Editing Awadhi language (section)

==Geographic distribution==
=== In India ===
[[File:Awadhi regions of Uttar Pradesh.jpg|thumb|Areas of Uttar Pradesh where Awadhi is spoken]]
[[File:Awadh region.jpg|thumb|Linguistic Boundaries Of Awadhi In Uttar Pradesh State]]
Awadhi is predominantly spoken in the [[Awadh]] region encompassing central and Eastern [[Uttar Pradesh]], along with the lower part of the [[Ganges|Ganga]]-[[Yamuna]] [[doab]].<ref name=":0"/><ref name=":1">{{Harvcoltxt|Grierson|1904|pp=9–10}}</ref> In the west, it is bounded by Western Hindi, specifically [[Kannauji language|Kannauji]] and [[Bundeli language|Bundeli]], while in the east, [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] from the [[Bihari languages|Bihari]] group of [[Eastern Indo-Aryan languages]] is spoken.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Saksena |first=Baburam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WfkWvgqk5c4C&dq=Awadhi+east+bhojpuri+language&pg=PA5 |title=Evolution of Awadhi (a Branch of Hindi). |date=1971 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publ. |isbn=978-81-208-0855-3 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Verbeke |first=Saartje |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=63iC56LeJ_MC&dq=Hindi+is+central+indo+aryan+bhojpuri+eastern+indo+aryan&pg=PA67 |title=Alignment and Ergativity in New Indo-Aryan Languages |date=2013-03-22 |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |isbn=978-3-11-029267-1 |language=en}}</ref>  In the north, it is bounded by the country of [[Nepal]] and in the south by [[Bagheli language|Bagheli]], which shares a great resemblance with Awadhi.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Saxena|1971|pp=2–5}}</ref>

The following districts of North and Central UP speak Awadhi-
* [[Lakhimpur Kheri district|Lakhimpur Kheri]] (along with [[Kannauji language|Kannauji]])
* [[Sitapur district|Sitapur]] (along with [[Kannauji language|Kannauji]])
* [[Unnao district|Unnao]]
* [[Fatehpur district|Fatehpur]]
* [[Barabanki district|Barabanki]]
* [[Lucknow district|Lucknow]]
* [[Raebareli district|Rae Bareli]]
* [[Amethi district|Amethi]]
* [[Bahraich district|Bahraich]]
* [[Shrawasti district|Shrawasti]]
In eastern parts of UP the Awadhi language changes its form to a special dialect called "Eastern Standard Awadhi." This region makes boundary with [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] speaking districts of Purvanchal. This part include districts of-
* [[Ayodhya district|Ayodhya]]
* [[Ambedkar Nagar district|Ambedkar Nagar]]
* [[Prayagraj district|Prayagraj]]
* [[Mirzapur district|Mirzapur]] 
* [[Jaunpur district|Jaunpur]] (western parts)
* [[Bhadohi district|Bhadohi]] 
* [[Sultanpur district|Sultanpur]]
* [[Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh|Pratapgarh]]
* [[Gonda district|Gonda]]
* [[Balrampur district, Uttar Pradesh|Balrampur]]
* [[Basti district|Basti]] (western parts)
* [[Siddharthnagar district|Siddharthnagar]] (western parts)
* [[Kaushambi district|Kaushambi]]


=== In Nepal ===
The [[Language Commission (Nepal)|Language Commission of Nepal]] has recommended [[Tharu language|Tharu]] and Awadhi as official language in Lumbini province.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=सरकारी कामकाजको भाषाका आधारहरूको निर्धारण तथा भाषासम्बन्धी सिफारिसहरू (पञ्चवर्षीय प्रतिवेदन- साराांश) २०७८ |url=https://languagecommission.gov.np/files/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B8%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A3%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906171816/https://languagecommission.gov.np/files/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B8%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A3%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE.pdf |archive-date=6 September 2021 |access-date=28 October 2021 |website=Language Commission}}</ref> Awadhi is spoken in two provinces in Nepal:
* [[Lumbini Province]]
** [[Banke District]]
** [[Bardiya District]]
** [[Dang District, Nepal|Dang District]]
** [[Kapilvastu District]]
* [[Sudurpashchim Province]]
** [[Kailali District]]
** [[Kanchanpur District]]

=== Outside South Asia ===
{{further|Fiji Hindi|Caribbean Hindustani}}
A language influenced by Awadhi (as well as other languages) is also spoken as a ''lingua franca'' for [[Indo-Fijians|Indians]] in [[Fiji]] and is referred to as [[Fiji Hindi|Fijian Hindi]]. According to ''[[Ethnologue]]'', it is a type of Awadhi influenced by [[Bhojpuri language|Bhojpuri]] and is also classified as Eastern-Hindi.<ref>{{e25|hif|Fiji Hindi}}</ref> [[Caribbean Hindustani]] spoken by [[Indo-Caribbeans|Indians]] in [[Suriname]], [[Trinidad and Tobago]], and [[Guyana]] is based on Bhojpuri and partly on Awadhi. The Hindustani that is spoken in [[South Africa]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mesthrie|first=Rajend|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aIivedw-oZYC&q=awadhi|title=Language and Social History: Studies in South African Sociolinguistics|date=1995|publisher=New Africa Books|isbn=978-0-86486-280-8|language=en}}</ref> and the Bhojpuri spoken in [[Mauritius]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Awadhi language|url=https://omniglot.com/writing/awadhi.htm|access-date=17 December 2020|website=omniglot.com}}</ref> is also partly influenced by Awadhi.