Mal Paharia

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
mkb
Alternate Names
Dehri, Mad, Mader, Mal, Mal Pahariya, Maler, Malpaharia, Malti, Malto, Maltu, Manlati, Mar, Marpaharia, Maw, Mawdo, Mawer, Mawer Nondi, Paharia, Parsi
Population

51,000 (Bhaskararao 2006). Possibly 40,000 in West Bengal. Ethnic population: 111,000 (2000).

Location

Jharkhand: south Santal Pargana district, Ramgarh hills; Dumka district, Pakaur; south Godda, and Deoghar districts; some in Sahibganj district, Borio, Depart village; West Bengal: Bankura, Barddhaman, and Murshidabad districts; Bihar: Banka district.

Language Maps
Language Status

6b (Threatened).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bengali-Assamese
Dialects

Not inherently intelligible with Kumarbhag Paharia [kmj], Sauria Paharia [mjt], Bengali [ben], or Hindi [hin]. Part of the Malto ethnic group. Reportedly speak a variety similar to Kharia Thar [ksy] of Manbhum (Jharkhand). Lexical similarity: 85% between dialects, 59% with Mal Paharia Barmasiya.

Language Use

Vigorous. All domains. Positive attitudes. Some also use Bengali [ben].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 13% male, 3% female, average 8% (1981). NT.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Mal Paharia
Writing

Devanagari script [Deva].

Other Comments

A Scheduled Tribe. Traditional religion, Christian.

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