Ethnologue 14 report for language code:MKP

MAITHILI: a language of India

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It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005).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: MKP

ISO 639-2: mai

ISO 639-1: bh

ISO 639-2: bih

Population

22,000,000 in India (1981). Population total both countries 24,191,900.

Region

Northern Bihar, from Muzaffarpur on the west, past the Kosi on the east to western Purnia District, to the districts of Munger and Bhagalpur in the south, and the Himalayan foothills on the north. Cultural and linguistic center are the towns of Madhubani and Darbhanga. Janakpur also important culturally and religiously. Delhi, Calcutta, Bombay have thousands. Many have settled abroad. Also spoken in Nepal.

Alternate names

MAITLI, MAITILI, METHLI, TIRAHUTIA, BIHARI, TIRHUTI, TIRHUTIA, APABHRAMSA

Dialects

STANDARD MAITHILI, SOUTHERN STANDARD MAITHILI, EASTERN MAITHILI (KHOTTA, KORTHA), WESTERN MAITHILI, JOLAHA, CENTRAL COLLOQUIAL MAITHILI (SOTIPURA), KISAN, DEHATI.

Classification

Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Eastern zone, Bihari.

Comments

Caste variation more than geographic variation in dialects. Functional intelligibility among all dialects, including those in Nepal. Closest to Magahi. Brahmin and non-Brahmin dialects average 91% lexical similarity. Hindi, Nepali, English, Bhojpuri, Bengali used mainly for business or social interaction outside the home by men or working women with various degrees of proficiency from marketing only to fluency. In cities some may use Hindi, Nepali, or English in the home. Used in home, village, town, or cities with other Maithili speakers. Spoken by Brahmin and other high caste or educated Hindus, who influence the culture and language, and other castes. There is a Maithili Academy. Linguistics and literature are taught at the L.N. Mithila University in Darbhanga and Patna University. Language attitudes are influenced by caste, ranging from superiority to resentment. Non-Brahmin speech viewed as inferior. Hindi considered superior, Nepali generally accepted. Dictionary. Grammar. SOV; postpositions; genitives, articles, numerals before noun heads, adjectives before and after noun heads; 1 prefix, 1 suffix; object marked by position; person, gender, animate distinguished, obligatory for subject; transitives; passives; causatives; comparatives; V, VC, VCC, CV, CVC, CVV, CCV, CVCC, CCVCC; nontonal. Literacy rate in first language: 25% to 50%. Literacy rate in second language: 25% to 50%. If they can read Nepali or Hindi, they can read Maithili. The educated read Hindi, Nepali, or English books with pleasure. Literacy effort needed. Devanagari. Poetry, magazines, radio programs, TV. Tropical forest, gallery forest. Plains. Peasant agriculturalists: rice. 80 meters. Hindu, Muslim.

Also spoken in:

Nepal

Language name	MAITHILI
Population	2,191,900 (1998 census), 11.85% of the population (1998).
Alternate names	APBHRAMSA, BIHARI, MAITLI, MAITILI, METHLI, TIRAHUTIA, TIRHUTI, TIRHUTIA
Dialects	BANTAR, BAREI, BARMELI, KAWAR, KISAN, KYABRAT, MAKRANA, MUSAR, SADRI, TATI, DEHATI.
Comments	More caste variation than geographical. Intelligibility good among all, including in India. Second languages used by men or working women mostly only for business, social interaction outside the home. In cities some may use Hindi, Nepali, or English even at home and with other Maithili. Bhojpuri or Bengali are used with friends from those groups. Bilingual ability varies greatly, from being limited to using them for trade, to being highly fluent. Maithili used in home, village, towns, cities with other Maithili. All ages. Spoken by a wide variety of castes, both 'high' and 'low'. There is a Maithili Academy in Patna. Bihar Maithili is taught at several universities including L.N. Mithila University in Karbhanga, Patna University and Janakpur Campus of Tribhuvan University. Brahmin speech considered to be standard. Brahmins consider themselves superior, varying from friendly to domineering. Others vary toward Brahmins from friendly to resentment. Hindi and its speakers considered close, culturally similar; Nepali accepted. Dictionary. Grammar. SOV; postpositions; genitives, articles, numerals before noun heads; adjectives before and after noun heads; maximum number of prefixes or suffixes 1; animate objects marked by postposition; person, gender distinguished in subject--obligatory; causatives; comparatives; V, VC, VCC, CV, CVC, CVV, CCV, CVCC, CCVCC; nontonal. Literacy rate in first language: 20%. Literacy rate in second language: 25% to 50%. The educated read alot of Hindi, Nepali, or English. If they can read Hindi or Nepali, they can read Maithili. Several high schools. Poetry, newspapers, radio programs, films, TV. Tropical forest, gallery forest. Plains. Peasant agriculturalists. Hindu, Muslim. See main entry under India.