Oriya language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oriya |
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| Odia ଓଡ଼ିଆ oṛiā |
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| Native to | India | |||
| Region | Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar. Widely spoken in Surat, Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai. Prominent speakers in Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai | |||
| Ethnicity | Oriyas | |||
| Native speakers | 33 million (2007) | |||
| Language family |
Indic
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| Writing system | Oriya alphabet (Brahmic) Oriya Braille |
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| Official status | ||||
| Official language in | Odisha, Jharkhand | |||
| Linguasphere | 59-AAF-x | |||
The distribution of Oriya, in India
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Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ oṛiā), also known as Oriya, is a very old language spoken mainly in India. It is one of the official languages of India. Most people who speak Odia live in the Indian state of Odisha.
Odia is part of the Indo-Aryan language family. This means it is related to other languages like Hindi and Bengali. About 33 million people speak Odia today.
Where is Odia Spoken?
Odia is the main language of the state of Odisha in India. But you can also find Odia speakers in other nearby states. These include Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Tripura.
Many Odia speakers also live in big cities across India. For example, you might hear Odia spoken in Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bangalore. This is because people move for work or other reasons.
The Odia Script
The Odia language has its own special writing system. It is called the Odia alphabet. This script looks very round and curvy. It developed from an ancient Indian writing system called Brahmi.
The Odia script is used to write all books, newspapers, and signs in Odia. It also has its own version of Braille for people who are visually impaired.
History of Odia
Odia is a very old language with a rich history. It started developing over a thousand years ago. The earliest writings in Odia can be found in old inscriptions and poems.
One of the oldest known Odia inscriptions is from the 11th century. It shows how the language has changed over time. Odia has been an important language for art, literature, and religion in its region for centuries.
Images for kids
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This sign at Bhubaneswar Airport shows Odia, Hindi, and English.
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This chart shows how Odia developed from older languages.
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This is an old Odia inscription from the year 1051 CE.
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This chart shows how the Odia script has changed over many years.
See also
In Spanish: Idioma oriya para niños
