Oriya (ଓଡ଼ିଆ or Odia) is an Indian language mainly spoken in the Indian state of Orissa (now Odisha). It belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is one of the official languages of India and the major language of Orissa.
90% Oriya speakers live in Orissa. There are also significant Oriya-speaking populations in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and other states. In India, the language is spoken by over 31 million people. Outside India, it is spoken in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Java, Sumatra and Bali and in western countries such as United States, Canada, Australia, and England.
The major Oriya dialects are Midnapori Oriya, Balasori Oriya, Ganjami Oriya, Desiya Oriya, Sambalpuri Oriya, Singhbhumi Oriya, Debagadia Oriya, Halbi, and Bhatri.
Oriya is written with the Oriya script. It is the closest language to Sanskrit in pronunciation. It is said to have descended from Prakrit known as Purva Magadhi that was spoken in eastern India over 1,500 years ago. It bears a strong resemblance to the Bengali, Maithili, and Assamese. Of all the languages spoken in eastern India, Oriya appears to be the least influenced by Persian and Arabic.
The history of the Oriya language is divided into Old Oriya (8th century-1300), Early Middle Oriya (1300-1500), Middle Oriya (1500-1700), Late Middle Oriya (1700-1850), and Modern Oriya (1850 till present day). Traces of Oriya words have been found in inscriptions dating from the 7th century AD. In 1836, Christian missionaries set up a printing press and typeset in Oriya, which was a turning point in the history of Oriya language and literature.
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