Major Dialects of Odia Language
Major Dialects of Odia Language: Odia, also known as Oriya, is one of the official languages of India primarily spoken in the state of Odisha. Like any other living language, Odia has evolved and diversified over centuries giving rise to various regional dialects across the state. While they share the core vocabulary and grammar, these dialects differ in terms of pronunciation and local lexicon.
Table of Contents
Let’s explore some of the major dialects of Odia spoken in different parts of Odisha.
| Name Of the Post | Major Dialects of Odia Language |
| Category | Odisha GK |
| Help For | Odisha Competitive Exam |
| Download PDF FREE |
Cuttack-Khurda Dialect:
Spoken in the districts of Cuttack, Khurda, Nayagarh and parts of Puri, this is considered the standard dialect of Odia. It is based upon the language used in ancient Odia scriptures and literature. Some key features include the use of aspirated consonants like “kh” and retroflex sounds like “ṭṭa”.
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Sambalpuri Dialect:
Predominantly used in western Odisha districts like Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda etc, Sambalpuri has influences of Rajasthani and Hindi languages. It exhibits softer pronunciation of consonants and different terms for objects and customs in daily life. E.g term for brother is “bhaiya”.
Berhampur-Ganjam Dialect:
Spoken in southern districts of Ganjam and Berhampur, it shows impact of Telugu culture with borrowed words and vowel-heavy pronunciations. The tone and intonation also differ compared to other variations. E.g word for sister is “adda” instead of general “didi”.
Mayurbhanj Dialect:
Predominant in northern Mayurbhanj region bordering West Bengal, this dialect exhibits similarities with Bengali language. Some unique terms used are- ‘kheyali’ for farmland instead of ‘jada’. Pronunciation of ‘o’ and ‘ô’ vowels also vary from standard Odia.
Baleshwar Dialect:
Spoken in coastal Baleshwar district, this marine-influenced dialect shows impact of local seafaring traditions. Terms like ‘banai’ for ship, ‘ghawra’ for small fishing boats were assimilated. It also loses distinction between ‘o’ and ‘u’ vowels at times.
| Baleswari | Odia This dialect is spoken in Baleswar, Bhadrak and Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. |
| Bhatri | This dialect is spoken in South |
| Western Odisha. | |
| Desiya Odia | This dialect is spoken in Koraput, Rayagada,Nabarangapur and Malkangiri districts of |
| Odisha Ganjami Odia | This dialect is spoken in Ganjam and Gajapati districts of Odisha. |
| Kataki Odia | This dialect is spoken in Cuttack, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts of Odisha. |
| Puri Odia | This dialect is spoken in Puri district of Odisha. |
| Sambalpuri Odia | This dialect is spoken in Baragarh, Balangir, Boudh,Debagarh, Nuapada, Sambalpur and Subarnapur districts of Odisha. |
| Halbi | This dialect is spoken in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.Halbi is a mixture of Odia and Marathi with influence of Chhattisgarhi tribal languages. |
| Phulbani Odia | This dialect is spoken in Phulbani Town, Khajuripada block of Kandhamal and in nearby areas bordering Boudh district. |
Q. What is the standard dialect of Odia?
A. The Cuttack-Khurda dialect is considered the standard dialect as it retains traits of classical Odia.
Q. Which Odia variety is closest to Bengali?
A. The Mayurbhanj dialect spoken near the West Bengal border shares most similarity with the Bengali language.
Q. Which dialect shows most influence of Hindi?
A. The Sambalpuri dialect bordering states like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand exhibits pronounced Hindi influences.
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