Gujarati
Rare Languages we provide
Here at Vandu, we pride ourselves on being able to provide interpreting for the rarer languages needed by our customers. In this blog series, we’ll have a look at these wonderful languages and the unique people that speak them.
Gujarati
Gujarati is thought to be around 700 years old and is spoken by roughly 55 million people and is the 6th most popular language in India – not a bad standing, considering that there are between 22 and 30 major languages in India, or even more(!) depending on who you ask. Gujarati is the official language of the state of Gujarat, the westernmost region of India and is the mother tongue of some of India’s most famous men, such as Mahatma Ghandi and the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Gujarati derives from Old Gujarati, which in turn branched from Sanskrit - India’s most ancient language, which is likely to be over 3,500 years old. Both Gujarati and Old Gujarati have 3 genders which are narajaati (masculine), naarijaati (feminine) and neuter (naanyatar). Modern Gujarati now has three main dialects: Standard Gujarati, which can be heard across the education system, government and the news; Gamadia, which is spoken in the city of Ahmedabad and its surrounding areas and finally the Kathiawari dialect, spoken in a peninsula in Gujarat that sits next to the two gulfs of Kuchchh and Khambhat. There are further dialects and variants, but these are thought to be the main three.
What about the people of Gujarat? Throughout history, the Gujarati people where seen as the premier merchants of India; perhaps the proximity to the Arabian Sea and the subsequent trade it would have brought contributed to this title. The Gujarat area played host to many different religions and social castes due to the healthy economy in the area – its thought that this community cohesion and religious tolerance has become a staple in today’s Gujarati society.
Do you require interpreting or translation in Gujarati? It's one of the many rare languages we provide for here at Vandu. Call 01273 473986 or email info@vlslanguages.com for more information!
