Odia

Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ, ISO: Ōṛiā, pronounced [oˈɽia] ), or Oriya, is a classical Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Indian state of Odisha. It is the official language in Odisha where native speakers make up 82% of the population, and it is also spoken in parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Odia is one of the official languages of India; it is the official language of Odisha and the second official language of Jharkhand. The Odia language has various varieties, including the Baleswari Odia (Northern variety), Kataki, Dhenkanalia, Anugulia (central variety), Ganjami Odia (Southern variety), Sundargadi Odia (Northwestern variety), Sambalpuri Odia (Western variety), Desia Odia (South-western variety) and Tribal Community dialects spoken by the tribal groups in Odisha who adopted the Odia language.

Odia is the sixth Indian language to be designated a classical language. It traces its linguistic roots to the Eastern Magadhi Prakrit, evolving through stages such as Proto Odia (7th–9th century CE), Old Odia (10th–13th century CE), Middle Odia (14th–17th century CE), and Modern Odia (from the 18th century onward). The language displays a distinct phonological and morphological character shaped by centuries of interaction with tribal and Dravidian tongues. Recognised as a classical language of India, Odia has an unbroken literary tradition, with inscriptions dating back over a thousand years.

From Wikipedia · Odia language · CC BY-SA 4.0