Jump to content

Maithili language: Difference between revisions

Maithili language (edit)

Revision as of 18:48, 20 August 2021

41,973 bytes added ,  20 August 2021
Reverted 2 edits by 2400:1A00:BD11:7AA3:3CCC:4CC5:5C82:A53E (talk): Wp:or, wp:v, wp:mos
m (→‎References: Replace {{Source}} tag)
imported>Jakichandan
(Reverted 2 edits by 2400:1A00:BD11:7AA3:3CCC:4CC5:5C82:A53E (talk): Wp:or, wp:v, wp:mos)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Indo-Aryan language spoken in India and Nepal}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox language
{{Infobox language
|name       =Maithili
| name           = Maithili
|nativename =मैथिली, মৈথিলী
| nativename     = मैथिली, {{Script|Tirh|𑒧𑒻𑒟𑒱𑒪𑒲}}
|image       = Maithili.svg
| pronunciation  = {{IPA-mai|ˈməi̯tʰɪli|}}
|states     =[[India]], [[Madhesh]] and [[Nepal]]
| image         = {{Photomontage|position=center
|nation     = {{NEP|Nepal}} Interim Constitution 2007<br/>[[India]] 8th schedule of Constitution of India, [[Bihar]]
| photo2a        = Maithili.svg
|region     = Northern [[Bihar]], [[Madhesh]],[[Nepal]]
| photo1a        = Maithili in Tirhuta script.svg
|ethnicity   = [[Maithil]]
| size        = 200
|speakers   = {{sigfig|34.7|1}} million<!--rounded off to nearest 10M in E17,18-->
| spacing      = 2
|date       = 2000–2001
| color        =
|ref         = e16
| border      = 0
|familycolor =Indo-European
| foot_montage = }}
|fam2       =[[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]]
| imagesize     =  
|fam3       =[[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]]
| imagecaption  = Maithili in traditional [[Tirhuta]] and recent [[Devanagari]] script
|fam4       =[[Eastern Indo-Aryan languages|Eastern]]
| states        = [[India]] and [[Nepal]]
|fam5       =[[Bihari languages|Bihari]]
| nation         = {{IND|India}} (8th schedule of Constitution of India)
|script     =[[Tirhuta]] ([[Mithilakshar]])<br />[[Kaithi]] (Maithili style)<br />[[Devanagari script|Devanagari]]
* [[Jharkhand]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/news/ranchi/jharkhand-raghubar-das-cabinet-decision-maithili-bhojpuri-angika-magahi-second-language/1135878.html |title=झारखंड : रघुवर सरकार कैबिनेट से मगही, भोजपुरी, मैथिली व अंगिका को द्वितीय भाषा का दर्जा |access-date=21 March 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321180643/https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/news/ranchi/jharkhand-raghubar-das-cabinet-decision-maithili-bhojpuri-angika-magahi-second-language/1135878.html |archive-date=21 March 2018 }}</ref> (additional)
|dia1 = Central (Sotipura)
| region         = [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]]{{efn|Eastern [[Bihar]] and northeastern [[Jharkhand]] in India;<ref name="Archived copy">{{cite web |url=https://khabar.ndtv.com/news/india/prakash-javadekar-likely-to-call-meeting-of-experts-to-promote-maithili-script-1826774 |title=मैथिली लिपि को बढ़ावा देने के लिए विशेषज्ञों की जल्द ही बैठक बुला सकते हैं प्रकाश जावड़ेकर |access-date=21 March 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180321192835/https://khabar.ndtv.com/news/india/prakash-javadekar-likely-to-call-meeting-of-experts-to-promote-maithili-script-1826774 |archive-date=21 March 2018 }}</ref><ref name="m.livehindustan.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.livehindustan.com/jharkhand/story-maithili-will-get-second-state-language-status-in-jharkhand-1835624.html|title=मैथिली को भी मिलेगा दूसरी राजभाषा का दर्जा|website=Hindustan|access-date=3 January 2020}}</ref> [[Province No. 2]] and [[Province No. 1]] in Nepal)}}
|dia4 = Dehati
| ethnicity     = [[Maithil]]
|dia3 = [[Khortha dialect|Khortha]] (Eastern)
| speakers       = 33.9 million<!--Indian census has only 14M, an obvious undercount-->
|dia5 = Jolaha
| date           = 2000
|dia6 = Kisan
| ref            = e21
|dia7 = Southern
| speakers2      = (only 13.58 million reported their languages as Maithili on the [[2011 census of India]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Abstract of Speakers' Strength of Languages and Mother Tongues - 2011 |url=https://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011Census/Language-2011/Statement-1.pdf |website=censusindia.gov.in |access-date=30 January 2021}}</ref> as many consider it to be a variety of Hindi
|dia8 = Thetiya
| map = Maithili_map.png
|dia2 = Western
| familycolor = Indo-European
|iso2       =mai
| fam2           = [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]]
|iso3       =mai
| fam3           = [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]]
|glotto=mait1250
| fam4           = [[Eastern Indic languages|Eastern]]
|glottorefname=Maithili
| fam5           = [[Bihari languages|Bihari]]
| script         = [[Tirhuta]] ([[Mithilakshar]]) (Former)<br />[[Kaithi]] (Maithili style) (Former)<br />[[Devanagari]] (Current)
| dia1           = Central (Sotipura)
| dia3           = [[Bajjika]]{{efn|Recognized as distinct language in Nepal}}<ref name="ethnologue.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mai/17 |title=Maithili |access-date=1 June 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730151525/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mai/17 |archive-date=30 July 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://multitree.org/codes/mai-baj|title=Bajjika - MultiTree|website=multitree.org|access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref><ref>https://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic-social/census/documents/Nepal/Nepal-Census-2011-Vol1.pdf</ref>
| dia4          = Madhur{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}
| dia5           = Jolaha
| dia6           = Kisan
| dia2          = [[Thēthi]]
| dia8           = Bang
| iso2           = mai
| iso3           = mai
| glotto         = mait1250
| glottorefname = Maithili
| agency        = *[[India]] ([[Sahitya Akademi]])
**[[Bihar]] ([[Maithili Academy]])
**[[Delhi]] ([[Maithili - Bhojpuri Academy, Delhi]])
*[[Nepal]] ([[Nepal Academy]])
| mapcaption    = Maithili-speaking region of India and Nepal
}}
}}
{{InterWiki|code=mai}}
'''Maithili''' ({{lang-ne|मैथिली}}; {{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|aɪ|t|ᵻ|l|i}};<ref>{{OED|Maithili}}</ref> ''Maithilī'') is an [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan language]]. It is spoken in [[Nepal]] and northern [[India]]. It is spoken by 34.7 million people. Of those, 2.8 million are [[Nepal]]ese people. It is the second largest national language of Nepal.<ref name=e16b>Lewis, M. P. (ed.) (2009). [http://archive.ethnologue.com/16/show_language.asp?code=mai Maithili] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922005007/http://archive.ethnologue.com/16/show_language.asp?code=mai |date=2013-09-22 }} Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International.</ref> In ancient times, Maithili language was written in [[Mithilakshar]].<ref name=Yadava2013>Yadava, Y. P. (2013). Linguistic context and language endangerment in Nepal. Nepalese Linguistics 28: 262–274.</ref> Now it is written in [[Devanagari]] script.


==References==
'''Maithili''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|aɪ|t|ᵻ|l|i}};<ref>{{OED|Maithili}}</ref> ''Maithilī'' {{IPA-mai|ˈməi̯tʰɪli|}}) is an [[Indo-Aryan language]] native to the [[Indian subcontinent]], mainly spoken in [[India]] and [[Nepal]]. In India, it is spoken in the [[Indian states|states]] of [[Bihar]] and [[Jharkhand]] and is one of the 22 [[Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India|recognised]] [[languages of India|Indian languages]].<ref name="mha.nic.in">{{Cite web |url=http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/Eighth_Schedule.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=27 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305010536/http://mha.nic.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/mhahindi/files/pdf/Eighth_Schedule.pdf |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Archived copy" /><ref name="m.livehindustan.com"/> In Nepal, it is spoken in the eastern [[Terai]] and is the second most prevalent language of Nepal.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/country/NP/languages|title=Nepal|work=Ethnologue|access-date=17 July 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref name=Sah2013>{{cite journal |author=Sah, K. K. |year=2013 |title=Some perspectives on Maithili |journal=Nepalese Linguistics |issue=28 |pages=179–188 }}</ref> [[Tirhuta]] was formerly the primary script for written Maithili. Less commonly, it was also written in the local variant of [[Kaithi]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Brass, P. R. |year=2005 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SylBHS8IJAUC&pg=PP1 |title=Language, Religion and Politics in North India |publisher=iUniverse |location=Lincoln |access-date=1 April 2017 |isbn=0-595-34394-5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180511082055/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=SylBHS8IJAUC&lpg=PA67&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false |archive-date=11 May 2018 }}</ref> Today it is written in the [[Devanagari]] script.<ref name=Yadava2013>Yadava, Y. P. (2013). Linguistic context and language endangerment in Nepal. [http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/nepling/pdf/Nep_Ling_28.pdf Nepalese Linguistics 28] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231341/http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/nepling/pdf/Nep_Ling_28.pdf |date=3 March 2016 }}: 262–274.</ref>
 
==Official status==
In 2003, Maithili was included in the [[8th Schedule|Eighth Schedule]] of the [[Indian Constitution]] as a recognised [[language of India|Indian language]], which allows it to be used in education, government, and other official contexts in India.<ref name="mha.nic.in"/>
 
The Maithili language is included as an optional paper in the [[Union Public Service Commission|UPSC]] Exam.
 
In March 2018, Maithili received the second official language status in the [[Indian state]] of Jharkhand.<ref>{{cite news |title=झारखंड : रघुवर कैबिनेट से मगही, भोजपुरी, मैथिली व अंगिका को द्वितीय भाषा का दर्जा |url=https://www.prabhatkhabar.com/state/jharkhand/ranchi/1135878 |access-date=6 February 2021 |work=Prabhat Khabar |date=21 March 2018 |language=hi}}</ref>
 
==Geographic distribution==
In India, Maithili is spoken mainly in [[Bihar]] and [[Jharkhand]] in the districts of [[Darbhanga district|Darbhanga]], [[Saharsa district|Saharsa]], [[Samastipur district|Samastipur]], [[Madhubani District|Madhubani]], [[Muzaffarpur district|Muzaffarpur]], [[Sitamarhi district|Sitamarhi]], [[Begusarai district|Begusarai]], [[Munger district|Munger]], [[Khagaria district|Khagaria]], [[Purnia district|Purnia]], [[Katihar district|Katihar]], [[Kishanganj district|Kishanganj]], [[Sheohar district|Sheohar]], [[Bhagalpur district|Bhagalpur]], [[Madhepura district|Madhepura]], [[Araria district|Araria]], [[Supaul district|Supaul]], [[Vaishali district|Vaishali]], [[Ranchi district|Ranchi]], [[Bokaro district|Bokaro]], [[East Singhbhum district|Jamshedpur]], [[Dhanbad district|Dhanbad]] and [[Deoghar district|Deoghar]] as well as other districts of [[Santhal Pargana division]].<ref>{{cite news |title=मैथिली को भी मिलेगा दूसरी राजभाषा का दर्जा |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/jharkhand/story-maithili-will-get-second-state-language-status-in-jharkhand-1835624.html |access-date=3 September 2020 |work=Hindustan |date=6 March 2018 |language=hi}}</ref> [[Darbhanga]], [[Madhubani, India|Madhubani]] and [[Saharsa]] constitute cultural and linguistic centers.<ref name=e16>{{cite book |editor=Lewis, M. P. |year=2009 |chapter-url=http://archive.ethnologue.com/16/show_language.asp?code=mai |chapter=Maithili |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World |edition=Sixteenth |location=Dallas, Texas |publisher=SIL International |url=http://archive.ethnologue.com/16/show_language.asp?code=mai |access-date=19 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922005007/http://archive.ethnologue.com/16/show_language.asp?code=mai |archive-date=22 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
In Nepal, Maithili is spoken mainly in the [[Terai#Outer Terai|Outer Terai]] districts including [[Sarlahi District|Sarlahi]], [[Mahottari District|Mahottari]], [[Dhanusa District|Dhanusa]], [[Sunsari District|Sunsari]], [[Siraha District|Siraha]], [[Morang District|Morang]] and [[Saptari District]]s. [[Janakpur]] is an important linguistic centre of Maithili.<ref name=e16 />
 
==Classification==
In the 19th century, linguistic scholars considered Maithili as a dialect of [[Bihari language]]s and grouped it with other languages spoken in Bihar. [[Rudolf Hoernlé|Hoernlé]] compared it with [[Gauḍa (region)|Gaudian]] languages and recognized that it shows more similarities with [[Bengali language]]s than with Hindi. [[George Abraham Grierson|Grierson]] recognized it as a distinct language and published the first [[grammar]] in 1881.<ref name=Yadav1979>{{cite book |last=Yadav |first=R. |year=1979 |chapter=Maithili language and Linguistics: Some Background Notes |chapter-url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/kailash/pdf/kailash_08_0102_04.pdf |title=Maithili Phonetics and Phonology |publisher=Doctoral Dissertation, University of Kansas, Lawrence |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517085054/http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/kailash/pdf/kailash_08_0102_04.pdf |archive-date=17 May 2017 |access-date=9 May 2012 }}</ref><ref>Yadav, R. (1996). ''A Reference Grammar of Maithili''. Mouton de Gruyter, Berlin, New York.</ref>
 
[[Suniti Kumar Chatterji|Chatterji]] grouped Maithili with [[Magadhi Prakrit]].<ref>Chatterji, S. K. (1926). The origin and development of the Bengali language. University Press, Calcutta.</ref>
 
=== Dialects ===
Maithili varies greatly in dialects.<ref>Brass, P. R. (2005). Language, Religion, and Politics in North India. iUniverse, Lincoln, NE.</ref> The standard form of Maithili is Sotipura or Central Maithili or Madhubani dialect<ref>{{cite journal|last=Yadav|first=R.|year=1992|title=The Use of the Mother Tongue in Primary Education: The Nepalese Context|journal=Contributions to Nepalese Studies|volume=19|issue=2|url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/contributions/pdf/CNAS_19_02_02.pdf|pages=178–190|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410144313/http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/contributions/pdf/CNAS_19_02_02.pdf|archive-date=10 April 2016|access-date=18 June 2016}}</ref> which is mainly spoken in [[Darbhanga district|Darbhanga]], [[Madhubani district]] and [[Saharsa district]] in Bihar, India.<ref>Choudhary, P.K. 2013. Causes and Effects of Super-stratum Language Influence, with Reference to Maithili. Journal of Indo-European Studies 41(3/4): 378–391.</ref>
*[[Bajjika dialect]] of Maithili is spoken in [[Samastipur district|Samastipur]], [[Sitamarhi district|Sitamarhi]], [[Muzaffarpur district|Muzaffarpur]] and [[Vaishali district|Vaishali]] districts of [[Bihar]] in India. Bajjika is listed as a distinct language in Nepal and overlaps by 76–86% with Maithili dialects spoken in [[Dhanusa District|Dhanusa]], [[Morang District|Morang]], [[Saptari District|Saptari]], and [[Sarlahi District]]s.<ref name="ethnologue2">{{cite web |editor=Simons, G. F. |editor2=Fennig, C. D. |year=2018 |title=Maithili. Ethnologue: Languages of the World |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/mai |publisher=SIL International |location=Dallas |access-date=7 December 2018}}</ref>
* [[Thēthi|Thēthi dialect]] is spoken mainly in [[Kosi division|Kosi]], [[Purnia division|Purnia]] and [[Munger division]]s of [[Bihar]], [[India]] and some adjoining districts of [[Nepal]].<ref>Ray, K. K. (2009). Reduplication in Thenthi Dialect of Maithili Language. Nepalese Linguistics 24: 285–290.</ref>
[[Angika]] is sometimes considered a dialect of Maithili. Several other dialects of Maithili are spoken in India and Nepal, including Dehati, Kisan, Bantar, Barmeli, Musar, Tati and Jolaha. All the dialects are intelligible to native Maithili speakers.<ref name=e16 />
 
==Origin and history==
The name Maithili is derived from the word [[Mithila (ancient)|Mithila]], an ancient kingdom of which King [[Janaka]] was the ruler (see [[Ramayana]]). Maithili is also one of the names of [[Sita]], the wife of King [[Rama]] and daughter of King [[Janaka]]. Scholars in Mithila used Sanskrit for their literary work and Maithili was the language of the common folk ([[Abahatta]]).
 
The beginning of Maithili language and literature can be traced back to the '[[Charyapada]]s', a form of Buddhist mystical verses, composed during the period of 700-1300 AD. These padas were written in [[Twilight language|Sandhya bhasa]] by several Siddhas who belonged to [[Vajrayana Buddhism]] and were scattered throughout the territory of [[Assam]], [[Bengal]], [[Bihar]] and [[Odisha]]. Several of Siddas were from Mithila region such as Kanhapa, Sarhapa etc. Prominent scholars like [[Rahul Sankrityayan|Rahul Sankrityanan]], Subhadra Jha and [[Jayakant Mishra]] provided evidences and proved that the language of  [[Charyapada]] is ancient Maithili or proto Maithili.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.135722 |title=A History Of Maithili Literature |volume=1 |last=Mishra|first=J. |date=1949}}</ref>
Apart from Charyapadas, there has been rich tradition of folk culture, folk songs and which were popular among common folks of Mithila region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Madhubani Paintings: People's Living Cultural Heritage |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1527/madhubani-paintings-peoples-living-cultural-herita/ |access-date=19 November 2020 |website=[[World History Encyclopedia]]}}</ref>
 
After the fall of [[Pala Empire|Pala]] rule, disappearance of [[Buddhism]], establishment of [[Karnat dynasty|Karnāta]] kings and patronage of Maithili under [[Harasimhadeva]] (1226–1324) of Karnāta dynasty dates back to the 14th century (around 1327 AD). [[Jyotirishwar Thakur]] (1280–1340) wrote a unique work ''[[Varna Ratnakara|Varnaratnākara]]'' in Maithili prose.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.283961|title=Varna Ratnakara Of Jyotirisvara Kavisekharacarya |last=Chatterji, S. K. |date=1940}}</ref> The ''Varna Ratnākara'' is the earliest known prose text, written by [[Jyotirishwar Thakur]] in [[Mithilakshar|Mithilaksar script]],<ref name="Yadav1979" /> and is the first prose work not only in Maithili but in any modern Indian language.<ref name="Maithili literature">{{Cite book |title=Reading Asia : new research in Asian studies |date=2001 |publisher=Curzon |isbn=0700713719 |location=Richmond, Surrey |oclc=48560711}}</ref>
 
In 1324, Ghyasuddin Tughluq, the emperor of [[Delhi]] invaded Mithila, defeated [[Harisimhadeva]], entrusted Mithila to his family priest Kameshvar Jha, a Maithil [[Brahmin]] of the [[Oinwar dynasty]]. But the disturbed era did not produce any literature in Maithili until [[Vidyapati|Vidyapati Thakur]] (1360 to 1450), who was an epoch-making poet under the patronage of king Shiva Singh and his queen Lakhima Devi. He produced over 1,000 immortal songs in Maithili on the theme of love of [[Radha]] and [[Krishna]] and the domestic life of [[Shiva]] and [[Parvati]] as well as on the subject of suffering of migrant labourers of Morang and their families; besides, he wrote a number of treaties in Sanskrit. His love-songs spread far and wide in no time and enchanted saints, poets and youth. [[Chaitanya Mahaprabhu]] saw the divine light of love behind these songs, and soon these songs became themes of [[Vaishnavism|Vaisnava]] sect of [[Bengal]]. [[Rabindranath Tagore]], out of curiosity, imitated these songs under the pseudonym [[Bhanusimha Thakurer Padabali|Bhanusimha]]. Vidyapati influenced the religious literature of Asama, Bengal, Utkala and gave birth to a new [[Brajabuli]] language.<ref name="Majumdar1960">{{cite book |editor1-last=Majumdar |editor1-first=Ramesh Chandra |editor1-link=R. C. Majumdar |editor2-last=Pusalker |editor2-first=A. D. |editor3-last=Majumdar |editor3-first=A. K. |date=1960 |title=[[The History and Culture of the Indian People]] |volume=VI: The Delhi Sultanate |location=Bombay |publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan |page=515 |quote="During the sixteenth century, a form of an artificial literary language became established ... It was the ''Brajabulī'' dialect ... ''Brajabulī'' is practically the Maithilī speech as current in Mithilā, modified in its forms to look like Bengali."}}</ref><ref name="Banglapedia-Brajabuli">{{cite book |last=Morshed |first=Abul Kalam Manjoor |year=2012 |chapter=Brajabuli |chapter-url=http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Brajabuli |editor1-last=Islam |editor1-first=Sirajul |editor1-link=Sirajul Islam |editor2-last=Jamal |editor2-first=Ahmed A. |title=Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh |edition=Second |publisher=[[Asiatic Society of Bangladesh]]}}</ref>
 
The earliest reference to Maithili or Tirhutiya is in Amaduzzi's preface to Beligatti's ''Alphabetum Brammhanicum'', published in 1771.<ref name="Tourutiana">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Djfl_uZqLAC |last=Ded. St. Borgiae Clementi |first=XIV. Praef. J. Chr. Amadutii |title=Alphabetum Brammhanicum Seu Indostanum Universitatis Kasi |publisher=Palala Press |pages=viii |language=la|isbn=9781173019655|year=1771 }}</ref> This contains a list of Indian languages amongst which is 'Tourutiana.' Colebrooke's essay on the Sanskrit and Prakrit languages, written in 1801, was the first to describe Maithili as a distinct dialect.<ref name="Colebrooke's">{{cite book |last=Thomas Colebrooke |first=H. |title=Miscellaneous essays. With life of the author by his son Sir T.E. Colebrooke, Volume 3 |pages=26 |isbn=9781145371071 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DToCAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA1|year=1873 }}</ref>
 
Many devotional songs were written by Vaisnava saints, including in the mid-17th century, Vidyapati and Govindadas. Mapati Upadhyaya wrote a drama titled ''Pārijātaharaṇa'' in Maithili. Professional troupes, mostly from [[dalit]] classes known as Kirtanias, the singers of bhajan or devotional songs, started to perform this drama in public gatherings and the courts of the nobles.
Lochana (c. 1575 – c. 1660) wrote ''Rāgatarangni'', a significant treatise on the science of music, describing the rāgas, tālas, and lyrics prevalent in Mithila.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mishra |first=Amar Kant |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZHp7DwAAQBAJ|title=Ruling Dynasty Of Mithila: Dr.Sir Kameswar Singh |date=23 November 2018 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-1-64429-762-9 |language=en}}</ref>
 
During the [[Malla (Nepal)|Malla dynasty]]'s rule Maithili spread far and wide throughout [[Nepal]] from the 16th to the 17th century.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9sljAAAAMAAJ | title=Medieval Indian literature: an anthology, Volume 3 | access-date=19 February 2017 | pages=69 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219172743/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9sljAAAAMAAJ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj-ra3n8JrSAhVDC8AKHa4dDGsQ6AEIHzAB | archive-date=19 February 2017 | df=dmy-all| isbn=9788126007882 | author1=Ayyappappanikkar | last2=Akademi | first2=Sahitya | date=January 1999 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n4FQMEiZcrIC&pg=PA243 | title=Nationalism and Ethnicity in a Hindu Kingdom: The Politics and Culture of ... | access-date=19 February 2017 | pages=243 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219173751/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=n4FQMEiZcrIC&pg=PA243&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwih_rGx8ZrSAhVsIcAKHYYsC3wQ6AEIKzAD#v=onepage&q=malla%20dynasty%20maithili&f=false | archive-date=19 February 2017 | df=dmy-all | isbn=9781136649561 | last1=Gellner | first1=D. | last2=Pfaff-Czarnecka | first2=J. | last3=Whelpton | first3=J. | date=6 December 2012 }}</ref> During this period, at least seventy Maithili dramas were produced. In the drama ''Harishchandranrityam'' by Siddhinarayanadeva (1620–57), some characters speak pure colloquial Maithili, while others speak [[Bengali language|Bengali]], Sanskrit or [[Prakrit]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Rahmat Jahan, 1960- |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/58526278 |title=Comparative literature : a case of Shaw and Bharatendu |date=2004 |publisher=Sarup & Sons |isbn=81-7625-487-8 |edition=1st |location=New Delhi |pages=121 |oclc=58526278}}</ref>
 
After the demise of Maheshwar Singh, the ruler of Darbhanga Raj, in 1860, the Raj was taken over by the British Government as regent. The Darbhanga Raj returned to his successor, Maharaj Lakshmishvar Singh, in 1898. The Zamindari Raj had a lackadaisical approach toward Maithili. The use of Maithili language was revived through personal efforts of MM Parameshvar Mishra, Chanda Jha, Munshi Raghunandan Das and others.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jha |first=Pankaj Kumar |date=1996 |title=Language and Nation : The Case of Maithili and Mithila in the First Half of Twentieth Century |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44133363 |access-date=19 November 2020 |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |volume=57 |pages=581–590|jstor=44133363 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tripathi |first=Shailaja |date=14 October 2010 |title=Moments for masses |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/Moments-for-masses/article15780022.ece |access-date=19 November 2020 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN}}</ref>
 
Publication of ''Maithil Hita Sadhana'' (1905), ''Mithila Moda'' (1906), and ''Mithila Mihir'' (1908) further encouraged writers. The first social organization, Maithil Mahasabha, was established in 1910 for the development of Mithila and Maithili. It blocked its membership for people outside from the Maithil Brahmin and Karna Kayastha castes. Maithil Mahasabha campaigned for the official recognition of Maithili as a regional language. [[Calcutta University]] recognized Maithili in 1917, and other universities followed suit.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
 
Babu Bhola Lal Das wrote ''Maithili Grammar'' (''Maithili Vyakaran''). He edited a book ''Gadyakusumanjali'' and edited a journal ''Maithili''.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
In 1965, Maithili was officially accepted by [[Sahitya Academy]], an organization dedicated to the promotion of Indian literature.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
 
In 2002, Maithili was recognized on the [[Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India|VIII schedule of the Indian Constitution]] as a major Indian language; Maithili is now one of the twenty-two [[Languages of India#Scheduled languages|Scheduled languages of India]].<ref name=Singh2011>Singh, P. & Singh, A. N. (2011). Finding Mithila between India's Centre and Periphery. ''Journal of Indian Law & Society'' 2: 147–181.</ref>
 
The publishing of Maithili books in Mithilakshar script was started by [[Acharya Ramlochan Saran]].{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}
 
==Phonology==
{{Main|Maithili Phonology}}
 
=== Consonants ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" |
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]/<br/>[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Retroflex consonant|Retroflex]]
![[Palatal]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
![[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-
! rowspan="4" |[[Stop consonant|Stop]]/<br/>[[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
!<small>[[Voicelessness|voiceless]]</small>
|{{IPAlink|p}} {{angbr|प}}
|{{IPAlink|t}} {{angbr|त}}
|{{IPAlink|ʈ}} {{angbr|ट}}
|{{IPAlink|tɕ}} {{angbr|च}}
|{{IPAlink|k}} {{angbr|क}}
|
|-
!<small>[[Aspirated consonant|aspirated]]</small>
|{{IPAlink|pʰ}} {{angbr|फ}}
|{{IPAlink|tʰ}} {{angbr|थ}}
|{{IPAlink|ʈʰ}} {{angbr|ठ}}
|{{IPAlink|tɕʰ}} {{angbr|छ}}
|{{IPAlink|kʰ}} {{angbr|ख}}
|
|-
!<small>[[Voice (phonetics)|voiced]]</small>
|{{IPAlink|b}} {{angbr|ब}}
|{{IPAlink|d}} {{angbr|द}}
|{{IPAlink|ɖ}} {{angbr|ड}}
|{{IPAlink|dʑ}} {{angbr|ज}}
|{{IPAlink|ɡ}} {{angbr|ग}}
|
|-
!<small>[[voiced aspirated]]</small>
|{{IPAlink|bʱ}} {{angbr|भ}}
|{{IPAlink|dʱ}} {{angbr|ध}}
|{{IPAlink|ɖʱ}} {{angbr|ढ}}
|{{IPAlink|dʑʱ}} {{angbr|झ}}
|{{IPAlink|ɡʱ}} {{angbr|घ}}
|
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
!<small>[[Voicelessness|voiceless]]</small>
|({{IPAlink|ɸ}}~{{IPAlink|f}} {{angbr|फ़}})
|{{IPAlink|s}} {{angbr|स}}
|({{IPAlink|ʂ}} {{angbr|ष}})
|({{IPAlink|ɕ}} {{angbr|श}})
|({{IPAlink|x}} {{angbr|ख़}})
|({{IPAlink|h}} {{angbr|ः}})*
|-
!<small>[[Voice (phonetics)|voiced]]</small>
|
|({{IPAlink|z}} {{angbr|ज़}})
|
|({{IPAlink|ʑ}} {{angbr|झ़}})
|
|({{IPAlink|ɦ}} {{angbr|ह}})
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal consonant|Nasal]]
|{{IPAlink|m}} {{angbr|म}}
|{{IPAlink|n}} {{angbr|न}}
|{{IPAlink|ɳ}} {{angbr|ण}}
|({{IPAlink|ɲ}} {{angbr|ञ}})
|{{IPAlink|ŋ}} {{angbr|ङ}}
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Tap and flap consonants|Flap]] and [[Trill consonants]]
|
|{{IPAlink|ɾ}}~{{IPAlink|r}} {{angbr|र}}
|({{IPAlink|ɽ}} {{angbr|ड़}})
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]
|
|{{IPAlink|l}} {{angbr|ल}}
|
|
|
|
|-
! colspan="2" |[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
|({{IPAlink|ʋ}}~{{IPAlink|w}} {{angbr|व}})
|
|
|({{IPAlink|j}} {{angbr|य}})
|
|
|}
 
* Fricative sounds {{IPA|[ʂ, ɕ]}} only occur marginally, and are typically pronounced as a dental fricative /{{IPA|s}}/ in most styles of pronunciation.ः is always added after a vowel.
* In most styles of pronunciation, the retroflex flap {{IPA|[ɽ]}} occurs marginally, and is usually pronounced as an alveolar tap /{{IPA|r}}/ sound.
* A retroflex nasal sound {{IPA|[ɳ]}} only occurs before a voiced retroflex /{{IPA|ɖ}}/ sound.
* Approximant sounds {{IPA|[ʋ, w, j]}} and  fricative sounds {{IPA|[ɸ, f, z, ʑ, x]}}, mainly occur in words that are borrowed from Sanskrit or in words of Perso-Arabic origin. From Sanskrit, ''puʂp(ə)'' as ''puɸp(ə)''. Conjunct of ''ɦj'' as ''ɦʑ'' as in ''graɦjə'' as ''graɦʑə''.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Grierson |first1=George Abraham |url=http://archive.org/details/introductiontoma00grierich |title=An introduction to the Maithili dialect of the Bihari language as spoken in North Bihar |date=1909 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Asiatic Society}}</ref>
 
====Non-syllabic vowels====
There are four non-syllabic vowels in Maithili: i̯, u̯, e̯, o̯ written in Devanagari as य़, व़, य़ॆ, व़ॊ. Most of the times, these are written without [[nukta]].
 
=== Vowels ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |[[Front vowel|Front]]
! colspan="2" |[[Central vowel|Central]]
! colspan="2" |[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-
!<small>short</small>
!<small>long</small>
!<small>short</small>
!<small>long</small>
!<small>short</small>
!<small>long</small>
|- align="center"
![[Close vowel|Close]]
|इ {{IPA|ɪ}}
|ई {{IPA|i}}ː
|
|
|उ {{IPA|ʊ}}
|ऊ {{IPA|u}}ː
|-
![[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|ऎ {{IPA|e}}
|ए {{IPA|eː}}
|अ
{{IPA|ə}}~{{IPA|ɐ}}
|अऽ {{IPA|əː}}
|ऒ {{IPA|o}}
|ओ {{IPA|oː}}
|- align="center"
![[Open vowel|Open]]
| colspan="2" |ऍ
{{IPA|æ}}~{{IPA|ɛ}}
|ॴ {{IPA|a}}̈
|आ {{IPA|äː}}
| colspan="2" |अ<sup>ऽ</sup> {{IPA|ɔ}}
|-
! rowspan="2" |[[Diphthongs]]
|
|ꣾ əe̯
|
|
|
|ॵ əo̯
|-
|
|ऐ aːɪ̯
|
|
|
|औ aːʊ̯
|}
 
* All vowels have nasal counterparts, represented by "~" in IPA and ँ on the vowels, like आँ  ãː .
*All vowel sounds are realized as nasal when occurring before or after a nasal consonant.<ref>{{Cite book |title=A Reference Grammar of Maithili |last=Yadav |first=Ramawatar |location=Berlin |publisher=Mouton de Gruyter |year=1996  |pages=15–27}}</ref>
* Sounds eː and oː are often replaced by diphthongs əɪ̯ and əʊ̯.
*æ is a recent development.
*ɔ is replaced by ə in northern dialects and by o in southernmost dialects.
*There are three short vowels, as described by Grierson, but not counted by modern grammarians. But they could be understood as syllable break :- ॳ / ɘ̆ /,  इऺ/ ɪ̆ /,  उऺ/ ʊ̆ / . Or as syllable break ऺ in Devanagari and "." in IPA.
* ꣾ is a Unicode letter in Devanagari, (IPA /əe̯/) which is not supported currently on several browsers and operating systems, along with its mātrā (vowel sign).
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File: Devanagari extended AY.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.5|[[Devanagari Extended]] AY vowel|link=Special:FilePath/Devanagari_extended_AY.jpg]] --><!-- Deleted image removed: [[File: Devanagari extended AY vowelsign.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.5|[[Devanagari Extended]] AY vowel sign]] -->
 
====Diphthongs====
 
अय़(ꣾ) / əi̯ / ~ /ɛː/ - अय़सनऺ (ꣾ सनऺ) / əi̯sənᵊ / ~ /ɛːsɐnᵊ/ 'like this'                                  <br />अव़(ॵ) / əu̯ / ~ /ɔː/- चव़मुुखऺ(चॏमुखऺ) / tɕəu̯mʊkʰᵊ / ~ /tɕɔːmʊkʰᵊ/ 'four faced'<br />अयॆ / əe̯ / - अयॆलाः / əe̯la:h / 'came'<br />अवॊ (अऒ) / əo̯ / - अवॊताः / əo̯ta:h / 'will come'<br />'''ऐ / a:i̯ / - ऐ / a:i̯ / 'today'<br />औ / a:u̯ / - औ / a:u̯ / 'come please''''<br />आयॆ (आऎ) / a:e̯ / - आयॆलऺ / a:e̯l / 'came'<br />आवॊ (आऒ) / a:o̯ / - आवॊबऺ / a:o̯bᵊ / 'will come'<br />यु (इउ) / iu̯/ - घ्यु / ghiu̯ / 'ghee'<br />यॆ (इऎ) / ie̯ / - यॆः / ie̯h / 'only this'<br />यॊ (इऒ) / io̯ / - कह्यो / kəhio̯ / 'any day'<br />वि (उइ) / ui̯ / - द्वि / dui̯ / 'two'<br />वॆ (उऎ) /ue̯/ -  वॆ: / ue̯h / 'only that'
 
===Svarabhakti (Vowel Epenthesis)===
 
A peculiar type of phonetic change is recently taking place in Maithili by way of epenthesis i.e. backward transposition of final i and u in all sort of words.<ref name="Maithili">{{Cite web|url=http://lisindia.ciil.org/Maithili/Maithili.html|title=Maithili|website=lisindia.ciil.org|access-date=22 April 2020}}</ref> Thus:
 
'''Standard Colloquial -''' Common Pronunciation
 
'''अछि / əchi / -''' अइछऺ / əich / 'is'
 
'''रवि / rəbi / -''' रइबऺ / rəib / 'Sunday'
 
'''मधु / mədhu / -''' मउधऺ / məudh / 'honey'
 
'''बालु / ba:lu / -''' बाउलऺ / ba:ul / 'sand'
 
==Morphology==
{{Main|Maithili grammar}}
 
===Grammatical cases===
Nouns are inflected for several cases. Grammarians consider only few of them to be pure inflection.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Case name
!Postpositions
!Examples
!English translation
!Singular Inflection
!Plural Inflection*
|-
! colspan="2" |Nominative
({{lang-sa2|कर्ता}} ''kartā'')
|
|'''नेन<sup>ऽ</sup>''' खैतऺ छॏ।
|Boy is eating.
|∅ (Inherent Vowel)
| -(अ)नऺ,
-(अ)निऺ
 
(ə)nᵊ, (ə)nɪ̆
|-
! rowspan="2" |Accusative
({{lang-sa2|कर्म}} ''karma'')<ref name="Maithili"/>
!Definite Object
(without determiners)
|के ke
|ऊ '''नेनाके''' खिलैैतꣿ।
|He/she will feed the boy.
| colspan="2" |Postposition used
←
|-
!Indefinite
Object
|
|बियाहकऺ बादऺ ऊ पालऺतꣿ '''नेना'''।
|He/she nurture a boy, after marriage
| colspan="2" |∅
|-
! colspan="2" |Instrumental
({{lang-sa2|करण}} ''karaṇa'')
|सँ<sup>ऽ</sup> sɔ̃
|'''नेनासँ<sup>ऽ</sup>''' गिरलऺ रहꣿ।
|It was fallen by the boy.
|  -एँ ẽː**
| -(अ)न्हिऺ
(ə)nʰɪ̆
|-
! colspan="2" |Dative
({{lang-sa2|सम्प्रदान}} ''sampradāna'')
|कॅ, लॅ, लेलऺ
kæ læ, leːlᵊ
|'''नेनाकॅ''' खाना खिलौ।
|Feed the boy the food.
| -(अ)ल
(ə)lə
|Postposition used ←
|-
! colspan="2" |Ergative<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lisindia.ciil.org/Maithili/Maith_vari.html|title=Maithili Variation|website=lisindia.ciil.org|access-date=22 April 2020}}</ref>
(सापेक्ष)‡
|न, नॆ nə, ne
|'''नेनेँ''' पेड़ दॆखलऺकꣿ।
|The boy saw the tree.
| -एँ ẽː
| rowspan="2" |No forms
|-
! colspan="2" |Ablative
({{lang-sa2|अपादान}} ''apādāna'')
|सॆ se
|'''पेड़ऺसॆ''' फलऺ गिरलॏ।
|Fruit fell from the tree.
|  -(अ)तः
(ə)təh
 
-(अ)हु*
|-
! colspan="2" |Genitive
({{lang-sa2|सम्बन्ध}} ''sambandha'')
|करऺ kərᵊ
|'''नेनाकऺ''' खॆॆलॏनऽ छॏ।
|The toy is of the boy.
| -(अ)कऺ
(ə)kᵊ
 
-(अ)रऺ (ə)rᵊ
| -केरऺ, -आँँकऺ
keːrᵊ, ãːkə̆ᵊ
|-
! colspan="2" |Locative
({{lang-sa2|अधिकरण}} ''adhikaraṇa'')
|मेँ mẽː (Inessive),
पर्, पॅ pər, pæ (Superessive)
|'''छतऺपर्''' रखऺने छꣿ।<br />
|It is placed on the terrace.
|  -ए eː**<br />-(अ)हि*
| -आँ ãː
|-
! colspan="2" |Postpositional
(परसर्गीय parasargīya)§
|
|अगऺलऽ '''महीना'''मेँ हॊय़तꣿ।
|It will happen in next month.
|∅
(In र, ड़, ढ़, ल, न, ब stems
 
-आ aː)
| rowspan="2" | -(अ)नऺ,
-(अ)निऺ
 
(ə)nᵊ, (ə)nɪ̆
 
(ə)nᵊ, (ə)nɪ̆
|-
! colspan="2" |Vocative
({{lang-sa2|सम्बोधन}} ''sambodhana'')
|
|'''रॏ नेनऽ'''! औ।
|O boy! Come.
|∅
|}
 
*<nowiki>*These forms are abundant in literature, but are less used in spoken language.</nowiki>
*†It is a form came from locative.
*‡'''Ergative''' is more used in eastern and southern dialects. Maithili also has parallel accusative structure and both can be used. If '''ergative''' is used, then nominative is used as '''absolutive'''.
*Used only in neuter and inanimates.
*§It is used, when a postposition is added to the word. Some other postpositions are-
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Case name
!Postposition
|-
! colspan="2" |Allative
| दक dəkə
|-
! colspan="2" |Terminative
|तकऺ, लऻ təkᵊ, laː
|-
! colspan="2" |Abessive
|बिनु bɪnʊ
|-
! colspan="2" |Adverbial
|जकऻँ , सोँ dʑəkãː, sõː
|-
! rowspan="3" |Genitive adjectives
!Masculine object
|क<sup>ऽ</sup>, र<sup>ऽ</sup> kɔ, rɔ
|-
!Feminine object
|कि, रि kɪ, rɪ
|-
!Neuter object
|कऽ, रऽ kəː, rəː
|}
Some postpositions are added to the genitive too.
 
*Inflectional plural is less in use than the Periphrastic one, and is mostly found in literature.
*Periphrastic Plural is made by suffixes like सभऺ səbʰᵊ; लोकनिऺ loːknɪ̆, सबहिऺ səbəɦɪ̆, गण ɡəɳᵊ, जन dʑənᵊ could be used for animates and आरनिऺ aːrənɪ̆, सनि sənɪ for all.
 
====Common vowel stem ====
 
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Case name
! colspan="3" |Singular Inflection
! colspan="3" |Plural Inflection
|-
!Feminine
!Masculine
!Neuter
!Feminine
!Masculine
!Neuter
|-
!Nominative
| -इ ɪ
|  -अ<sup>ऽ</sup> ɔ
|  -अऽ əː
| -इनऺ ɪnᵊ
|  -अनऺ, -अनिऺ
ənᵊ, ənɪ̆
| rowspan="2" |  -अनऺ, -अनिऺ
ənᵊ, ənɪ̆
|-
!Accusative
(Indefinite)
| -ई iː
| colspan="2" |  -अऽ əː
| -ई iː
| -अऽ əː
|-
!Instrumental
| colspan="2" |Postposition used<br />
| -एँ ẽː
| colspan="2" |Postposition used
| -अन्हिऺ
ənʰɪ̆
|-
! rowspan="2" |Dative
| colspan="6" |Postposition used
|-
| -इल ɪlə
| colspan="2" |  -अल ələ
| colspan="3" rowspan="3" |No forms
|-
!Ergative
| -इयेँ ɪẽː
| colspan="2" | -एँ ẽː
|-
!Ablative
| -इतः ɪtəh
| colspan="2" |  -अतः
ətəh
|-
!Genitive
| -इकऺ ɪkᵊ, इर॑ ɪrᵊ
| colspan="2" |  -अकऺ əkᵊ, -अरऺ ərᵊ
| -ईंकऺ ĩːkᵊ
| colspan="2" |  -आँँकऺ
ãːkᵊ
|-
!Locative
| colspan="2" |Postposition used
| -ए eː
| colspan="2" |Postposition used
| -आँ
ãː
|-
!Vocative
| -इ ɪ/ई iː
| colspan="2" | -अऽ əː
| -इनऺ ɪnᵊ
| colspan="2" |  -अनऺ, -अनिऺ
ənᵊ, ənɪ̆
|}
 
===Adjectives===
The difference between adjectives and nouns is very minute in Maithili. However, there are marked adjectives there in Maithili.
 
{| class="wikitable"
!
!Masculine
!Feminine
!Neuter
|-
!Definite
|  -क<sup>ऽ</sup> kɔ
| -कि/किऺ kɪ/kɪ̆
|कऽ kəː
|-
!Indefinite
|  -अ<sup>ऽ</sup> ɔ
| -इ/इऺ ɪ/ɪ̆
|ॳ/अऽ ᵊ/əː
|}
 
===Pronouns===
{{Main|Maithili grammar#Pronouns}}
Pronouns in Maithili are declined in similar way to nominals. However, genetic case has a different form in most of the pronouns. The lower forms are Accusative and Postpositional. Periphrastic Plural is used to form Plurals.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Person
!First Grade Honour
!Honorofic
!High Honorofic
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |First Person
| colspan="3" | हमऺ ɦəmᵊ
अपऺना ɐpᵊnaː (Inclusive)
|-
| colspan="3" |हमऺरा ɦəmᵊraː
अपऺना ɐpᵊnaː (Inclusive)
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" |Second Person
|तोँहऺ tõːɦᵊ
| rowspan="2" |अहाँ ɐɦãː
| rowspan="2" |अपऺने ɐpᵊneː
|-
|तोँहऺरा tõːɦᵊraː
|-
! rowspan="8" |Third Person
! rowspan="4" |Proximate
|ई iː
| colspan="2" |ए eː
|-
|ऎकऺरा ekᵊraː
| colspan="2" |हिनऺका ɦɪnᵊkaː
|-
| colspan="3" |ए eː (Neuter)
|-
| colspan="3" |ऎहि, ऍ, अथि eɦɪ, æ, ɐtʰɪ (Neuter)
|-
! rowspan="4" |Non-Proximate
|ऊ, वा uː, ʋaː
| colspan="2" |ओ oː
|-
|ऒकऺरा okᵊraː
| colspan="2" |हुनऺका ɦʊnᵊkaː
|-
| colspan="3" |ऒ o (Neuter)
|-
| colspan="3" |ऒहि, ॵ oɦɪ, əʊ (Neuter)
|}
 
==Writing system==
[[File:The consonants of the Mithilakshar script and the corresponding Devnagari.jpg|right|thumb|Consonants in Mithilakshar]]
Maithili was traditionally written in their own script which is known as [[Mithilakshar]] or [[Tirhuta]]. This script is similar to the [[Bengali–Assamese script|Bengali-Assamese script]]. [[Devanagari script]] is most commonly used since the 20th century.<ref>Pandey, A. (2009). [http://std.dkuug.dk/JTC1/SC2/WG2/docs/n3765.pdf Towards an Encoding for the Maithili Script in ISO/IEC 10646.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514002714/http://std.dkuug.dk/JTC1/SC2/WG2/docs/n3765.pdf |date=14 May 2011 }} The University of Michigan, Michigan.</ref>
 
The [[Tirhuta (Unicode block)|Tirhuta]] (Mithilakshar) and [[Kaithi (Unicode block)|Kaithi]] scripts are both currently included in Unicode.
 
==Maithili calendar==
{{Main|Tirhuta Panchang}}
The Maithili calendar or [[Tirhuta Panchang]] is followed by the Maithili community of India and [[Nepal]]. It is one of the many [[Hindu calendar]]s based on [[Vikram Samvat]]. It is a [[Sidereal clock|sidereal]] [[solar calendar]] in which the year begins on the first day of Baisakh month, i.e., Mesh Sankranti. This day falls on 13/14 April of the Georgian calendar. [[Pohela Baishakh]] in [[Bangladesh]] and in [[West Bengal]], Rangali Bihu in Assam, [[Puthandu]] in Tamil Nadu, and Vaishakhi in Punjab are observed on the same day. These festivals mark the beginning of new year in their respective regions.
 
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Names and approximate lengths of Maithili months'''<ref>Maithili Calendar, published from Darbhanga</ref>
|-
! No.
! Name
! Maithili <small>(Tirhuta)</small>
! Maithili <small>(Devanagari)</small>
! [[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]]
! Days <small>(Traditional Hindu sidereal solar calendar)</small>
|-
| 1
| Baisakh
| 𑒥𑒻𑒮𑒰𑒐
| बैसाख
| वैशाख
| 30 / 31
|-
| 2
| Jeth
| 𑒖𑒹𑒚
| जेठ
| ज्येष्ठ
| 31 / 32
|-
| 3
| Asadh
| 𑒁𑒮𑒰𑒜𑓃
| असाढ़
| आषाढ
| 31 / 32
|-
| 4
| Saon
| 𑒧𑒰𑒍𑒢
| साओन
| श्रावण
| 31 / 32
|-
| 5
| Bhado
| 𑒦𑒰𑒠𑒼
| भादो
| भाद्रपद, भाद्र, प्रोष्ठपद
| 31 / 32
|-
| 6
| Aasin
| 𑒂𑒮𑒱𑒢
| आसिन
| आश्विन
| 31 / 30
|-
| 7
| Katik
| 𑒏𑒰𑒞𑒱𑒏
| कातिक
| कार्तिक
| 29 / 30
|-
| 8
| Agahan
| 𑒁𑒑𑒯𑒢
| अगहन
| अग्रहायण, मार्गशीर्ष
| 29 / 30
|-
| 9
| Poos
| 𑒣𑒳𑒮
| पूस
| पौष
| 29 / 30
|-
| 10
| Magh
| 𑒧𑒰𑒒
| माघ
| माघ
| 29 / 30
|-
| 11
| Phagun
| 𑒤𑒰𑒑𑒳𑒢
| फागुन
| फाल्गुन
| 29 / 30
|-
| 12
| Chait
| 𑒔𑒻𑒞𑒱
| चैति
| चैत्र
| 30 / 31
|}
 
==Literature==
{{Main|Maithili literature}}
 
==See also==
* [[Languages with official status in India]]
* [[List of Indian languages by total speakers]]
 
== General bibliography ==
* {{cite book |title=An Introduction to the Maithili dialect of the Bihari language as spoken in North Bihar |author=George A. Grierson |publisher=Asiatic Society |location=Calcutta  |year=1909|url=https://archive.org/stream/introductiontoma00grierich#page/n3/mode/2up }}
* {{cite book |title=Maithili Language and Linguistics: Some Background Notes |author=Ramawatar Yadav |publisher=University of Cambridge |url=http://himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk/collections/journals/kailash/pdf/kailash_08_0102_04.pdf }}
 
== Citations ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
{{notelist}}


==External links==
{{Interwiki|code=mai}}
{{Commons category|Maithili language}}
{{wikivoyage|Maithili phrasebook|Maithili|a phrasebook}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20101230084755/http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?menu=004&LangID=199 UCLA Language Materials Project : Maithili]
* [https://archive.today/20121219224725/http://www.ntm.org.in/languages/maithili/default_maithili.asp National Translation Mission's (NTM) Maithili Pages]
* [http://www.videha.co.in/ Videha Ist Maithili] {{ISSN|2229-547X}}
* [https://sites.google.com/a/videha.com/videha-pothi/ Maithili Books]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130908063356/http://www.udbodhana.com/ Udbodhana Regd International e journal]


{{asia-stub}}
{{Bihari languages}}
{{Languages of India}}
{{Languages of Nepal}}
{{Maithili language}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Indo-Aryan languages]]
[[Category:Maithili language| ]]
[[Category:Bihari languages]]
[[Category:Culture of Mithila]]
[[Category:Eastern Indo-Aryan languages]]
[[Category:Languages attested from the 14th century]]
[[Category:Languages of Bihar]]
[[Category:Languages of India]]
[[Category:Languages of India]]
[[Category:Languages of Jharkhand]]
[[Category:Languages of Nepal]]
[[Category:Languages of Nepal]]
 
[[Category:Official languages of India]]
 
{{simple-Wikipedia}}
Anonymous user
Retrieved from "https://en.bharatpedia.org/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/140087"