Noira Bhils and a Few Other Groups a Sociolinguistic Study

DigitalResources Electronic Survey Report 2015-012 Noira Bhils and a Few Other Groups A Sociolinguistic Study Bezily P. Varghese and Sunil Kumar D. Noira Bhils and a Few Other Groups A Sociolinguistic Study Bezily P. Varghese Sunil Kumar D. SIL International® 2015 SIL Electronic Survey Report 2015-012, October 2015 ©2015 SIL International® All rights reserved Abstract The primary purpose of this study is to identify the need for vernacular literature in the Noiri language (noi) in order to facilitate communication with this group. In addition, the study investigates the possibility that Dungra Bhili language development could also serve Noiri speakers. Accordingly, the goals of this ambitious study were: (1) to identify the geographical area of the Noira people; (2) to determine the lexical similarity/difference between Noiri and the surrounding language varieties; (3) to investigate the intelligibility of Dungra Bhili among Noiri speakers; (4) to assess the attitude of Noiri speakers to the Dungra Bhili variety; (5) to evaluate bilingualism of Noiri speakers in the state languages of Marathi (in Maharashtra) and Hindi (in Madhya Pradesh); and (6) to evaluate language use and attitude of Noiri speakers toward their own language variety. The authors created all the maps in this report. [This survey report written some time ago deserves to be made available even at this late date. Conditions were such that it was not published when originally written. It has not been peer reviewed. The reader is cautioned that more recent research may be available. Historical data is quite valuable as it provides a basis for a longitudinal analysis and helps us understand both the trajectory and pace of change as compared with more recent studies.—Editor] Contents Preface 1 Introduction 1.1 A walk through the land of the Bhils 1.2 Noiras 1.2.1 Geography 1.2.2 People 1.2.3 Language 1.2.4 Education 1.3 Dungra Bhils 1.4 Bhilori, Mathwadi and Barutiya 1.5 Other groups 1.5.1 Nahali of Toranmal 1.5.2 Nihali 1.5.3 Kotli 1.5.4 Gujari 1.6 Previous research 1.7 Purpose and goals 2 Lexical similarity comparison 2.1 Procedure 2.2 Wordlist sites 2.3 Results and analysis 2.3.1 Among the Noiri varieties 2.3.2 Barutiya and Noiri 2.3.3 Dungra Bhili and Noiri 2.3.4 Nahali/Nihali varieties 2.3.5 Kotli and Gujari 2.3.6 Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi 2.3.7 Vasavi, Noiri and Dungra Bhili 3 Dungra Bhili intelligibility among Noiras 3.1 Lexical similarity comparison versus intelligibility 3.2 Tool for intelligibility testing 3.3 RTT procedure 3.4 Interpretation of RTT data 3.5 Test sites 3.5.1 Chillare 3.5.2 Astambha 3.6 Result and analysis 3.6.1 Dungra Bhili tiger story 3.6.2 Noiri pickpocketing story 4 Bilingualism, language use and language attitude 4.1 Bilingualism 4.1.1 Pilot bilingualism test among Bhils in Northern Dhule district 4.1.2 SRT test among Rathwi speakers of Madhya Pradesh 4.1.3 Bilingualism of Noiras 4.2 Language use and attitude iii iv 5 Conclusion 5.1 Extensibility of Dungra Bhili 5.2 Nahali/Nihali varieties 5.3 Kotli and Gujari varieties Appendix A: Wordlist Appendix B: Stories References Preface Language has been called the mother of a culture. In the context of exploitation of a minority, language is one of the few things they can claim as their own. The disproportionate privileges given to scheduled languages by underestimating the importance and role of other minority tongues extend to the level of even exploiting these languages. However, the Indian Institute for Cross Cultural Communication (IICCC) is giving new hope to these groups by developing previously-alienated languages in India through mother tongue literature and literacy programs. As a means of accomplishing this, IICCC has been initiating studies among different language varieties, one such being Bhili. This sociolinguistic survey among Noiri speaking people is a follow-up to many other surveys among the different Bhili varieties. The venture embarked in October 2002 with library research, followed by fieldwork between November 2002 and January 2003. The conclusions herein are based only on what we were able to accomplish and observe in the field, as well as through our prior research. We alone are responsible for any mistakes or errors contained in this report; corrections to this end are welcome. Even so, this report should prove very helpful for those who plan to work for Noiri language development. Finally, we wish to acknowledge all the people who helped us in so many ways with this research. They are too numerous to mention individually. Of course, we are most thankful to the Noiras, for this work could not have been accomplished without their genuine cooperation. We feel privileged to have been allowed into their lives, and it is our sincere desire that the results of this study will benefit them. Bezily and Sunil April 2003 Bangalore v 1 Introduction 1.1 A walk through the land of the Bhils The Bhils, the second largest tribal group of India, are found in western India, specifically southern Rajasthan, western Madhya Pradesh, eastern Gujarat and northern Maharashtra. The region is forested and includes the Aravali, Vindhya and Satpuda mountain ranges. The Tapti, Narmada and Mahi are the important rivers that water the region. According to the 1991 census, the number of mother tongue speakers of all Bhili language varieties combined was 5.5 million. There was a time when education was inaccessible for the Bhils, but now there are many educated people from the community in government services. Nonetheless, most interior villages still do not have full access to the benefits of education. Quoting Gupta and Dutta, Singh (1994:122) describes the physical appearance of Bhils as follows: “Bhils in general are below medium or short-statured in height, tend to have a round head shape and have a round or oblong facial profile with a relatively broad nose form.” Maggard et al (1998:6) describes the village settlement of Bhils as follows: “Bhils generally live in non-clustered villages, with houses spaced at some distance from one another with fields surrounding them. A typical Bhil village having a few hundred residents can occupy an area of a few square kilometres. The distance between the houses is said to lessen the hostility between neighbours. The family structure among the Bhils is generally nuclear, and when a son marries he begins a new family unit.” The language of the Bhils is classified in the Indo-Aryan family. The old Bhili language is thought to have a Munda or Dravidian element; Grierson asserts a non-Indo-Aryan element in Bhili languages, though that is not thoroughly established. The Bhili language forms a dialectical network from southern Rajasthan to northwest Maharashtra and from eastern Gujarat to southwest Madhya Pradesh. Other than Bhili, Grierson (1907:5–6) lists twenty-six additional names of separate dialects that have their own individual identity. Maggard et al (1998:11) lists seven major distinct varieties of Bhili.1 However, there are a number of Bhili dialects that are very different in intelligibility. The introductory chapter by Maggard et al. is an essential reader in order to have an overall understanding about the Bhils and their language varieties. It is not unusual for any homogeneous or especially heterogeneous group that spreads across a large geographical area to have a multiplicity of names. This is true among the Bhils, who have many groups, subgroups and clans. The term Bhil or Bhili is used mainly in two ways in this report. In the restricted sense, Bhil refers to those groups who call themselves Bhils or who claim to be speaking Bhili (e.g., Noiras or Dungra Bhils). In the larger sense, Bhil is a cover term for different tribal groups with enough superficial resemblance in their way of life to cause them to be grouped together. The government follows this broader classification, which includes even those who do not accept themselves as Bhils or claim to be speaking a Bhili variety.2 Unless otherwise specified, the term Bhil or Bhili carries the restricted sense throughout this report. 1Jhabua Bhili variety, Wagdi variety, Bhilodi/Bhili and Patelia of Gujarat together, Bhilali, Rathwi Bareli and Rathwi Pauri together, Rathawi of Gujarat and Dungra Bhili are the seven distinct varieties identified in the research. 2For example, though Pauras are classified as Bhils in government records, they hardly identify themselves as Bhils and always count themselves superior to other Bhils. 1 2 1.2 Noiras 1.2.1 Geography Our research was focused on one of the Bhili subgroups, which outsiders call Noiras. These people are found in the mountainous region of southwest Madhya Pradesh, northwest Maharashtra, which is very close to the Gujarat border. In contrast to the northern hilly area, the south of the survey area consists of plains. Table 1 lists tahsils, districts and states where Noiras are found.3 Noiras in Shirpur tahsil are found along with Paura settlements and in separate villages. But in Dhadgaon and Akkalkua tahsils, the concentration of people is found in separate villages, and most of these villages are interior as well. Informal conversation during the survey revealed that Noiras in Shirpur tahsil migrated from Dhadgaon and Akkalkua tahsils, when they had come out in search of daily labour. Table 1. Districts and tahsils where Noiras live State District Tahsils Dhadgaon Nandurbar Akkalkua Maharashtra Shahada Dhule Shirpur Jalgaon Chopdaa Madhya Pradesh Badwani Pansemal a It was reported that there are Noiras in Shahada and Chopda tahsils, but the survey team did not collect any language data from these tahsils since the reported population is very small.

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