07-01-219

IN BERAR AND THE CENTRAL PROVINCES.

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　Of these minor dialects the Marh of Balaghat has been slightly influenced by the neighbouring dialects of Eastern Hind, and the Natakn of Chanda has, in some points, accommodated itself to Telugu. On the whole, however, the various forms of speech onumerated in the table are essentially identical with the form of Marh commonly spoken in Berar and the Central Provinces.

　This form of speech has also largely influenced the dialect of the Katis of Chhind- wara and Narsinghpur, which has therefore been dealt with after the minor dialects just mentioned. The number of speakers has been estimated at 18,700.

　We thus arrive at the following total for the Marh of Berar and the Central Provinces:-

Varh...	2,084,023
Ngpur...	1,823,475
Minor dialects...	146,180
Kati...	18,700
TOTAL.	4,072,378

　In connection with this form of speech it has been found convenient to deal with some broken dialects spoken in the Bastar State, Kanker, and Raipur, which have been largely influenced by the neighbouring Marh. They are the following:-

Name of dialect.	No. of speakers.
Halb...	104,971
Bhunji...	2,000
Nhar...	482
Kamr...	3,743
TOTAL.	111,196

　If we add the 3,493,858 speakers of Marh returned in Hyderabad at the Census of 1891, the grand total comes out as follows:-

Berar and Central Provinces...	4,072,378
Hyderabad...	3,493,858
Halb, etc. ...	111,196
TOTAL.	7,677,432

　The Marh spoken in Berar and the Central Provinces is closely related to the form which that language assumes in the Dekhan. The difference between the two forms of speech is slight, and they gradually merge into each other in Buldana.

　Pronunciation.-Long vowels, and especially final ones, are very frequently shortened; thus, m and mi, I; mhi byk, my wife; mh and mah, my.

　There is a strong tendency among the lower classes in Berar to substitute for ava and avi. Thus, for ava, near; ul for uavil, squandered.

　As in the Konkan, an a is very commonly used where the Dekhan form of the lan- guage has an , especially in the termination of neuter bases, in the suffix n of the instumental, and in the future. Thus, asa, so; sgitla, it was said; ukra, swine;

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