Kanauji
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A language of India
6,000,000 (Dwivedi and Kar 2016).
Uttar Pradesh state: Auraiya, Etawah, Farrukhabad, Hardoi, Kanpur, Pilibhit, Mainpuri, and Shahjahanpur districts.
6b (Threatened).
Kanauji Proper, Tirhari, Transitional Kanauji. Transitional Kanauji dialect is between Kanauji and Awadhi [awa]. Grierson and Konow call it a form of Braj Bhasha [bra]. The variety spoken in Kannauj and Farrukhabad is considered the pure form (Grierson and Konow 1903–1928). Lexical similarity: 84%–97% between all varieties of Kanauji, 72%–76% with Bundeli [bns], 70%–78% with Braj Bhasha [bra], 83%–94% with Hindi [hin].
Shifting to Hindi [hin]. In urban areas, almost replaced by Hindi [hin], while in rural areas, Kanauji is still functional (Dwivedi and Kar 2016). Various domains. Some young people, all adults. Negative attitudes. Most also use Hindi [hin], the less-educated having lower proficiency. Also use English [eng].
Literacy rate in L2: 60% (2001 census). NT: 1821.
Kanauji may be only a name given by scholars. Language not commonly referred to as Kanauji. Very low identity. Regard their language as a variety of Hindi [hin]. However, a small local group is interested in promoting Kanauji before it dies out. Hindu, Christian.