Malvi

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
mup
Alternate Names
Malavi, Mallow, Malwada, Malwi, Ujjaini
Population

5,560,000 (2001 census). 20% monolingual.

Location

Madhya Pradesh, Ujjain, Indore, Rathlam, Mandsaur, Rajgarh, Dewas, Shajapur, Nimuch, Sehore, Dhar, and Bhopal districts; Rajasthan, Jhalawar district. Sondwari dialect geographically isolated from the others.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Rajasthani, Unclassified
Dialects

Rajawadi, Sondwari (Sondhwadi, Soudhwari), Ujjaini (Avanthika, Malvi Proper), Umadwadi. Considered the standard variety, Southeastern Rajasthani Nimadi [noe] is most similar language with 70% intelligibility. 88%–92% intelligibility of Ujjaini dialect by other dialects. Lexical similarity: 65%–89% among dialects.

Typology

SOV; nontonal

Language Use

Vigorous. Home, village, religion. Positive attitudes. 55% have high proficiency in Hindi [hin]; 20% have routine proficiency.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 58% for rural Madhya Pradesh (2001 census). Government project discontinued due to low response. Poetry. Radio programs. Dictionary. NT: 1826.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Malvi
Writing
Devanagari script.
Other Comments

Hindu, Muslim.