Q. To which language family does Santhali belong?
Answer: Austric
Notes: Santhali belongs to the Austric (Austro-Asiatic) family, specifically the Munda subgroup. It is spoken mainly in Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha by Santals. The language uses the Ol Chiki script. Jharkhand hosts nine major tribal languages, including Austro-Asiatic ones like Santali, Mundari, Ho, and Kharia. Santhali is distinct from Dravidian and Indo-Aryan language families.