Kosli Language: A Perspective on Its Origin, Evolution and Distinction
Sanjib Kumar Karmee
Kosli Language: A Perspective on Its Origin, Evolution and Distinction
Dr. Sanjib Kumar Karmee, PhD
Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology
Julianalaan 136, 2628 BL Delft,
The Netherlands
Kosli language has a very rich history. The first Kosli language poem was published by “Madhusudan” in 1891 (Sambalpur Haitesini, 3rd Issue, 15 number, 1891).[1] Earlier, a team lead by Dr. Nilamadhab Panigrahi, Mr. P. R. Dubey and Pandit Prayag Datta Joshi organized the “Kosal Sammellan”. This group jointly started and spearheaded the “Kosli language” movement in western Odisha. As an addition to this movement, late Satya Narayan Bohidar of Sonepur contributed immensely in the 1970s by writing the first dictionary and grammar books for Kosli language.[2] Later a notable contribution came from scholar late Sri Hemachandra Acharya, who wrote "The Kosli Ramayana-Ram Raha".[3] This book was published by Sambalpur University and available online.[3] This book helped a lot to popularize the Kosli language in its written form. Late Shri Acharya is popularly known as “Kosli Balmiki” in the western Odisha. Dr. Nilamadhab Panigrahi is another notable personality of Kosli literature. He is known for writing the “Kosli Mahabharat”. [4] He has also authored a Kosli grammar book along with Dr. Prafulla Tripathy. It is said that he did not accept the “Sarala Samman” because of his affection towards Kosli language.
Currently, poet Haldhar Nag, Poet Bipin Acharya, Dr. Dologobind Bishi, Dr. Harekrushna Meher, Nimai Charan Panigrahi, novelist Dhanpati Mahapatra, and dramatist Kesha Ranjan Pradhan, are leading the Kosli language movement. In 2011 a “Kosal Sahitya Academy” was constituted and the academy felicitated several literary personalities of Kosli language and literature. [5] A movement is continuing in the western Odisha or Kosal region for the recognition and development of “Kosli language”. Various linguists, writer, and intellectuals of this region are leading this movement. A large numbers magazines, newspapers, novels, and books are available in this language. “Beni”- a leading Kosli language magazine is published regularly from Bargarh by Mr. Saket Sahu. Also, Kosli grammar books are already adopted by writers.
There is a sense among the people of western Odisha that writings in Kosli language are not respected among Odia pundits. It is reported that some member of the “Odisha Sahtya Academy” does not recognize Kosli as an independent language. They think that Kosli language is a dialect of Odia language.
It is believed that that the difference between a dialect and a language depends upon attitude of the person who claims that there is a difference between the two. There is no strict scientific and linguistic norm to distinguish a language and a dialect. A well known linguist “Edward Fenigan””, states in his book “Language: Its Structure and Use”," that some people seems to believe and claim that only other people speak a dialect, but they themselves don't. Instead they think of themselves as a speaker of a particular language. In reality everyone speaks a “dialect", he says: the characteristic linguistic practices of ethnic groups, socioeconomic groups, gender groups and age groups also constitute of different dialects. You speak a dialect that is typical of your nationality, your region, your sex, your socioeconomic status, your community and other characteristics. And so does everyone else.
In practical terms, when linguistic characteristics of communication are sufficiently unique, then language/dialect can be distinguished from another language/dialect. Odia is sufficiently different from Bengali, and Kosli language is sufficiently different from Odia, Bengali, Hindi and other Indian languages. In fact the difference between Bengali and Odia is less pronounced than the difference between Oriya and Kosli. A book “Kosli Bhasa Ra Sankhipta Parichay” (A brief introduction to Kosli language) by Kosal Ratna Pandit Prayaga Dutta Joshi (edited by Dr. Dologobind Bishi) gives a snap shot on the importance and distinction of Kosli language.[6,7] Researchers argue that Kosli language is directly evolved from Sanskrit like various Indian languages. The trend of evolution of Kosli language is: Sanskrit > Prakrit > Hindi > Kosli. Consider some of the following Kosli words that are originated from the ancient Prakrit language:
|
Prakrit |
Hindi |
Kosli |
|
aru |
aur |
Aru |
|
kachhar |
kachrA |
kechrA |
|
kArabelah |
karelA |
karlA |
|
khambo |
khambA |
khamb |
|
juNa |
purAnA |
junhAn |
|
patanga |
patang |
patAngi |
|
punah |
phir |
pher/phen |
|
bahaNi |
bahan |
bahen/bahani |
|
masAn |
samsAn |
masAn |
|
lALan |
lAd (pyar) |
lAda (gela) |
|
homi |
hungA |
hemi |
Some argue that Kosli is not a distinct language as it is using Odia script. If we will go by this logic, it is worth noting that the script of Marathi and Hindi, Bengali and Assamese languages are same. All these languages are flourishing and maintaining their identities. In addition, there are many languages in the world with similar script. Most of the European languages use Roman script. They are still different. Each language is successful. Along this line, it may be noted that Germans thinks that Dutch is a mixture of English and German language. So what? Dutch language is still progressing and it has its own literature, heritage and culture. However, if one will read and learn, then Dutch is distinct from German and it has its own grammar. In this context, Kosli and Odia language are different although they use same script.
The strength of a language depends mainly on its literary personalities, their creations and its readers. A team led by Dr AK Das of Sambalpur University has established that Kosli is a distinct language. [7]
On regular basis essay competition, debate competition, seminar, group discussion, and poetry recitation are organized in this language in western Odisha. Intellectuals are also demanding that Kosli language should be the medium of instruction at the primary school level in western Odisha.[8] It is argued that such a move will reduce the school drop out rates in western Odisha as the kids of this region do not understand Odia. There is also a continuous demand for the inclusion of Kosli language in the 8th schedule of the Indian constitution. [9,10]
References:
- http://kddfonline.com/2011/08/01/the-first-published-kosli-poem/
- http://kddfonline.com/category/eminent-persons/satyanarayan-bohidar/
- http://kddfonline.com/category/eminent-persons/hemachandra-acharya/
- http://kddfonline.com/category/eminent-persons/dr-nilamadhab-panigrahi/
- http://kddfonline.com/2011/11/01/kosal-sahitya-academy-samman-2011/
- Kosli Bhasa Ra Sankhipta Parichay, Kosal Ratna Prayagdutta Joshi, pg 6, 7, 16, 17, Ed. Dr. Dolagobinda Bishi, 1991.
- http://kddfonline.com/2011/10/25/kosli-language-a-fresh-look-on-its-distinction-and-evolution/
- http://kddfonline.com/2011/07/31/mother-tongue-based-multilingual-education-kosli-language-as-a-medium-of-instruction-in-the-schools-of-western-odisha/
- http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/article2475325.ece
- http://kddfonline.com/category/kosli-language-and-literature/
Sanjib Kumar Karmee
Thanks for sharing your experience and opinion with us.
Best regards,
Sanjib
I agree with Dr Sanjib Karmee's contention that Kosli is a distinct language. It is not a dialectic of Odia language. Let Odia people not forget that the Bengali bhadraloks claimed that Odia was a dialectic of Bengali language in the colonial period up to the formation of the Orissa state. It would be same travesty of truth for kosli language if Odias claim Kosli as dialectic of Odia. I will narrate a very personal experience. Once we went to study the BALCO agitation in Gandhamardan hills during 1980s. I could not understand ABC of so-callled Odia dialectic of Kandhas and other caste people of Gandhamardhan hills. But my friends from Bargarh or Sambalpur could understand the Kosli dialectic they were speaking themselves. I became a passive spectator of dialectic spoken in the land of Kosli. You may say that my Odia language was probably poor. Even if I accept such a contention, I would like to inform here that I did not face the same difficulty in villages of Puri, Balasore, Jagatsingpur and my own home district Ganjam, the great Odia belts. So much for Kosli as dialectic of Odia language? All those people say so should personally tour villages of Kosli land to realise their follies. I must tell you one more contention made by Dr Sanjib: the Bengali language/dialectic is lot closer to Odia language/dialectic than Kosli to Odia. Once I went to a village in Burdwan district during the early years of my stay in Kolkata when I was just picking up Bengali, without much difficulty. To my surprise I could comprehend the dialectic of villagers in the Burdwan district and gained confidence to do field work in rural Bengal at any point of time as an Odia speaking scholar. I did not return from the land of Kosli with the same degree of confidence. My confidence was shattered and I realised it would be indefensible to claim that Kosli is a dialectic of Odia language, even though we moved for 7 days around Gandhamardhan hills.Of course, people from Cuttack may claim that they would not understand Odia dialectic spoken in Ganjam villages. Should we then conclude that Ganjam people speak a different language other than Odia? I would agree that such a lack of communication may happen during an instant interaction. But it would not happen for a longer period of interaction say over a week, once they stay in a Ganjam village. We may not instantly understand even a spoken rural dialectic in details, if we are from urban area but it is a matter of time - getting used to individual pronounciations of individual words - once we speak and share a language. The same cannot be said for Kosli by an Odia like me. My odia may of course be very weak. I am no linguistic expert either. Then why could i comprehend Bengali dialectic rather than Odia dialectic in the land of Kosli? i would like to throw this question to experts on the field who claim that Kosli is an Odia dialectic.
best
arunARUN K PATNAIK
Department of Political Science
University of Hyderabad
Hyderabad - 500 046, India.
Phone: +91-40-2383 4405
Mobile:+91-94400 73844.
To: oriss...@googlegroups.com; KDDF <wester...@googlegroups.com>; Samukhya <samu...@yahoogroups.com>; kbkrou...@googlegroups.com; orissa-educ...@googlegroups.com; Focus Orissa <focus...@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 5:28 PM
Subject: [samukhya] Kosli Language: A Perspective on Its Origin, Evolution and Distinction
Sanjib Kumar Karmee
Dear All,(including Sanjiv K. Karmee / Arun K. Patnaik)(Para-Literature and Personal Semantics : Contingency Plan for Hibernating Odia-Kosli)The contention in the context of Kosli Language as brought to our notice by Sanjiv Kumar Karmee (SKK) and Arun Kumar Pattnaik (AKP) isn’t very difficult to understand. We understand Edward Fenigan’s narrations about structures of dialects and languages and acknowledge the fact that everybody speaks a dialect till one realizes that the neighbor speaks a different language as he does. Yet SKK’s surmises about own language (Kosli) may continue to totter between wishfulness and wistfulness for quite a few reasons. He ought to attend to those points before the tottering ends up in a fatal fall.To understand what we are about to tell him, he may have to move his eye away from the microscope he is so fond of and take a break by way of making use of the castaway telescope for a while. Microscopic view is valuable only if it is accommodated in the rightful macroscopic view. Otherwise, the tall talk will be out of the context. We are afraid SKK is already outside the purview of time and space. How?Take this analogy. You haven’t been able to build your nest. That is indeed a sad predicament. It isn’t that you didn’t try to build a nest. The gale-force wind of the persisting cyclone swept it away every time you began to assemble a segment of your nest. This is your latest attempt to have a nest.However, once again you are into your old habit of raising a complaint against the cyclone as you are picking up dry hay bits to construct you nest. Will you ever succeed unless you do something about the cyclone?You know the cyclone and its prowess. It is the linguistic power of Odia. You have been hating it because of the purported devastating effect it has on your native language. But you have remained overpowered unfortunately. What would you do now?As I ask you this bitter question, I would like you to be convinced about my goodwill towards Kosli. I don’t know how I could achieve that. Otherwise, these words will fall on deaf (prejudiced) ears. Yet, Iet me continue to forward my argument lest it should have at least a delayed effect.Moreover, are you aware that the forest that contains your nesting tree is already on fire? Wild fires are raging on many sides of your forest. Practical sovereignty of English (an alien language very different from Kosli) over computer and internet and all professional fields of choice is one of these metaphorical fires. Much worse than this linguistic fire is the political fire already ignited along the radical-conservative interface creating a hostile frontier in the heart of what you would call Kosli Land. Assuming that the aforesaid cyclone will be gone by your magic plans, have you reckoned the time interval that you have in hand to complete your nest in the face of approaching catastrophic fires? Have you reckoned the duration that the so-finished nest can avail you before the fires devour the tree and the nest? Are you comfortable with such state of affairs?A potential loser lives by a contingency plan. A prospective winner may not need a contingency plan. Since you have so many uncertainties looming over your linguistic fate, do you have a contingency plan? Do you know that you need a contingency plan?Though Odia is being deemed by you to be already nested, it’s a false impression. Its residence forest too is more or less on same catastrophic fires. Existence of Odia language is deeply threatened. It is unlikely that it will last beyond the fifth generation if the present negative trend persists.Let us see how the neighboring Odia people are planning their future. No, they too are not planning their future. They too are not aware of the impending disasters. They too don’t have a contingency plan in hand.First of all, there doesn’t exist for them a ‘united linguistic (Odia) nationality/ sovereignty’ in the form of a legitimate body of wise and responsible human beings, as Kosli people don’t have. Those who have captured the helm of Odia linguistic sovereignty could mostly be hijackers. They are not even on the dilapidated ship that is taking in water heavily. They are in the safe haven of money and honey (booty at home or lucrative professions abroad) and have taken recourse to radio control of the helm of the sinking ship - only casually as a wanton pastime. Kosli people are being devoured by the same misfortune.So what is the morale of this narration? May be, another analogy could suffice to tie few of many loose ends created hitherto. Let’s go back to the scenario in which the last American helicopter was about to land and take away as many survivors as possible in the final sortie as the long-drawn Vietnam War was ending. The survivors included American as well as South Vietnamese citizens. It is understood that the chopper conductor might decide to render preference to Americans for obvious reasons. Yet, should the South Vietnamese citizen have thought of firing a missile at the chopper when it came within range just because the chances of their survival was low? You know what I mean. The Odia language may be likened to the Americans and the Kosli to South Vietnamese citizens.We are almost at the point of acknowledging the fact that both Odia and Kosli would need almost identical contingency plan. It is the last sortie, any way. But what is that contingent linguistic vehicle that would accommodate the survivors? I hope we are already out of the hallucination of considering any of the two as the victor. What can be the possible joint contingency plan for Odia and Kosli in such a complex situation?If the crocodile has already your ankle between its jaws, just axe the lower leg off immediately. This is the contingency plan about a crocodile attack. Materializing the possibility of regaining the amputated limb through regeneration would be the deferred concern.An amputated head can never be regenerated and regained. So we have to determine whether the head or the foot of our linguistic identity is being devoured currently.The growth of linguistic influence and prowess is depicted by the sequence of concentric circles covering personal semantics (family use), socialization (market use as in cinema) and technological use (technical use as with computer-internet) and in that order. Most vital part of linguistic identity lies towards the center of the circle.Thus loss of personal semantics or loss of mother tongue is the worst linguistic disaster. Literature is supposed to protect this vital linguistic identity. Para-literature is the core of literature that tries to protect the last vestiges of linguistic identity by way of supplying personal semantics to the most ordinary portion of a heterogeneous populace. A language may be deemed to be in pre-death hibernation when the para-literature is sufficiently shrunk or weakened or disused.English para-literature could include even literary works of Harold Robins and Wilbur Smith. Even pornographic and erotic literature as para-literature can be great linguistic contributors.Odia para-literature constitutes of only few religious ritualistic booklets. It is shrinking, is getting weakened and is progressively being disused. This is the surest sign of its approaching death. So the contingency plan for the Odia people must be about saving, broadening, strengthening and elevating Odia para-literature and castigating the literate fools who don’t realize the import of this policy.Now come to Kosli Land and look at its para-literature in use hitherto. Don’t you think the Kosli people have been very wise to have protected their residual personal semantics through a para-literature created in a purportedly alien language called Odia, especially when no worthy sons and daughters of the soil were around to produce that in Kosli?Are you aware of the fact that language precipitates with maturing of native psychology as fog and snow precipitate with dipping temperature?Do you know the great history that has brought Koshal and Trans-Koshal to this point of time when they have a common para-literature?So, beware of the fact that you could be castigated by Mother Koshal as an unworthy son if you go on tarnishing the image of Koshal-Kalinga-Magadha-Odra-Anga-Kangoda-Utkal combine (Modern Odisha/ Mother Odisha) by pointing to wrong locus of linguistic and anthropological evolution.We would surely encourage you to serve Koshal and Kosli the most in rightful ways.
(Bhanu Padmo)You may reply this thread upon http://in.groups.yahoo.com/group/greenlogic/ as well
or consign a copy to green...@yahoogroups.co.in for extended discussions.
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Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 8:49 PM
Subject: Re: [samukhya] Kosli Language: A Perspective on Its Origin, Evolution and Distinction
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