THE SERIES

The People’s Linguistic Survey of India attempts to give an idea of the extant and dying languages of India. It is the outcome of a nationwide survey of languages that has been documented by linguists, writers, social activists, and members of different speech communities.

THE BOOK
This volume of the People’s Linguistic Survey of India, The Languages of Odisha (volume twenty-two, part two), discusses the Scheduled and Tribal languages spoken in the state, with examples of folktales, folk songs and vocabulary lists for a better understanding of the languages in use. The volume is a must read for language enthusiasts, historians and scholars fascinated by the cultural tapestry of Odisha and can serve as an excellent resource for readers interested in exploring the diverse dialects, folklore and literary traditions that have shaped the state over centuries.

THE EDITORS

G. N. Devy is the chief editor of the PLSI series. He taught at the Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, till 1996 before leaving to set up the Bhasha Research Centre in Baroda and the Adivasi Akademi at Tejgadh. There, he worked towards conserving and promoting the languages and culture of indigenous and nomadic communities. Apart from being awarded the Padma Shree, he has received many awards for his work in literature and language conservation.

Debi Prasanna Pattanayak is former Founder-Director of the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore. His publications include A Controlled Historical Reconstruction of Oriya, Assamese, Bengali, and Hindi (1966), Multilingualism and Mother-tongue Education (1981), Orissa, Oriya and the Multilingual Context (2003) and Language, Education, and Culture (2014). He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1987 for his contribution towards adding Bodo to the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. He has also played a significant role in promoting Odia to the status of classical language. At present, he is the Chairman of Institute of Odia Studies and Research, Bhubaneswar.

Mahendra Kumar Mishra is a prominent folklorist and a practitioner of multilingual education in Odisha. He has several awards and honours to his credit and is the author of Saora Tales and Songs (2005), Oral Epics of Kalahandi (2007), Oral Poetry of Kalahandi (2008) and Aznul: Saora Tales (2004).

The People’s Linguistic Survey of India
The National Editorial Collective
List of Volumes
Acknowledgements
Foreword
A Nation Proud of Its Language Diversity: Chief Editor’s Introduction
Contributors to the Volume
An Appeal to Readers
List of Languages Covered in the Volume

1. Odia
2. Santali
3. Agria
4. Bhunjia
5. Dhelki Khadia
6. Didayi
7. Dom
8. Durua
9. Gondi
10. Halbi
11. Ho
12. Jhodia Poroja
13. Juang
14. Kamar
15. Kisan
16. Kora
17. Koshali
18. Koya
19. Kui
20. Kurmali
21. Kuwi
22. Munda
23. Mundari
24. Olaarpaate
25. Ollara Gadaba

Bibliography
Index

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES