Varli

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
vav
Alternate Names
Warli
Population

600,000 (2003).

Location

Maharashtra, north Thane district, Dahanu and Talasari taluks; Nasik and Dhule districts; Gujarat, Valsad district, Dharampur taluk; Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Davari dialect is in far north Thane district and south Gujarat.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

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

Davari, Eastern Nihiri, Western Nihiri. Sometimes classified as a dialect of Gujarati [guj] or Bhili [bhb]. Lexical similarity: 61%–93% among dialects, 60% with Marathi [mar], 65% with Kukna [kex].

Language Use

Low proficiency in Marathi [mar] or Gujarati [guj].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 32% for Gujarat (2001 census). Radio programs. Bible portions: 2009.
Writing
Devanagari script. Gujarati script.
Other Comments

Each dialect group is endogamous. Patrilocal. A Scheduled Tribe. Traditional religion, Hindu, Christian.