Rabha

RAH

educational

Alternate Names: Rava

Dialects: Maitaria (Maitoria, Maituri), Rangdania (Rongdani). Rongdani is the standard dialect. Lexical similarity: 73% between Maituri and Rongdani. 31%–39% with Koch ,.

Genealogy:

Sino-Tibetan
Tibeto-Burman
Sal
Bodo-Garo-Northern Naga
Bodo-Koch
Koch

Demographics: 165,000 (2001 census). 0 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 374,000 (1993).

Language Use: The majority of the ethnic group speaks Assamese [asm] as L1; Rabha spoken only in Rongdani and Maituri. Home, prayer, market, other villages. All ages. Also use Bengali [ben], English [eng], Garo [grt], Hindi [hin]. Used as L2 by Koch [kdq].

Language Development: Literacy rate in L2: 30%–50%. High interest in language development. Taught in primary schools. Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 2000.

Writing System: Bengali, Latin

Nation of Origin: India

Other Comments: A Scheduled Tribe. Traditional religion, Christian, Hindu.