Gadaba

/ɡəˈdɑːbə/ noun

Definition

An indigenous people of northeastern India (Odisha and surrounding regions) with their own distinct language and culture.

Etymology

From the Gadaba language and ethnonym itself; the word comes from tribal self-designation, with roots in Austroasiatic language family. The term has been used in anthropological literature since colonial records.

Kelly Says

The Gadaba people maintain one of India's most endangered languages, with only a few hundred fluent speakers left—it's a linguistic time capsule of ancient language structures that could help us understand how all human languages evolved.

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