KRDS lects
| KRDS lects | |
|---|---|
| KRNB lects, Kamatapuri, Kamta | |
| Native to | India, Bangladesh, Nepal |
| Region | Northern West Bengal, Western Assam, North Eastern Bihar, Northern Bangladesh, Southeast Nepal |
| Dialects | Rajbansi, Kamtapuri, Rangpuri, Deshi, Surjapuri, Dhekri |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | – |
| Glottolog | kamt1242 |
The KRDS lects (or the Kamta, Rajbanshi, Deshi and Surjapuri subgroup) are a cluster of modern lects that are phylogenetic descendants of the proto-Kamta language. The proto-Kamta language began differentiating after 1250 around Kamatapur, the capital city of Kamata kingdom, as the western branch of the Kamarupi Prakrit, whereas the eastern branch developed into Early Assamese. Since the 16th century the proto-Kamta community has fragmented giving rise to the differentiated modern lects. The modern lects are: Kamta (Assam and West Bengal), Rangpuri (Bangladesh), Rajbanshi (Nepal) and Surjapuri (Bihar).
These modern lects could be categorised into three groups: western, central and eastern. Unlike the Assamese, Bengali, Hindi and Nepali languages which were standardised and propagated in the 19th and 20th centuries, the KRDS lects were not standardised. As a result, the KRDS lects became diglossic vernaculars to these standard varieties and acquired phonological and morphological features from them.
Nevertheless, two standards are emerging within the KRDS lects: a central Jhapa variety targeting speakers in Nepal, and an eastern Cooch Behar variety targeting speakers in northern West Bengal and western Assam.