From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by editing it now. A how-to guide is available.(October 2007)

Kachhi (also spelled, Cutchi or Kachchhi) is an Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat, with approximately 866,000 speakers. It is spoken by the Kutchi people; specifically, these are the Rajputs Jadeja [traditionally known as BAPU & THAKARAI in kutchi],Bhanushalis (Bhunsari in Kutchi), Bhatias, Brahmins (Rajgor Ganyathy - Bhuj) Megvals, Visa Oshwal, Lohana's (Lohana) and Dasa Osval (Oshwal) Jains, followers of satpanth, and various Muslim communities in the region, including the Khojas and Kutchi Memons. Bhavika is the most common name for Kutchi's.

Kachhi is closely related to Sindhi, spoken in neighboring Sindh, Pakistan. Kachhi is often mistakenly thought to be a mixture of Sindhi, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Rajasthani. This may be because Kachhi phonology is very much like that of Sindhi, but the vocabulary is closer to that of Gujarati. Most likely, the similarities are the result of migrations over the centuries across the desert stretching from present-day Sindh to Saurashtra and Kutchh to the east, and Rajasthan and even Punjab to the north.

Most Kachhis living in India are bilingual or trilingual, due to exposure to closely-related neighbouring languages such as Gujarati and Hindi.

There are distinct regional accents and variations in grammar. As in many languages spoken along Asian trade routes, there is substantial borrowing from Persian and Arabic -- words like "duniya" (world), "jahannum" (hell), and "naseeb" (fate), are routinely used by many speakers of Kachhi. Many Kachhi speakers also speak Gujarati as a separate language, especially as it is the language in which Kachhi-speakers customarily write. Kachhi speakers' Gujarati accent and usage tends towards the standardly accepted forms that any Gujarati speaker would be able to understand.

Some sample Kachchhi phrases:

    kuro nehare toh - what are you seeing?
    Kuro thiyo - what happen?
    Achija  - bye bye (lit. come again)   
    Kuro kareto-what are you doing?
    Aain acho ta - અંઇ અચોતા - are you coming? (polite)
    Kuro Kayo Ta- કોરો કયો તા - what are you doing?(polite)
    Kite Vino Ta- કતે વનો તા - where are you going? (polite)
    Keen' ayyo -કીં અયો - how are you? (polite)

To give an indication of dialects and regional variations, the question "Kithe vino ta?" (where are you going?) may also be posed as "Kida vino ta?"

The following words are commonly used by individuals of descending from the Kutch rural area of Gujarat, India. They are colloquial forms of general phrases that are often used in daily conversation in villages, particularly of the Kutchi predominance and are Gujaratisized versions of Kutchi words. An example of such follows:

-hayo/chhadyo hane (Gujarati "bas chhodo have" now drop it)

-Su kerero? (Gujarati "shun' karo chho" meaning "what are you doing?")

-Awwaro/Jawwaro ( Gujarati - Aawun' chhun' / Jaaun' chhun' - I am coming / going)

-Kichri Khawhero? (Gujarati - Kichri khaao chho? - Are you eating Kichri?)

Kachhi is normally written using a modified version of the Gujarāti script. Many books and magazines are published the language using the modified Gujarāti script, including Vadhod ("Inquiry"). Kachhi is also written in the Devanagari script by some speakers. In earlier times it used to be written in Khojki script, which is now extinct.
Koro- કોરો - What
Bharobhar- ભરોભર - Ok
Laat- લાટ - Nice
Khapay -ખપે - Want
Mukay day -મુકે ડે - Give me
Jaga - જગા - Place
Bhokh -ભોખ - Hunger
Kadaa - કડા - where
Halya- હલ્યા - welcome
Maadu-માડુ - Man
Chhoro- છોરો - Boy
Naalo- નાલો - Name
Kotoo- કોત્તો- Dog
Manee - મન્ની - Cat
Aundhar -અંધાર - Rat
Andar -અંદર - In
Achija -અચીજા - Bye
Asanjo - Our
Panjo-પાંજો - Our
Galyu-ગાલ્યું - Talks
Dhil-ધીલ - Heart
Choviaar -ચોવિયાર - Dinner before sunset
ki ai-કિં અહિયે - How are you
Kade- - When

• Memon
• Memoni dialect
• Oswal
• Bhatia
• Lohana

• Ethnologue report on Kutchi
• Gujarāti script, used to write Kutchi
• Cutchi Memons