Mahmud Hassan
580 California St., Suite 400
San Francisco, CA, 94104
Khotta Language: Linguistic and Grammatical Identification
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Abstract
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The paper explores the Khotta language's linguistic features, including its gender-specific vocabulary and the use of nasalized verbs in possessive forms. Unlike Bengali, Khotta distinguishes between male and female pronouns only for humans, while using masculine for inanimate objects. It also discusses the absence of written literature in Khotta and highlights oral traditions, such as marriage songs, within the community.
Key takeaways
- The different masculine and feminine forms we see in Hindi/Urdu language for various natural elements or day to day things that's completely absent from Khotta language.
- There are some words when it used in the sentences of possessive aspects it is pronounced with nasalized sounds.
- Mai oitho mei theen-I was there
- There are people Khotta community who are writing but they are writing in Bengali or in another language.
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Khotta Language: Linguistic and Grammatical Identification
Khotta bhasha or Khotta language is a language which is spoken in northern part of Murshidabad district, southern part of Malda and some part of Birbhum district of west Bengal. Though there are khottas or Korthas in Bihar also but my concern is the people of West Bengal who are speaking in Khotta language. The pronunciation is very similar to Hindi and Urdu, sentence structure is also same like Hindi. Most words are taken from Bengali language but the speakers pronounce them in Hindi/Urdu style of pronunciation. This Khotta language/dialect has no written script therefore the people of Khotta speaking community generally getting their education and all in Bengali language, all kinds of practices they are doing in Bengali language. Recently the Khotta community got OBC status in the state list of Govt. of West Bengal.
Here I would like to discuss that what makes the Khotta language different from Bengali, Hindi and Urdu language. Following are some of the linguistic identifications of Khotta language. This will be kind of comparative analysis among Khotta, Hindi and Bengali language.
Khotta adjectives…
Khotta
Bengali
Hindi
Achcha (Good)
Bhalo
achcha
Lamba (Tall)
Lomba
Lamba
Uchcha (high)
Uchu
ucha
Nichcha (low)
Nichu
Niche
Bara
Boro
Bara
Chota
Choto
chota
Chipsa
Kipte
Kanjoos
Mellai (many)
Onek, Prochur
Bahut
Ekja, Ekjara (few)
Ektu
Thora
Khotta kinship terms
Khotta
Bengali
Hindi
Urdu
Abba, Bapu
Baba, Pita
Pita, Baap
Abba, Abbu
Ma, Amma
Ma, Mata
Ma, Mata
Ammi, Amma
Chachcha
Kaka, Chacha
Chacha
Chacha
Chachchi
Kaki, Chachi
Chachi, Kaki
Chachchi
Khala
Maasi
Mousi
Khala, khalamma
Khalu
Meso
Mousa
Khalu
Chachera bhai
Kakato bhai, chachato bhai
Chachera bhai
Chachera hai, chachazaat bhai
Bhai, Dada
Dada, Bhai
Bhai, Bhaiya
Bhai, Bhaijaan
Bahu
Bou, Bodhu
Bahu
Bahu
Fufu, Beti
Pisi, fufu
Fufu
Fufu, Fufi
Khotta verbs
Khotta
Bengali
Hindi
Janhein (going)
Jachchi
Ja raha hoon
Khanhein (eating)
Khachchi
Kha raha hoon
Aamehe (coming)
Aschi
Aaraha hoon
Giya (gone)
Gelo
Gaya
Giyaha (has gone)
Geche, Giyeche
Gaya hai
Giyatha (had gone)
Gechilo, Giyechilo
Gaya tha
Khalise (has eaten)
Kheyeche
Khayahei
Maristha (had beaten)
Merechilo
Maratha
Padehe (Reading)
Podche
Pad raha hai
Sohe (sleeping)
Ghumochche
So raha hai
Dise (given)
Diyeche
Diya hai
Khotta possessive maker
Khotta Bengali HIndi
Mei, Hum (I)
Ami
mai
Tei , Tum (you)
Tui, Tumi, Apni
Tu, tum, Aap
Hum, mere (we)
Amra
Hum
Menka (our)
Amader
Humlogoka
Tenka, Tumkinka, Tumra,Tumrekinka(your)
Toder, tomader, apnader
Tera, tumra, aapka
Uskinka
Tader, oder
Unka,
Gender in Khotta Language
Unlike the Bengali language Khotta language has separate words for different genders. Say for instance in Bengali language the sentence for ‘he/she came’ is ‘se esechilo’, it does not differentiate between male and female. But in in Khotta language it is –‘oo aayatha’ for male and ‘oo aayithi’ for female form. But this distinction can be found only in case of human being. The different masculine and feminine forms we see in Hindi/Urdu language for various natural elements or day to day things that’s completely absent from Khotta language. For all the other things only masculine form is used. Such as –
dhoop abbhi ayahani (sunshine did not come yet),
garitho achcha challehe (the car is functioning well),
laddi me pani ayahani (water did not come in river)
Nasalized Verbs in making Possessive Sense in the Sentence
There are some words when it used in the sentences of possessive aspects it is pronounced with nasalized sounds. It can be seen in the case of past and past continuous form. The pronunciation of those words seems in feminine style but the nasalized form differentiates between the two. Such as-
Mai gayitheen- I went
Mai kheltetheen- I was playing
Mai oitho mei theen- I was there
Literature in Khotta Language
As this language has no script so there is no written literature, nobody is writing in this language. There are people Khotta community who are writing but they are writing in Bengali or in another language. But I have encountered with some songs that is familiar by the name of ‘Geet’ which generally is sang during for marriage time in chorus form.
Pronunciation
Most of the Khotta words are pronounced in Hindi/Urdu style. In Khotta language words from Bengali, Hindi, Urdu language can be found. But pronounce in different style. Such as-
Khotta
Bengali
Hindi
Parikhkha (exam)
Porikhkha
Pariksha
Ghar (Home)
Ghor
Ghar
Kabbar (grave)
Kobor
Kabr
Masjid, Mahjit
Mosjid
masjid
Variations in Khotta language
There are variations in Khotta language also. But these variations are based on tone and style of speaking based on their location. For example the pronunciation of Khotta language in south Malda district is different from the Khotta pronunciation of Murshidabad region. Even the Khotta pronounce of Birbhum district is different in tone and pronouncing some words also from the Khotta’s of Malda, Murshidabad.
One of the Endangered Languages
This language can be considered among the endangered languages. There are several reasons for that. As there is no practice officially or specially in case of education field, the students of this language community are supposed to study in Bengali language. There is no written thing that can be passed to next generation. I wonder how this language has maintain its Khotta-ness even after a long period of Independence of India, in the middle of Bengali language and Bengali society.
Some sentences from Khotta language-
How are you- tum kaisa hou?
Where is Kamal? –Kamal kahame hai?
Tomorrow I have exam. –Kal mera parikhkha hai.
Everybody has eaten rice. – Sabke bhat khalise.
I will go home in December month. –Mei December mahna mei ghar jange.
There is a movement going on in our area.- Menka elaka me ektho andolon challehe.
By Mahmud Hassan