The Toto Shabda Sangraha, a dictionary, has been compiled with the aim of saving the endangered Toto language. This Sino-Tibetan language is spoken by the Toto tribal community and traditionally written in the Bengali script. Dhaniram Toto, a prominent community member, developed a script for the language in 2015. Only about 1,600 people in West Bengal, near the Bhutan border, speak Toto. Bhakta Toto, a bank employee and poet, compiled the dictionary in collaboration with Bhasha Samsad. It is a crucial step in preserving this oral language by documenting its vocabulary in Bengali and English, considering the nascent state of the Toto script.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Toto Language: The Toto language is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Toto tribal community. It is primarily a spoken language and is traditionally written using the Bengali script.
- Bengali Script: The Bengali script is the writing system used for the Bengali language and is also used for languages like Toto. It is an essential tool for preserving Toto words in written form.
- Dhaniram Toto: Dhaniram Toto is a prominent member of the Toto community who played a pivotal role in developing a script for the Toto language in 2015.
- Endangered Language: An endangered language is a language at risk of disappearing, often due to a dwindling number of speakers. The Toto language, spoken by only around 1,600 people, is considered endangered.
- Bhasha Samsad: Bhasha Samsad is likely an organization or entity involved in the publication of the Toto Shabda Sangraha dictionary. Its collaboration in this project demonstrates the collective effort to preserve the Toto language.
