Bodo is one of the famous languages of North-East India. It is the major language of the Bodo group of the Indo-Mongoloid family which fall within the Assam-Burmese section and is spoken by Bodo people of North-Eastern India. The Bodo language is amongst the official languages of the Indian state of Assam and it is one of the 22 languages which has been recognized by eighth schedule of the Indian Constitution.
1.2:LINGUISTIC CLASSIFICATION The Bodo language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan or Tibeto-Chinese family of language. The Bodo language is spoken all over Assam, Arunachal, Nepal, Bhutan, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bodos are known as “Mech”. The population of Bodo speakers according to 1991 census report was 1,984,569 (Bodo1,324,748), (mech 659,821) and now at present it has exceed above 40 lakhs.
The Bodo language …show more content…
Christian missionaries, who entered the Bodo speaking areas with an intent to preach their religion, published some books on religion, tales, rhymes and songs. These missionaries also published some books on grammar and dictionary. Reverend Sidney Endle compiled ‘An Outline of the Kachari Grammar’ in 1884. The grammar is based on the dialect of Darrang district. Endle also wrote an important monograph on the Bodos. The monograph is entitled The Kacharis. The book was published in 1911 and it contains chapters on social customs, agriculture practices, festivities, food habits, life cycle rituals, crafts and textiles of the Bodos. The book has also incorporated specimens of Bodo folktales, rhymes and grammars. J.D. Anderson's Collection of Bodo Folktales and Rhymes (1895) incorporated seventeen Bodo folktales translated into English, besides the original versions in Bodo language. The language and literature are now developing in a rapid