Sansi

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
ssi
Alternate Names
Bhilki, Sansiboli
User Population

60,000 in India (Gusain 2002). Total users in all countries: 80,000.

Location

Haryana state: Sirsa district; Punjab state: Bathinda and Muktsar districts; Rajasthan state: Hanumangarh district; scattered elsewhere in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh states.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani, Sansi
Dialects

Intermediate between Eastern Punjabi [pan] and Hindustani (see Hindi [hin]). Sometimes identify themselves as Marwari [rwr]. Related to Rajasthani [mwr], Sindhi [snd], Eastern Punjabi. Lexical similarity: 71% with Urdu [urd], 83% with the Sochi dialect of Sansi [ssi](1998). Numerous phonological and morphological borrowings from Eastern Punjabi [pan], Hindi [hin], and Gujarati [guj] (Gusain 2002).

Language Use

Not being passed on to the next generation. Much mixing of Hindi [hin], Eastern Punjabi [pan], or Gujarati [guj] (Gusain 2002). Home only. Adults only. Some shifting to Eastern Punjabi [pan]. Some shifting to Gujarati [guj]. Some shifting to Hindi [hin].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Sansi
Writing

Unwritten [Qaax].

Other Comments

Bhils by caste. Called a Gypsy language. They have an argot called Farsi. Gusain (2002) classifies this as a Rajasthani dialect. Socially separate from surrounding groups. Governed by their own social norms and economy. Losing some tribal characteristics but are not yet integrated into the national mainstream (Gusain 2002). Hindu.

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