kru ISO 639
कुड़ुख़ (Kudukh) Autonyms
Kurux
Visualizations
A language of India
- ISO 639
- kru
- Alternate Names
- Kadukali, Kurka, Kurukh, Urang, Uraon
- Autonym
- कुड़ुख़ (Kudukh)
- Population
- 1,990,000 in India (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 2,084,390 (as L1: 2,083,700; as L2: 690).
- Location
- Chhattisgarh state: Raigarh and Surguja districts; Jharkhand state: Lohardaga and Ranchi districts; Odisha state: Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts; West Bengal state: Jalpaigiri district; Assam, Bihar, and Tripura states.
- Language Maps
- Central Nepal, Eastern Nepal, India, Map 3, India, Map 4, India, Map 6, Northwestern Bangladesh
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened).
- Classification
- Dravidian, Northern
- Dialects
- Oraon. Kisan [xis] and the Oraon dialect have 73% intelligibility. Oraon becoming standard. Related to Kumarbhag Paharia [kmj].
- Typology
- SOV; postpositions; noun head final; 2 noun classes (human, non-human); content q-word initial; 1 prefix, up to 6 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person, number and genders of subject and object; ergativity; tense and aspect; passives and voice; nontonal; 29 consonant and 10 vowel phonemes.
- Language Use
- While there are written materials, the language is losing speakers (mostly due to urbanization). Some young people, all adults. Also use English [eng]. Also use Sadri [sck]. Used as L2 by Kodaku [ksz].
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L1: 62% Oraon in Chhattisgarh, 25% in Bihar (2001 census). Literature. Newspapers. Radio. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 2000.
- Writing
- Devanagari script [Deva].
- Other Comments
- Hindu, Christian.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Kurux
Also Spoken in
- Location
- Rangpur division: Dinajpur, Panchagarn, Rangpur, Saidpur and Thakurgaon districts’ areas.
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened)
- Language Use
- Not as vital as other indigenous languages. Some young people, all adults. Neutral attitudes. Most also use Rangpuri [rkt]. Also use Bengali [ben], which is used in most settings outside the home or village, with positive attitudes towards it.
- Other Comments
- Different from Sadri, Oraon [sdr]. View other languages of Bangladesh
Language Name
Kurux
User Population
50,000 in Bangladesh (2011), decreasing. Ethnic population: 50,000 (2011).
- Location
- Chhukha and Samtse districts: probably scattered small groups.
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Bhutan
Language Name
Kurux
User Population
10,000 in Bhutan (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
- Location
- Kosi province: Jhapa district, scattered; Morang district, Belbari, Biratnagar, Budhiganga, Gramthan, Kanepokhari, Katahari, Rangeli, and Sundaraicha municipalities; Sunsari district, Barah, Barju, Bhokraha, Duhabi, Dwanganj, Gadhi, Harinagara, Inarwa, and Ramdhuni municipalities; Janakpur province: Bara district, Jitpur Simara municipality; Parsa district, Birganj, Parsagadhi, Paterwasugauli, and Sakuwa Prasauni municipalities; Siraha district, Arnama, Golbazar, and Naraha municipalities.
- Dialects
- None known. Variety spoken in Jharkhand, India 86% intelligible with Kurux in Nepal (Shackelford 2020).
- Language Status
- 6a (Vigorous)
- Language Use
- Number of speakers is decreasing due to urbanization and overall population decrease (Shackelford 2020). Home, religion. Mixed use: Friends, work, education. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use Bhojpuri [bho] (Shackelford 2020). Also use Maithili [mai] (Shackelford 2020). Also use Mid-Eastern Tharu [thq] (Shackelford 2020). Also use Nepali [npi] (Shackelford 2020). Also use Sadri [sck] (Shackelford 2020).
- Language Development
- Literacy rate in L2: 80% in Nepali [npi].
- Other Comments
- The majority of Kurux in Nepal moved to Nepal about 150 years ago, mostly to work in indigo fields across the border in Bihar state, India. A small number came about 2 generations ago, now living in Jhapa (Van Driem 2001). All names are used interchangeably for language and ethnic names. Hindu. View other languages of Nepal
Language Name
Kurux
User Population
34,390 in Nepal, all users. L1 users: 33,700 in Nepal (2011 census), decreasing. L2 users: 690 (2011 census). No monolinguals (2002 UNESCO). Ethnic population: 37,400 (2011 census).
