In a groundbreaking initiative, the ‘Survey of Dialects of the Marathi Language’ (SDML) conducted between 2017 and 2023 by Deccan College, Pune, and Rajya Marathi Vikas Sanstha, Mumbai, has identified 12 broad dialect regions of the Marathi language in Maharashtra. The findings, along with audio-recorded survey data, are now accessible to the public on a dedicated website, www.sdml.ac.in.
Professor Sonal Kulkarni-Joshi, the head of the SDML project and a Linguistics professor at Deccan College, explained the primary objectives of the survey. “The SDML aimed to create a linguistically annotated digital database capturing social and regional variations in the Marathi language. Additionally, we sought to produce a dialect atlas of Marathi using linguistic methods, making the data available to researchers in both Marathi and English.”
The survey covered 277 villages across 34 districts of Maharashtra, collecting data at the word level, grammar level, and through narrations. Audio-linked and linguistically annotated narrations from each sampled village are available on the project website, providing a valuable resource for researchers.
Dr. Manasi Kelkar, senior coordinator and project member, highlighted the unique approach of SDML. “We used grammatical features to identify dialect regions, a first for any Indian language. This survey focused on rural Marathi-speaking communities, distinguishing it from previous studies.”
The final report, submitted to the Maharashtra government, is currently available in Marathi. Kulkarni-Joshi emphasized the utility of the survey, stating, “By utilizing computer technology and dialectometry, we can objectively measure the distance between standard Marathi and regional dialects. This information can aid in formulating educational policies and developing language technology tools for applications such as voice-operated apps and inter-dialectal translation.”
Kulkarni-Joshi also stressed the educational and cultural significance of the project. “The website can serve as a valuable tool for introducing Marathi dialects to school children. In the future, digital content and AI tools could be utilized to create language games and self-study materials, preserving the rich linguistic heritage of Maharashtra.”
