Bhojpuri
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A language of India
37,800,000 (2001 census). Total users in all countries: 39,605,300 (as L1: 39,445,300; as L2: 160,000).
Assam state; Bihar state: Champaran, Saran, and Shahabad districts; Delhi; Jharkhand state: Palamau and Ranchi districts; Madhya Pradesh state; Uttar Pradesh state: Azamgarh, Ballia, Basti, Deoria, Ghazipur, Gorakhpur, Mirzapur, and Varanasi districts; West Bengal state.
4 (Educational).
Northern Standard Bhojpuri (Basti, Gorakhpuri, Sarawaria), Western Standard Bhojpuri (Benarsi, Purbi), Southern Standard Bhojpuri (Kharwari), Bhojpuri Tharu, Madhesi, Domra, Musahari. May be more than 1 language. Extent of dialect variation in India and Nepal not yet determined. The cover term “Bihari” (a pejorative alternate name for Bhojpuri) is also used for Maithili [mai], and Magahi [mag]. Bhojpuri Tharu dialect is spoken by Tharu caste in Nepal and India. Distinct from other Tharu languages.
SOV; postpositions;noun head final; gender (masculine/feminine for animate nouns); content q-word in situ; clause constituents indicated by both case-marking (3 cases) and word order; verbal affixation marks person, number and genders of subject and object; no ergativity; tense and aspect; non-tonal; 34 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes, about 4 diphthongs; stress on penultimate syllable.
Used as L2 by Maithili [mai].
Hindu, Muslim.