature

In 1950, Sriniwas Panuri translated Kali Das's Meghadutam in Khortha. In 1956, he composed two works Balkiran and Divyajyoti. Bhubaneswar Dutta Sharma, Sriniwas Panuri, Viswanath Dasaundhi and Viswanath Nagar were among first people who started literature in Khortha. Some prominent writers in Khortha language are A.K Jha, Shivnath Pramanik, B.N Ohdar.For the first time, efforts were made to reach Khortha language and literature to the People of Jharkhand through the Internet by the founder of the Sarkari Library, Mr Mananjay Mahato. Khortha literature became available on the Internet for the first time due to the efforts of Mr. Mananjay Mahato.

Sample phrases

English	Khortha	Khortha (Devanagari)
class="wikitable"
Ramu felt shy.	Ramu ke laaj laago hae.	रामु के लाज लागो हए ।
Amit has courage.	Amit thhin jor he.	अमित ठिन जोर हए ।
I feel shy	Hamra laaj laago hae	हमरा लाज लागो हय ।
Give the horse the feed.	Ghora-ke khaay ke dahi.	घोड़ा के खाय के दही ।
The child did not hit his sister.	Chhaua-ta aapan bahin-ke nai maarle hae.	छऊवा टा आपन बहिन के नाय मारले हय ।
Ram’s sister wedding is tomorrow.	Kaael ram-ke bahin-ke biha hae.	काईल रामके बहिनके बिहा हय ।
The boy ate a banana.	Chhourata eego kaera khaelo.	छौड़ाटा एगो कईरा खईलो ।
Buy twenty five rupees’ sugar.	Pacchis taka-ke chini kinle	पच्चीस टाकाके चीनी किनले ।
Ajay wrote a letter to his mother yesterday.	Ajay kaael aapan maay-ke chitthi likhle hae.	अजय काईल आपन माय के चिट्ठी लिखले हय ।

References

Category:Bihari languages

Category:Languages of Jharkhand

Category:Languages written in Devanagari

Category:Languages listed as Hindi dialects in latest census