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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Asia > India > Sansi

Sansi

A language of India

ISO 639-3: ssi

Population  60,000 in India (Gusain 2002). Population total all countries: 76,200.
Region  Rajasthan; Punjab; Haryana; Delhi; Himachal Pradesh; Jammu and Kashmir; Madhya Pradesh; Karnataka; Uttar Pradesh. Also in Pakistan.
Alternate names   Bhilki, Sansiboli
Dialects  Intermediate between Eastern Panjabi [pan] and Hindustani. Sometimes identify themselves as Marwari [rwr]. Lexical similarity: 71% with Urdu [urd], 83% with the Sochi dialect of Sansi [ssi]. Numerous phonological and morphological borrowings from Eastern Panjabi, Hindi, and Gujarati [guj] (Gusain 2002).
Classification  Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Western Hindi, Hindustani, Sansi
Language use  Not being passed on to the next generation; on the verge of extinction. Much mixing of Hindi, Eastern Panjabi, or Gujarati (Gusain 2002). Used only in the home. Mainly older adults. Also use Hindi, Gujarati, or Punjabi.
Language development  Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%.
Comments  Related to Rajasthani [mwr], Sindhi [snd], Eastern Panjabi [pan]. Bhils by caste. Called a Gypsy language. They have an argot called Farsi. Gusain (2002) classifies this as a Rajasthani dialect. They are socially separate from surrounding groups and are governed by their own social norms and economy. They are in the process of losing their tribal characteristics but are not yet integrated into the national mainstream (Gusain 2002). Sharecroppers; cobblers (Sochi). Hindu.

Also spoken in:

Pakistan

Language name   Sansi
Population  16,200 in Pakistan (2000).
Region  North Sindh Province, Karachi. Sochi live throughout Sindh.
Language map  Southern Pakistan
Alternate names  Bhilki
Dialects  Sochi.
Language use  Also use Sindhi [snd], Urdu [urd], Western Panjabi [pnb], or Seraiki [skr].
Language development  Literacy rate in L1: Below 1%. Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%.
Comments  Bhils by caste. Immigrated from India in 1947. Sharecroppers; cobblers (Sochi). Hindu, Muslim.