The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.
SIL code: DAQ
ISO 639-2: dra
| Population | 150,000 (1992 UBS). |
| Region | Madhya Pradesh, central and southern Bastar District, Dantewara tahsil. |
| Alternate names | BISON HORN MARIA, MARIA GOND, MADIYA, DHURU, DANDAMI MADIYA |
| Dialects | GEEDAM, SUKMA (SUKA). |
| Classification | Dravidian, South-Central, Gondi-Kui, Gondi. |
| Comments | Geedam and Bailadila have 95% to 98% intelligibility with each other, 81% of Sukma, but 18% to 21% of Maria, 18% to 45% of Muria. Speakers in Sukma understood Geedam at 81% or lower; those in Bailadila understood Sukma at 92%. May be more than one language. A separate language from Northern Gondi, Southern Gondi, Abujmaria, and Koya. All ages. A Scheduled Tribe in India. Speakers are called 'Maria.' Investigation needed: intelligibility with Sukma, other dialects. Grammar. Primers with literacy program in progress. Degraded forests, tropical forest. Plains, hills. Swidden agriculturalists, peasant agriculturalists, hunter-gatherers. Traditional religion. |
