Eastern Hindi languages

The Eastern Hindi languages, are a branch of the Indo-Aryan language family spoken chiefly in Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh, Baghelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh, in Northern and Central India. Eastern Hindi languages evolved from Ardhamagadhi Prakrit, which is thought to be transitional between Sauraseni and Magadhi.^[1]

Eastern Hindi
Geographic distribution	Awadh, Baghelkhand, Chhattisgarh
Ethnicity	Awadhis, Baghelis, Chhattisgarhis, Halbis, Powaris
Native speakers	approx. 65 million in India
Linguistic classification	Indo-European Indo-Iranian Indo-Aryan Central Indo-Aryan[a] Eastern Hindi
Early form	Ardhamagadhi Prakrit
Language codes
Glottolog	east2726
Geographical distribution of Eastern Hindi languages

Geographical extent

Eastern Hindi languages are chiefly spoken in India and Nepal, but also have significant minorities in the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Pakistan due to immigration. In India, they are chiefly spoken in Awadh region in eastern Uttar Pradesh, in Baghelkhand region in northeastern Madhya Pradesh and in Chhattisgarh State.

Languages and dialects

• Awadhi (38.5 m),^[2][3][4][5] spoken in north and north-central Uttar Pradesh as well as the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius and South Africa
  • Caribbean Hindustani (300 k) (mostly based on Bhojpuri but has major Awadhi influence)
  • Surinamese Hindustani
  • Fiji Hindi (460 k) (mostly based on Awadhi with Bhojpuri influence)
• Bagheli (8 m), spoken in north-central Madhya Pradesh and south-eastern Uttar Pradesh.
• Chhattisgarhi (18 m), spoken in southeast Madhya Pradesh and northern and central Chhattisgarh.
  • Surgujia (1.7 m), spoken in Chhattisgarh

See also

• Western Hindi languages