Hindilanguage

Hindilanguage, commonly referred to as Hindi, is an Indo-Aryan language spoken mainly in northern and central India and in Nepal. It forms part of the Hindustani language continuum, alongside Urdu, and is the most widely spoken language in India by native and second-language speakers. It is widely used in education, media, government, and daily life, with a large global diaspora.

Classification and history: Hindi descends from Sanskrit via Prakrit and Apabhramsa. Modern Standard Hindi is the standardized register of Hindustani that relies largely on Sanskrit-derived vocabulary, while Hindustani in everyday speech features many Persian and Arabic loanwords. The two are mutually intelligible. Hindi is one of India's official languages and is listed in the 8th Schedule.

Script and writing: Hindi is written in the Devanagari script, a left-to-right abugida where consonants take diacritics for vowels. Devanagari is used in education, literature, media, and government. Hindustani varieties may also be written in other scripts, such as Urdu's Nastaliq, and romanization is common in digital contexts.

Phonology and grammar: The language typically follows subject–object–verb order, with postpositions and gendered nouns. Nouns inflect for number and case; verbs mark tense, aspect, mood, and person. The phonemic system includes aspirated and retroflex consonants, with a range of vowels and nasal sounds.

Dialects and distribution: Major dialects include Khari Boli (the basis of standard Hindi), Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Braj, and Marwari. Regional variation is substantial, while standardized Hindi is promoted in education and media. Urdu, spoken nearby, is closely related but uses a distinct script and vocabulary.

Usage and status: Hindi is widely used in Indian government and media, taught in schools, and employed in official communications in many states. It is spoken by hundreds of millions in India and Nepal, with significant communities in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.