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Ho language

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This article is about the Austroasiatic language of India. For the Tibeto-Burman language also known as Ho of China, Vietnam and Laos, see Hani language.

Ho
𑢹𑣉𑣉 𑣎𑣋𑣜, हो जगर, ହୋ ଜାଗାର, হো জাগার
'Hō jagar' written in Warang Chiti
Pronunciation/hoː d͡ʒagar/
Native toIndia
EthnicityHo people
Native speakers
2.2 Million (2011 census)[1]
Austroasiatic
  • Munda
    • North
      • Kherwarian
        • Mundaric
          • Ho
Warang Chiti, Devanagari, Latin script, Odia script[2]
Official status
Official language in
 India
Language codes
ISO 639-3hoc
Glottologhooo1248
Ho language speaking region
Ho is classified as Vulnerable by the UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger[3]
This article contains IPA phonetic symbols. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Unicode characters. For an introductory guide on IPA symbols, see Help:IPA.
This article contains Warang Citi characters. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Warang Citi.

Ho (IPA: [/hoː d͡ʒagar/], Warang Citi: 𑢹𑣉𑣉 𑣎𑣋𑣜) is a Munda language of the Austroasiatic language family spoken primarily in India by about 2.2 million people (0.202% of India's population) per the 2001 census. It is spoken by the Ho, Munda, Kolha and Kol tribal communities of Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Assam [4] and is written using Warang Citi script. Devanagari, Latin and Odia script are also used,[5] although native speakers are said to prefer Warang Chiti, invented by Lako Bodra.[6]

The name Ho is derived from the native word "𑣙𑣉𑣉" meaning human being.[7]

Ho is closely related to Mundari and Santali, Ho and Mundari are often described as sister languages.[7][8] Ho is closer to the Mayurbhanj dialect of Mundari than the Mundari variety spoken in Jharkhand. While being ethnically and linguistically close, Ho and Mundari speakers form distinct regional identities.

Geographcal distribution[edit]

Distribution of Ho language in the state of India (2011 census)[9]

  Jharkhand (70%)
  Odisha (29%)
  West Bengal (0.4%)
  Madhya Pradesh (0.2%)
  Other (0.4%)

Around half of all Ho speakers reside in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand, where they form a majority. Ho speakers are also found in districts of East Singhbhum in southern Jharkhand, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar in northern Odisha.

Phonology[edit]

Consonants[edit]

Labial Dental/
Alveolar 		Retroflex Palatal Velar Glottal
Nasal m n (ɳ) ɲ ŋ
Stop/Affricate voiceless p t ʈ t͡ʃ k ʔ
voiced b d ɖ d͡ʒ ɡ
Fricative s h
Approximant w l j
Tap ɾ ɽ
  • /b, ɖ/ can be heard as preglottalized [ˀb̥̚, ˀɖ̥̚] when in word-final position.
  • /b/ can be heard as a fricative [β] in intervocalic positions.
  • /ɳ/ has a limited phonemic distribution, and is typically a realization of /n/ before retroflex sounds.[10]

Vowels[edit]

Oral vowels
Front Central Back
Close i iː u uː
Mid e eː o oː
Open a aː
Nasal vowels
Front Central Back
Close ĩ ũ
Mid ẽ õ
Open ã

Grammar[edit]

Like other languages of the Munda family, Ho has a mostly suffixing agglutinative inflictional morphology and follows accusative morphosyntactic alignment. There is some debate on whether Munda languages have word classes, an item from any word class can function as a verb in Ho. Ho does not have relative pronouns natively and relies on the participle forms of verbs, the forms that includes aspect, object and transitivity, but no mood markers, to form relative clauses.

Nouns and noun phrases[edit]

Number, possession and case suffixes are added to nouns. Alienable and inalienable possesions are distinguished.

Number and possession[edit]

Ho distinguishes singular, dual and plural numbers. Number suffixes are generally written separate from base nouns.

Possessive
Singular kula "tiger" kulaaḱ "tiger's"
Dual kula kin "two tigers" kula kinaḱ "of the two tigers"
Plural kula ko "tigers" kula koaḱ "of the tigers"

Number and inalienable possession[edit]

Construction for alienable possessions is different form inalienable possessions, En eraaḱ kolom "That woman's thresing floor", and En era gauńte "That woman's aunt". Suffixes for inalienable possessions only occur in the singular.

1st person possesor 2nd person possesor 3rd person possesor
Singular gauń "aunt" gauńiń "my aunt" gauńme "your aunt" gauńte "his/her aunt"
Dual gauń kin "two aunts" gauńiń tekin "my two aunts" gauńme tekin "your two aunts" gauńte tekin "his/her two aunts"
Plural gauń kin "two aunts" gauńiń teko "my aunts" gauńme teko "your aunts" gauńte teko "his/her aunts"|}

Pronouns[edit]

Ho personal pronoun distinguish inclusive and exclusive first person and anaphoric and demonstrative third person.

Personal pronouns
Singular Dual Plural
1st person exclusive ań aliń ale
inclusive alaṅ abu
2nd person am aben ape
3rd person Anaphoric ać akin ako
Demonstrative proximate neć nekin neko
distal enić enkin enko
remote hanić hankin hanko
Interrogative pronouns
Animate Inanimate
Referential okoe okon
Non-referential chinić chenaḱ
Indefinite pronouns
  Animate Inanimate
'any' jahć jahnaḱ
'another' eṭaḱć eṭaḱaḱ


Demonstratives
Simple Particular
Proximate ne, nen nea, nena
Distal en ena
Remote han hana


Numerals[edit]

Cardinal Distributive
Short form Long form Short form Long form
1 mit́ miat́ mimit́ mípiat́
2 bar barea bábar bábarea
3 apé apea ápé ápea
4 upun upunea úpun úpunea
5 mõe mõea mṍmõe mṍmõea
6 turui turuiea túturui túturuiea
7 ai aiea ái áiea
8 iril irilea íril írilea
9 are area áre área
10 gel gelea gégel gégelea
20 hisi hisia hísi hísia

Postpositions[edit]

Postposition Function
lagit́ Dative
loḱ Comitative, along with
paa Towards, around
re Spatio-temporal location, locative
paṅ Temporal, indicates time
japaḱ Near
te Instrumental, instrument, cause, motion, direction, allative
leka Semblative
taḱ Adessive
aete Ablative, source, origin
chetan On top of
latar Below
suba Under
jóṅ, joka Terminative
mutit́ Distributive

Particles[edit]

Particle Function
do Topic marker
ge Emphasis marker
chi Question marker
ma As for that
rená, rengá Intensifier
toraṅ Dubitative
chiat́ Dubitative
batit́ Realization

Verbs[edit]

Writing system[edit]

Ho has been written in various scripts, starting from the first written record of 1824[11] to the present day, mostly using the Latin alphabet, Devanagari, Odia and more recently using the Warang Chiti script. Most writing done in Jharkhand tends to use the Devanagari script, while in Odisha it is the Odia script. While community intellectuals have been promoting the usage of Warang Chiti, it is yet to be widely used among Ho people due to it not being a part of school education. In 1985, a committee consisting of intellectuals including Ram Dayal Munda and Bhagey Gobardhan deliberated on common script for Ho, and decided in favor of Warang Chiti, eliminating competition from scripts put forth by other inventors such as Sangram Sindhu's Owar Anka Gār Lipi, disseminated by an institution called Sindhu Jumur, Rohidas Singh Nag's Mundari Bani Hisir Champa, Raghunath Purty's Ho Ol Lipi, Purushottam Godsora's Srishti Lipi among others.[12]

History[edit]

The lexicon of the language reflects close association with nature and living proximity with birds and beasts which is typical for tribal languages.[13][14]

The Latin, Devanagari and Warang Citi scripts have been used in the field of teaching and learning. In 1953, the department of Education, Government of Bihar set out instructions to all the Divisional Inspectors of schools.[15] The government maintained that 'the pupil-teachers whose mother tongue is other than Hindi should be given the option of maintaining their records in their mother tongue. In every junior Training School besides Hindi, a second mother-tongue as accepted in Government resolution no.645ER of 10 August 1953 should be invariably taught.' The plan has been to provide education in their mother tongue at the primary level.

Since 1976, the Ho language is being imparted at intermediate and graduate courses in different colleges under the Ranchi University. The university opened a separate department named Tribal and Regional Languages in 1981.[16]

In erstwhile Bihar, the Information and Mass Communication department regularly published Ho articles, folk stories, songs in Devanagari script in a weekly named Adivasi Saptahik.

There are significant initiatives inculcated in development of Ho language. A pioneering work was started at Ete Turtung Akhara, Jhinkapani to study and develop the Ho language under the leadership of late Lako Bodra with the help of Adi Sanskriti Evam Vigyan Sansthan. The institute published a book in 1963 titled Ho Hayam Paham Puti in Warang Chiti and introduced the letters of Warang Chiti, Kakahara.[17]

A. Pathak and N.K. Verma tried to compare the Warang Citi with Indus script in Echoes of Indus Valley.[18] Sudhanshu Kumar Ray in his 'Indus Script' described that the script Warang Chiti resembles the script of Indus that was discovered by Ashok Pagal and Bulu Imam in the caves of Aswara hill near Baraka village.[19]

Xavier Ho Publication, Lupungutu has been publishing Ho books in Devanagri. John Deeney published Ho Grammar and Vocabulary in 1975, written in the Latin .[20]

Usage[edit]

Under the Multilingual Education (MLE) programme, Odisha government has been providing primary education in Ho speaking areas.[21]

The University Grants Commission of India has already recognized Ho as a language and literature. Now, UGC is conducting National Eligibility Test examination in Ho language under the "'subject code 70"' in Tribal and Regional Language/Literature group.[22] In Odisha and Jharkhand, Education in Ho at the primary level was introduced in 20 and 449 schools respectively and about 44,502 tribal students are pursuing their studies in the language.[23][24]

Besides education, Ho has also got its due recognition in the world of mass media. For the last few years, All India Radio (AIR) has been airing songs in Ho from the AIR centres in Keonjhar, Rourkela and Cuttack besides Baripada in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha state. Regular programs in Ho are broadcast from Chaibasa and Jamshedpur AIR centres in Jharkhand. Similarly, from Ranchi AIR centre in Jharkhand, regional news bulletins are broadcast two days a week Friday and Sunday.[23]

Universities[edit]

The following universities offer courses on Ho:

  • Ranchi University, Ranchi, Jharkhand[25]
  • Kolhan University, Chaibasa, Jharkhand[26]

Educational institutions[edit]

The following educational institutions offer courses on Ho:

  • Ho Language Education Council, Thakurmunda, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[27]
  • Ho Language +2 Junior College, Thakurmunda, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Kolguru Lako Bodra Ho Language High school, Birbasa, Bhubaneswar, Odisha[28]
  • Banajyoti Bahubhasi Vidya Mandir, Purunapai, Deogorh, Odisha[28]
  • Veer Birsa Warangchity Mondo, Rairangpur, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Birsa Munda Ho Language High school, Jamunalia, Keonjhar, Odisha[28]
  • Padmashree Tulasi Munda Ho Language High School, Machhgorh, Keonjhar, Odisha[28]
  • Kol guru Lako Bodra Ho Language High School, Dobati, Balasore, Odisha[28]
  • Birsa Munda Ho Language High School, Nuagaon, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Atteh Turtung Rumtulay mondo, singda, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Bankipirh Marshal Mondo, Bankidihi, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Similipal Baa bagan mondo, Thakurmapatna, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Kolguru Lako Bodra Ho Language High School, Gokul Chandra pur, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Birsa Munda Ho Language High School, Hadagutu, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Kolhan High School, Satakosia, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Guru Lako Bodra Ho Language High School, Thakurmunda, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Ho Hayam Seyannoh Moond, Madkamhatu, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • Sitadevi Warangchity Moond, Khunta, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]
  • P.C.Haibru Warangchity School, Kadadiha, Mayurbhanj, Odisha[28]

Literature[edit]

  • Ho folk literature's collection of folk songs by Sharatchandra Rai, Dr. D.N. Majumdar, B. Sukumar, Haldhaar, Kanhuram Devgum etc. (1915–26).
  • Tuturd, Sayan Marsal by Dr. S.K. Tiyu.
  • The Affairs of a Tribe by Dr. D.N. Majumdaar.
  • Aandi and Sarjom Ba Dumba by Jaidev Das.
  • Ho Durang by W.G. Archer.
  • Folklore of Kolhaan by C.H. Bompaas.
  • Sengail (Poems), Satish Rumul (Poems), Ho Chapakarh Kahin, Satish Chandra Sanhita, and Chaas Raiy Takh by Satish Kumar Koda.
  • Dishum Rumul Mage Durudh by Shivcharan Birua.
  • Adivasi Sivil Durang, Adivasi Deyoan, Adivasi Muni and Urri Keda Kova Red-Ranu by Durga Purti.
  • Bonga Buru Ko (Ho Religion), Horoh Hoan Ko, Maradh Bonga, and Gosain-Devgum Mage Poraab (on Maage Parv) by Pradhan Gagrai.
  • Warangchity (on Ho Lipi), Pompo, Shaar Hora 1-7 (Play), Raghuvansh (Play), Kol ruul(Hindi and Ho (warangchity), Homoyom pitika, Hora-Bara, Ho Hayam paam puti, Halang halpung, Ela ol itu ute, Jiboan * * Gumpai Durang, Baa buru Bonga buru and Bonga Singirai (Novel) by Ot Guru Kol Lako Bodra.
  • Ho Kudih (Novel) by Dumbi Ho.
  • Ho Kudih (Novel) and Adhunik Ho Shishth Kawya by Prof. Janum Singh Soy.
  • Jaira Jeebon Dastur, Durrn Dudugar, and Ho Bhasha Shastra Ayun Vyakaran by Prof. Balram Paat Pingua.
  • Ho Dishum Ho Hoon Ko by Dhanusingh Purti.
  • Eitaa Bataa Nalaa Basaa, Joaur, Parem Sanadh (Poems), Sarjom Ba Taral, etc. By Kamal Lochan Kohaar.
  • Ho Lokkatha by Dr. Aditya Prasad Sinha.
  • Magazines like Johar, Turturd, Ottoroad, and Sarnaphool also have Ho language articles.
  • HO Language Digital Journal "Diyang"
  • Ho Language monthly journal"Dostur Korang"by Kairasingh Bandiya
  • HO Kaboy (Poem) poti "Tangi Meyanj Sorogo Kore" by Ghanshyam Bodra
  • Ho language song"Dureng Dala"by Dibakar Soy
  • Ho language learning books "Ol initu" and "Mage Porob"by Kairasingh Bandiya"
  • Ho hayam sibil dureng(Ho and Hindi) by Doboro Buliuli

Demand for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule[edit]

Governments of Odisha and Jharkhand have been making demands for Ho to be included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.[29] Ho peoples are also making continuous efforts to fulfill their demands as to be included in 8th scheduled.[30] Rajya Sabha member and Union Petroleum and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had also submitted a memorandum demanding that the Government of India include Ho in the Constitution to give it an official status.The same request has also been made by the Department of Personnel, Jharkhand.[31] Former Home Minister Rajnath singh had assured that Ho would be included in Eighth Scheduled, and assured to take appropriates steps to fulfil the demand, said union minister Dharmendra Pradhan.[32]

Erstwhile Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has written to the Home Ministry for the inclusion of Ho into the Eighth Schedule of Indian Constitution.[33]

Further reading[edit]

  • Anderson, Gregory D. S., Toshiki Osada and K. David Harrison. Ho and the other Kherwarian Languages In Gregory Anderson (ed.) Munda Languages. (2008). Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-32890-6
  • Burrows, L. (1915). Ho grammar: with vocabulary.
  • Deeney, J. J. (1991). Introduction to the Ho language: Learn Ho Quickly and Well. Chaibasa: Xavier Ho Publications.
  • Deeney, J. J. (1975). Ho Grammar and Vocabulary. Chaibasa: Xavier Ho Publications.
  • Deeney, J. J. (1978). Ho-English Dictionary. Chaibasa: Xavier Ho Publications.
  • Deogam, Chandrabhusan, Larka Ho.
  • Hoffmann, Johann [Baptist] & Arthur Van Emelen. 1930-1950. Encyclopaedia Mundarica [Mundari encyclopaedia]. Patna, Bihar: Superintendent Government Printing, Bihar and Orissa. xv+10+4889+xiipp. (13 vols.)
  • Nottrott, A., Fitzgerald, A. G. F. (1905). Grammar of the Kol-language. India: Printed at the G.E.L. Mission Press.
  • Perumalsamy P (2021) "Ho language" in Linguistic Survey of India: Jharkhand Volume, Language Division, Office of the Registrar General India: New Delhi pp: 339 – 431. [2]
  • Pucilowski, A. (2013). Topics in Ho Morphophonology and Morphosyntax (Doctoral dissertation, University of Oregon).
  • Uxbond, F. A. (1928). Munda-Magyar-Maori, an Indian Link Between the Antipodes, New Tracks of Hungarian Origins, by FA Uxbond. Luzac.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Statement 1: Abstract of speakers' strength of languages and mother tongues – 2011". www.censusindia.gov.in. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Scripts of Ho". Scriptsource.org. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  3. ^ Moseley, Christopher; Nicolas, Alexander, eds. (2010). Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger (PDF) (3rd ed.). Paris: UNESCO. pp. 46–47. ISBN 978-92-3-104096-2. Archived from the original on 23 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Tribals seek official tag for Ho language - OrissaPOST". 27 October 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  5. ^ "The Warang Chiti Alphabet". Swarthmore.edu. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  6. ^ K David Harrison; Gregory Anderson. "Review of Proposal for Encoding Warang Chiti (Hoorthography) in Unicode" (PDF). Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  7. ^ a b "Ho Web Sketch: Ho writing" (PDF). Livingtongues.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  8. ^ Anderson, Gregory S., ed. (2008). The Munda languages (1. publ. ed.). London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-32890-6.
  9. ^ "C-16: Population by mother tongue, India - 2011". Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India.
  10. ^ Pucilowski, Anna (2013). Topics in Ho morphophonology and morphosyntax. University of Oregon.
  11. ^ Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. : Asiatic Society of Bengal : Free download, borrow, and streaming : Internet Archive. (1844). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/journalofasiatic1314asia/page/n47
  12. ^ Gagrai, S. (2017). Ho Bhasha Ka Vaigyanik Adhyayan. K. K. Publications, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. https://bharatavani.in/home/book?post_category=book&id=%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%20%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%88%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9E%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%20%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A8%20%7C%20Ho%20Bhasha%20Ka%20Vaigyanik%20Adhyayan
  13. ^ Purty, Dhanursingh, "Ho-Dishum Ho Honko" seven volumes.(1982) Xavier Ho Publications
  14. ^ "The Ho language webpage by K. David Harrison, Swarthmore College". Swarthmore.edu. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  15. ^ Department of Education, Government of Bihar,1953
  16. ^ University Department Of Tribal And Regional Language, Ranchi University, Jharkhand
  17. ^ Ete Turtung Akhara, Jhinkapani
  18. ^ Echoes of Indus valley by A.Pathak and N.K. Verma
  19. ^ Indus Script by Sudhanshu Kumar Ray
  20. ^ Xavier Ho Publication, Lupungutu,1975
  21. ^ https://repository.education.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/multilingual-education-mle-for-tribal-children-of-odisha.pdf
  22. ^ "Tribal and Regional Language - Literature Syllabus UGC NET 2019-2020". UGC NET Exam. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  23. ^ a b "High hopes for Ho | Bhubaneswar News - Times of India". The Times of India. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  24. ^ "Jharkhand school books to go local". 16 January 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  25. ^ "Ranchi University's TRL to have nine departments for tribal languages". India Today. 7 October 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  26. ^ [1][dead link]
  27. ^ "HO LANGUAGE EDUCATION COUNCIL ODISHA". holanguageodishaedu.in. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "HO LANGUAGE EDUCATION COUNCIL ODISHA". holanguageodishaedu.in. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  29. ^ Barik, Satyasundar (3 June 2017). "Tribal communities in Odisha are speaking up to save their dialects - The Hindu". The Hindu.
  30. ^ "Pradhan for inclusion of 'Ho' in 8th Schedule - OrissaPOST". 6 December 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  31. ^ "Include Ho language in 8th Schedule: BJP MP". Press Trust of India. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2019 – via Business Standard.
  32. ^ Pioneer, The. "Rajnath assures for Ho inclusion in 8th Schedule". The Pioneer. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  33. ^ https://www.bhaskar.com/local/jharkhand/news/hemant-soren-demands-inclusion-of-mundari-ho-and-kudkhu-tribal-languages-in-eighth-schedule-127640748.html. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links[edit]

Ho language test of Wikipedia at Wikimedia Incubator
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ho_language&oldid=1229446506"