#madhi prakrit

[bongboyblog]

The Odia (Oriya) Language/ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଭାଷା

(Part 1)

Endonym: ଓଡ଼ିଆ (oṛiā)

Language family: Indo-European>Indo-Aryan>Eastern>Magadhi Prakrit>Odra Prakrit>Odia

Writing script: Odia script 

Sister languages: Angika, Bengali, Bishnupriya Manipuri, Maithili

Total number of speakers: 50 million (approx.)

Why we, Bengali speakers or Bengali culture enthusiasts, should bother to know about this language?

Well, firstly, they are related languages. Both the languages evolved from Magadhi Prakrit and share a lot of common words and phonology. Also, Odia culture has greatly affected Bengalis and vice versa. The Medinipuri dialect of Bengali (spoken in most parts of Medinipur Division of West Bengal, India.) seems to have been influenced by the local Odia dialects.