Alternate Names: Har, Hor, Samtali, Sandal, Sangtal, Santal, Santali, Santhiali, Satar, Sentali, Sonthal
Dialects: Kamari-Santali, Karmali (Khole), Lohari-Santali, Manjhi, Paharia. Reportedly similar to Ho ,, Mundari ,, and Munda ,.
Status Notes: Statutory language of provincial identity in Jharkhand State (1950, Constitution, Schedule VIII), amended 2003.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 5,940,000 in India (2001 census). Population total all countries: 6,228,500.
Language Use: Used as L2 by Birhor [biy], Ho [hoc], Kharia [khr], Kharia Thar [ksy], Mahali [mjx].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 10%–30%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–50%. Taught in primary schools. Poetry. Magazines. New media. Radio programs. Videos. Dictionary. Grammar. Bible: 1914–2005.
Typology: SOV; postpositions; noun head final; no noun classes or genders; content q-word in situ; 1 prefix, up to 3 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person and number; non-ergative; both tense and aspect; passives and voice; nontonal; 33 consonant and 6 vowel phonemes.
Writing System: Bengali, Devanagari, Latin, Ol Chiki (Ol Cemet’), Ol Chiki (Ol), Ol Chiki(Santali), Oriya
Nation of Origin: India
Other Comments: A Scheduled Tribe. Language of Santhal tribals of Chota Nagpur Plateau (comprising the states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh). Hindu, traditional religion.