Maithili language: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}

{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}

| nativename    = मैथिली, {{Script|Tirh|𑒧𑒻𑒟𑒱𑒪𑒲}}

| image         = {{Photomontage|position=center

| photo2a        = Maithili.svg

| photo1a        = Maithili in Tirhuta script.svg

| border       = 0

| states         = [[India]] and [[Nepal]]

| nation         = {{IND|India}} (8th schedule of Constitution of India)

* [[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)

| 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)}}

| ethnicity     = [[Maithil]]

| speakers       = 33.9 million<!--Indian census has only 14M, an obvious undercount-->

| date           = 2000

| ref           = e21

| map = Maithili_map.png

| familycolor = Indo-European

| fam2           = [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]]

| fam3           = [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]]

| fam4           = [[Eastern Indic languages|Eastern]]

| 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}}

| dia2           = [[Thēthi]]

| dia8          = Bang

| iso2           = mai

| iso3           = mai

| glotto         = mait1250

| glottorefname = Maithili

| agency         = *[[India]] ([[Sahitya Akademi]])

| mapcaption     = Maithili-speaking region of India and Nepal

'''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="Archived copy" /><ref name="m.livehindustan.com"/><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> 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>

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>

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 />

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>

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 />

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]]).{{cn}}

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>

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}}

{{Main|Maithili Phonology}}

! colspan="2" |

![[Dental consonant|Dental]]/<br/>[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]

! rowspan="4" |[[Stop consonant|Stop]]/<br/>[[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]

|{{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}}

!<small>[[Voicelessness|voiceless]]</small>

|({{IPAlink|ɸ}}~{{IPAlink|f}} {{angbr|फ़}})

|{{IPAlink|s}} {{angbr|स}}

|({{IPAlink|ʂ}} {{angbr|ष}})

|({{IPAlink|ɕ}} {{angbr|श}})

|({{IPAlink|ʑ}} {{angbr|झ़}})

! 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]]

! colspan="2" |[[Lateral consonant|Lateral]]

|{{IPAlink|l}} {{angbr|ल}}

!<small>short</small>

|- align="center"

![[Close vowel|Close]]

*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>

*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]] -->

 

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:

'''अछि / əchi / -''' अइछऺ / əich / 'is'

 

'''रवि / rəbi / -''' रइबऺ / rəib / 'Sunday'

'''मधु / mədhu / -''' मउधऺ / məudh / 'honey'

 

===Grammatical cases===

Nouns are inflected for several cases. Grammarians consider only few of them to be pure inflection.

{| class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" |Case name

! colspan="2" |Nominative

 

! 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>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

| -अ^ऽ ɔ

| -इनऺ ɪnᵊ

| -अनऺ, -अनिऺ

ənᵊ, ənɪ̆

| rowspan="2" | -अनऺ, -अनिऺ

ənᵊ, ənɪ̆

| -अऽ əː

| -अन्हिऺ

| -इयेँ ɪẽː

| -इकऺ ɪkᵊ, इर॑ ɪrᵊ

| colspan="2" | -अकऺ əkᵊ, -अरऺ ərᵊ

| -ईंकऺ ĩːkᵊ

| colspan="2" | -आँँकऺ

| colspan="2" | -अऽ əː

| -इनऺ ɪnᵊ

| colspan="2" | -अनऺ, -अनिऺ

ənᵊ, ənɪ̆

| -क^ऽ kɔ

| -कि/किऺ kɪ/kɪ̆

|कऽ kəː

| -अ^ऽ ɔ

| -इ/इऺ ɪ/ɪ̆

|ॳ/अऽ ᵊ/əː

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.

| colspan="3" | हमऺ ɦəmᵊ

अपऺना ɐpᵊnaː (Inclusive)

| colspan="3" |हमऺरा ɦəmᵊraː

अपऺना ɐpᵊnaː (Inclusive)

|तोँहऺ tõːɦᵊ

| rowspan="2" |अपऺने ɐpᵊneː

|तोँहऺरा tõːɦᵊraː

|ऎकऺरा ekᵊraː

| colspan="2" |हिनऺका ɦɪnᵊkaː

|ऒकऺरा okᵊraː

| colspan="2" |हुनऺका ɦʊnᵊkaː

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>

! Maithili <small>(Devanagari)</small>

! [[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]]

|-

== 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 }}