bho ISO 639
भोजपुरी (Bhōjpurī) Autonyms
Bhojpuri
Visualizations
A language of India
- ISO 639
- bho
- Alternate Names
- Bajpuri, Bhojapuri, Bhozpuri, Khotla, Piscimas, “Bihari” (pej.)
- Autonym
- भोजपुरी (Bhōjpurī)
- Population
- 50,600,000 in India (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 52,463,000 (as L1: 52,303,000; as L2: 160,000).
- Location
- Assam state; Bihar state: Champaran, Saran, and Shahabad districts; Delhi; Jharkhand state: Palamau and Ranchi districts; Madhya Pradesh state; Uttar Pradesh state: Azamgarh, Ballia, Basti, Deoria, Ghazipur, Gorakhpur, Mirzapur, and Varanasi districts; West Bengal state.
- Language Maps
- India, Map 3, India, Map 4, Nepal: Index map
- Language Status
- 5* (Developing).
- Classification
- Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bihari
- Dialects
- Northern Standard Bhojpuri (Basti, Gorakhpuri, Sarawaria), Western Standard Bhojpuri (Benarsi, Purbi), Southern Standard Bhojpuri (Kharwari), Bhojpuri Tharu, Madhesi, Domra, Musahari. May be more than 1 language. Extent of dialect variation in India and Nepal not yet determined. The cover term “Bihari” (a pejorative alternate name for Bhojpuri) is also used for Maithili [mai], and Magahi [mag]. Bhojpuri Tharu dialect is spoken by Tharu caste in Nepal and India. Distinct from other Tharu languages.
- Typology
- SOV; postpositions; noun head final; gender (masculine/feminine for animate nouns); content q-word in situ; clause constituents indicated by both case-marking (3 cases) and word order; verbal affixation marks person, number and genders of subject and object; no ergativity; tense and aspect; non-tonal; 34 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes, about 4 diphthongs; stress on penultimate syllable.
- Language Use
- Many also use English [eng]. Used as L2 by Maithili [mai].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L1: 5%–30%. Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75%. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. TV. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1998–2006.
- Writing
- Devanagari script [Deva]. Kaithi script [Kthi].
- Other Comments
- Hindu, Muslim.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Bhojpuri
Also Spoken in
- Location
- Widespread.
- Dialects
- Mauritian Bhojpuri, Bojpury.
- Language Status
- 5 (Dispersed)
- Language Use
- Government and politics.
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Although often called Hindi, the language is Bhojpuri. Hindu. View other languages of Mauritius
Language Name
Bhojpuri
User Population
66,000 in Mauritius (Leclerc 2018c).
- Location
- Janakpur province: Bara, Parsa, and Rautahat districts; Lumbini province: West Nawalparasi and Rupandehi districts.
- Dialects
- Bhojpuri Tharu, Purbi Boli, Bangar Boli, Banarsi Boli, Kashika, Mallika, Sheikh Boli.
- Language Status
- 4 (Educational)
- Language Use
- Home, friends, work; mixed use: Religion, education. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Awadhi [awa]. Also use Hindi [hin]. Literate in Hindi. Also use Maithili [mai]. Also use Nepali [npi]. Literate in Nepali. Used as L2 by Bote [bmj], Central Tharu [the], Eastern Tamang [taj], Kurux [kru], Maithili [mai].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L2: 50%–75% in Nepali [npi], Hindi [hin]. Taught as subject in primary schools.
- Other Comments
- Hindu, Muslim. View other languages of Nepal
Language Name
Bhojpuri
User Population
1,740,000 in Nepal, all users. L1 users: 1,580,000 in Nepal (2011 census), increasing. L2 users: 160,000 (2011 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of South Africa
Language Name
Bhojpuri
User Population
57,000 in South Africa (2020 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
