Contents

• What is Rajasthani and how many dialects are there in it?
• How did it originate?
• What about its literature and what is the status of Rajasthani today?
• What is the history of Rajasthani grammar?
• What is the direct consequence of this discussion?
• What about a Grammar of Rajasthani?
• If I have further queries about Rajasthani whom should I contact?

What is Rajasthani and how many dialects are there in it?

The language of Rajasthan is Rajasthani that is a very important language of Indo-Aryan family. It is spoken by around eighty million persons in Rajasthan and other states of India, and has eight major dialects: Bagri, Shekhawati, Mewati, Dhundhari, Harauti, Marwari, Mewari, and Wagri. Some "minor dialects" ( I would rather call them "sociolects" as each is restricted to a specific "community": are: Sansiboli, Kanjar Boli, Pardi, Gujuri, Lambadi, Bawari, Loari, Gawaria and Bishnoi Boli etc.

How did it originate?

It is derived from Apabhramsa, with all its linguistic and orthographical peculiarities. But, Rajasthani as a language of literature suffered a great set back during the British period. Today hundreds of poets and writers are writing in Rajasthani.  Folk literature in Rajasthani is varied and rich and consists of songs, tales, sayings, riddles and folk-plays.

What about its literature and what is the status of Rajasthani today?

Rajasthani has a vast literature written in various genres starting from 1000 AD. In the past, the language spoken in Rajasthan was regarded as a dialect of western Hindi (Kellogg, 1873). George Abraham Grierson (1908) was the first scholar who gave the nomenclature ‘Rajasthani’ to the language, which was earlier known through its various dialects. Today, however, National Academy of Letters and University Grants Commission recognize it as a distinct language. It is also taught as such in the Universities of Jodhpur and Udaipur. The Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education included Rajasthani in the course of studies and it has been an optional subject since 1973. Since 1947, several movements have been going on in Rajasthan for its recognition, but unfortunately it is still considered a ‘dialect’ of Hindi. Recently, the Rajasthan Government has recognized it as a state language, but still, there is a long way for Rajasthani language to go. The reason is it lacks a comprehensive reference grammar and latest dictionary prepared based on a thorough linguistic survey of Rajasthan. 

What is the history of Rajasthani grammar?

The history of Rajasthani grammar is a history of confusion generated by presuppositions and biases about the grammatical structure of the language by almost all scholars dealing with it. And the amazing thing about this confusion is that it has persisted till today partly due to one-sided emphasis on the cognitive structure of the language and partly due to the over-shadowing influence of Kellogg and Grierson. The successive generations of scholars, who have dealt with Rajasthani have never questioned the exhaustiveness and the accuracy of descriptions of the earlier works, and as a result, have consistently failed to come to grips with the details of its linguistic structure in any realistic way.

 What is the direct consequence of this above discussion?

The direct consequence of this discussion is that it renders the validity of the methodology and approach involved in the so-called linguistic histories of modern Indo-Aryan languages seriously questionable. One would like to believe that modern standard languages of India are descendents of the languages of literature written in those areas in the past, but it is equally plausible that they are the result of convergence of some sort going on over considerable periods of time.

What about a Grammar of Rajasthani ?

Well, to enhance the further knowledge about Rajasthani Language, research work is going on at the Centre of Rajasthani Studies (CRS) on the grammar of Rajasthani and its all eight dialects. The grammars of its dialects have already been published and the work on A Reference Grammar of Rajasthani is in progress, likely to be finished by August 2005.

Besides, work on A pedagogical Grammar of Rajasthani is also going on so as to make it available to the learners. Hopefully, this will be finished by July 2005.  A Bibliography of Rajasthani has been prepared for scholars working on Rajasthani and its other aspects.

If I have further queries about Rajasthani whom should I contact?

If you have further queries or reference of other/latest work in Rajasthani language or its dialects, please send us the detailed information via email <crs@bastigiri.org>and we will respond to your mail as soon as possible. Thanks.