Contributions of Missionaries and Linguistic Studies to the Bodo Language: A Scholarly Overview (Prior to the Establishment of Bodo Sahitya Sabha on 16 November, 1952)

The Bodo people, one of the largest indigenous ethnic groups in Assam, have a rich cultural and linguistic heritage. This paper examines the contributions of missionaries and scholars to the development and preservation of the Bodo language prior to the establishment of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha on 16 November, 1952. It reviews early linguistic studies, beginning with the first lexicon of the Mech dialect published in 1839 by Dr. Archibald Campbell. Subsequent works, including those by B.H. Hodgson, Reverend Sidney Endle, and L.O. Skrefsrud, provided foundational grammatical and lexicographic insights into Bodo. Missionary efforts also played a key role in the promotion of literacy, notably through publications such as A.F. Williams' "A Mech (Bodo) Reader for the Beginner" (1920) and the translation of Christian hymns and the Bible into Bodo. These scholarly and missionary efforts significantly contributed to the documentation and standardization of the Bodo language, preserving its rich oral traditions and facilitating its transition to written form. The article highlights the critical role these contributions played in shaping the linguistic landscape of Bodo prior to its institutionalization in the 20th century.