Page Type: languageSansi | Ethnologue

SSI ISO 639-3

Sansi

A language of India

ISO 639
ssi
Alternate Names
Bhilki, Sansiboli
Population
60,000 in India (Gusain 2002). Total users in all countries: 80,000.
Location:
Haryana state: Sirsa district; Punjab state: Bathinda and Muktsar districts; Rajasthan state: Hanumangarh district; scattered elsewhere in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh states.
Language Status
7 (Shifting).
Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani, Sansi
Dialects
Intermediate between Eastern Punjabi [pan] and Hindustani (see Hindi [hin]). Sometimes identify themselves as Marwari [rwr]. Related to Rajasthani [mwr], Sindhi [snd], Eastern Punjabi. Lexical similarity: 71% with Urdu [urd], 83% with the Sochi dialect of Sansi [ssi](1998). Numerous phonological and morphological borrowings from Eastern Punjabi [pan], Hindi [hin], and Gujarati [guj] (Gusain 2002).
Language Use
Not being passed on to the next generation. Much mixing of Hindi [hin], Eastern Punjabi [pan], or Gujarati [guj] (Gusain 2002). Home only. Adults only. Some shifting to Eastern Punjabi [pan]. Some shifting to Gujarati [guj]. Some shifting to Hindi [hin].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: Below 5%.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Sansi
Writing
Unwritten [Qaax].
Other Comments
Bhils by caste. Called a Gypsy language. They have an argot called Farsi. Gusain (2002) classifies this as a Rajasthani dialect. Socially separate from surrounding groups. Governed by their own social norms and economy. Losing some tribal characteristics but are not yet integrated into the national mainstream (Gusain 2002). Hindu.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Sansi
User Population
20,000 in Pakistan (2018).
Location
Sindh province: Karachi.
Dialects
Sochi.
Language Status
6b (Threatened)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Bhils by caste. Immigrated from India in 1947. Hindu, Muslim.
View other languages of Pakistan

Map

Location: Haryana state: Sirsa district; Punjab state: Bathinda and Muktsar districts; Rajasthan state: Hanumangarh district; scattered elsewhere in Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh states.