Marathi

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
mar
Alternate Names
Maharashtra, Maharathi, Malhatee, Marthi, Muruthu
Population

71,700,000 in India (2001 census). Population total all countries: 71,780,660.

Location

Maharashtra and adjacent states. Also in Canada, Israel, Mauritius, United States.

Language Maps
Language Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Maharashtra State (1950, Constitution, Schedule VIII).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Southern zone
Dialects

Gawdi of Goa, Kasargod, Kosti, Kudali, Nagpuri Marathi. 42 dialects. Complex dialect situation. Dialects bordering other major language areas share many features with those languages. Dialects or closely related languages: Konkani [knn], Goan Konkani [gom], Deccan [dcc], Varhadi-Nagpuri [vah], and Gowlan [goj]. There is a dialect in Thanjavur District and elsewhere in Tamil Nadu influenced lexically by Tamil [tam] and Kannada [kan], with at least 100,000 speakers.

Typology

SOV

Language Use

The Bene Israel are a Marathi-speaking Jewish group in Mumbai. 3,000,000 L2 speakers.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 77% (2001 census). Literacy rate in L2: 77% (2001 census). Fully developed. Bible: 1821–2002.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Marathi
Writing
Braille script. Devanagari script, primary usage.
Other Comments

The Habshi are Muslim, descended from East African slaves brought to western India. Are is a synonym for a Marathi caste name. Are also refers to Marathi-speaking communities in south India. Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Jain, Jewish (Bene Israel).