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English to Bengali & Bengali to English Dictionary

Bengali Dictionary is a bilingual dictionary that translates words from English to Bengali or Bengali to English. It is a part of Language Networking, a social and educational initiative by KHANDBAHALE.COM, and is free and open to all for non-commercial use. It is recognised as an accurate and authentic language resource by scholars and experts and can also be downloaded as software and apps for multiple devices for online and offline use.

About the Bengali Language

Bengali (বাংলা Bangla [ˈbaŋla] ) is an eastern Indo-Aryan language. It is native to the region of eastern South Asia known as Bengal, which comprises present day Bangladesh, the Indian state of West Bengal, and parts of the Indian states of Tripura and Assam. It is written with the Bengali script. With nearly 300 million total speakers, Bengali is one of the most spoken languages (ranking sixth) in the world. Bengali has a rich literary tradition dating back to the 8th century. The earliest known examples of Bengali literature are the Charyapadas, a collection of Buddhist mystic songs. From the 12th century onwards, the language began to develop rapidly with the emergence of a number of poets and writers. One of the most famous Bengali poets is Rabindranath Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his collection of poems, "Gitanjali". Bengali literature has also produced many famous novelists, including Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. The Bengali script is derived from the Brahmi script, which was used in ancient India. It is written from left to right and consists of 11 vowels and 42 consonants. The script is also used to write other languages, such as Assamese and Meithei. Bengali is a subject–object–verb language, meaning that the verb usually comes at the end of a sentence. It also has a rich system of particles, which are used to indicate various grammatical functions, such as tense and mood. Bengali also has a complex system of honorifics and politeness markers, which are used to indicate the speaker's relationship to the person being addressed. Bengali is a fascinating and rich language with a long and illustrious literary tradition. It has a unique script and a complex grammatical structure, making it a challenging but rewarding language to learn. With its large number of speakers, learning Bengali can open up a wealth of opportunities for communication and cultural understanding.

বাংলা দক্ষিণ এশিয়ার পূর্বপ্রান্তের একটি ইন্দো-আর্য ভাষা। সংস্কৃত, পালি ও প্রাকৃত ভাষার মধ্য দিয়ে বাংলা ভাষার উদ্ভব হয়েছে। বাংলা দক্ষিণ এশিয়ার পূর্বে অবস্থিত বঙ্গ বা বাংলা নামক অঞ্চলের মানুষের মুখের ভাষা। এ অঞ্চলটি বর্তমানে রাজনৈতিকভাবে স্বাধীন রাষ্ট্র বাংলাদেশ ও ভারতের অঙ্গরাজ্য পশ্চিমবঙ্গ নিয়ে গঠিত। এছাড়াও মিয়ানমারের উত্তরাঞ্চলের রোহিঙ্গা জনগোষ্ঠীও বাংলা ভাষাতে কথা বলে। প্রায় ২০ কোটি মানুষের মাতৃভাষা বাংলা বিশ্বের বহুল প্রচলিত ভাষাগুলোর মধ্যে একটি (ভাষাভাষীর সংখ্যানুসারে এর অবস্থান চতুর্থ থেকে সপ্তমের মধ্যে [১])। বাংলা বাংলাদেশের প্রধান ভাষা; ভারতে বাংলা দ্বিতীয় সর্বোচ্চ কথিত ভাষা। অসমীয়া ও বাংলা ভৌগলিকভাবে সবচেয়ে পূর্বে অবস্থিত ইন্দো-ইরানীয় ভাষা।

How to type in Bengali?

Spoken In : Bangladesh, India (mainly in West Bengal); significant communities in UK, USA, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Australia, Burma, Canada

Native Speakers: 193 million, Total: 230 million (2003)

Language family: Indo-European > Indo-Iranian > Indo-Aryan > Eastern > Assamese-Bengali > Bengali

Writing system: Bengali script

Official language in: Bangladesh, India (West Bengal, Tripura and Barak Valley) (comprising districts of south Assam- Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi)

Regulated by: Bangla Academy (Bangladesh) Paschimbanga Bangla Akademi (West Bengal)

Language codes: bn (ISO 639-1), ben (ISO 639-2, ISO 639-3)

Along with other Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, Bengali evolved circa 1000–1200 AD from the Magadhi Prakrit, which developed from a dialect or group of dialects that were close to, but different from, Vedic and Classical Sanskrit. It is now the primary language spoken in Bangladesh and is the second most commonly spoken language in India. With a long and rich literary tradition, Bengali binds together a culturally diverse region and is an important contributor to Bengali nationalism. In former East Bengal (today Bangladesh), the strong linguistic consciousness led to the Bengali Language Movement, during which on 21 February 1952, several people were killed during protests to gain its recognition as a state language of the then Dominion of Pakistan. The day has since been observed as Language Movement Day in Bangladesh, and was proclaimed the International Mother Language Day by UNESCO on 17 November 1999. In India, Bengali is the second most spoken language, after Hindi. The National song and National anthem of India were composed in Bengali.

Bengali Language References

Following are some of the major recommended resources for Bengali language.
  • "A Grammar of Bengali" by R. K. Biswas - This is a comprehensive and detailed reference on the grammar of the Bengali language.
  • "Bengali-English Dictionary" by J. T. Platts - This dictionary provides detailed definitions and translations for words in the Bengali language.
  • "Bengali for Beginners" by S. K. Chatterjee - This is a beginner's guide to learning the Bengali language, providing an introduction to grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structures.
  • "Bengali Literature: An Introduction" by Sukanta Chaudhuri - This book provides an overview of the history and development of Bengali literature, including a study of the major poets and writers.
  • "A History of Bengali Language and Literature" by R. K. Chaudhuri - This book provides a history of the Bengali language and literature, including an analysis of its development and evolution.
  • "An Introduction to Bengali" by Sukanta Chaudhuri - This book provides an introduction to the Bengali language, including its grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structures.
  • "A Descriptive Grammar of Bengali" by Samir K. Chaudhuri - This book provides a detailed description of the grammar of the Bengali language, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, and syntax.
  • "Bengali Language and Literature" by Dr. Sujit Mukherjee - This book provides an overview of the history, development and the current scenario of Bengali language and literature.
  • "Bengali Language Handbook" by Dr. Edward Dimock - This book provides an overview of the Bengali language, including its grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structures, as well as cultural and historical background.
  • "A Bengali Grammar" by Dr. Sukumar Sen - This book provides a comprehensive and detailed reference on the grammar of the Bengali language.
  • Government: National Portal of India : india.gov.in
  • Government of Bangladesh : www.bangladesh.gov.bd
  • Government of West Bengal, India : www.westbengal.gov.in
  • Wikipedia : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengali_language
  • Alam, M (2000), Bhasha Shourôbh: Bêkorôn O Rôchona (The Fragrance of Language: Grammar and Rhetoric), S. N. Printers, Dhaka.
  • Ali, Shaheen Sardar; Rehman, Javaid (2001), Indigenous Peoples and Ethnic Minorities of Pakistan: Constitutional and Legal Perspectives, Routledge, ISBN 0700711597.
  • Bonazzi, Eros (2008), "Bengali", Dizionario Bengali, Avallardi (Italy), ISBN 9788878871687.
  • Chakrabarti, Byomkes, A Comparative Study of Santali and Bengali, K.P. Bagchi & Co., Kolkata, 1994, ISBN 81-7074-128-9 Byomkes Chakrabarti
  • Haldar, Gopal (2000), Languages of India, National Book Trust, India, ISBN 81-237-2936-7.
  • Bhattacharya, T (2000), "Bengali", in Gary, J. and Rubino. C., Encyclopedia of World's Languages: Past and Present (Facts About the World's Languages), WW Wilson, New York, ISBN 0824209702
  • Ferguson, CA; Chowdhury, M (1960), "The Phonemes of Bengali", Language, 36(1), Part 1.
  • Asiatic Society of Bangladesh (2003), Banglapedia, the national encyclopedia of Bangladesh, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka.
  • Hayes, B; Lahiri, A (1991), "Bengali intonational phonology", Natural Language & Linguistic Theory (Springer Science).
  • Klaiman, MH (1987), "Bengali", in Bernard Comrie, The World's Major Languages, Croon Helm, London and Sydney, ISBN 0195065115.
  • Masica, C (1991), The Indo-Aryan Languages, Cambridge Univ. Press.
  • Radice, W (1994), Teach Yourself Bengali: A Complete Course for Beginners, NTC/Contemporary Publishing Company, ISBN 0844237523.
  • Ray, P; Hai, MA; Ray, L (1966), Bengali language handbook, Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, ISBN [[Special:BookSources/ASIN B000B9G89C|ASIN B000B9G89C]].
  • Sen, D (1996), Bengali Language and Literature, International Centre for Bengal Studies, Calcutta.
  • Shah, Natubhai (1998), Jainism: The World of Conquerors, Sussex Academic Press, ISBN 1898723311.
  • Baxter, C (1997), Bangladesh, From a Nation to a State, Westview Press, ISBN 0813336325.
  • Tagore, Rabindranath; Das, Sisir Kumar (1996), The English Writings of Rabindranath Tagore, Sahitya Akademi, ISBN 8126000945.
  • Wilson, A.J; Dalton, D (1982), The States of South Asia: Problems of National Integration. Essays in Honour of W. H. Morris-Jones, University of Hawaii Press, ISBN 0824811836.
  • Haldar, Narayan : Bengali Bhasa Prsanga : Banan Kathan Likhanriti, Pustak Bipani, Kolkata, 2007
  • Bengali Phrasebook at Wikitravel
  • Biswas, Sailendra. Samsada Bangala abhidhana. 7th ed. Calcutta, Sahitya Samsad, 2004. Requires unicode enabled browser.
  • Biswas, Sailendra. Samsad Bengali-English dictionary. 3rd ed. Calcutta, Sahitya Samsad, 2000. Requires unicode enabled browser.
  • Free Bengali Unicode Solutions
  • The South Asian Literary Recordings Project, The Library of Congress. Bengali Authors
  • Bengali computing resources at TDIL
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