The New Testament in Relli (REIWFW)

Overview

The New Testament in Relli is a 2023 translation of 19 books of the New Testament into Reli, a language spoken by the Relli people of eastern India. Published by The Word for the World in cooperation with the Relli Translation Samiti, the text is written in the Telugu script. ^[1] The Relli (also spelled Reli or Relly) are a Scheduled Caste community primarily concentrated in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, particularly Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, and Visakhapatnam, with smaller populations in Odisha and other states. ^[2] The Relli language is closely related to Odia and has been influenced by Telugu through long contact. ^[3] The name “Relli” derives from a Telugu word meaning a type of grass, reflecting the community’s traditional occupation of gathering and selling grass. ^[2] The Relli population is estimated at approximately 149,000, the vast majority of whom are Hindu. ^[4]

Language and People

Reli (ISO 639-3: rei) is spoken by approximately 19,000 people in India, Map 7. [Glottolog: reli1238]

References

• [1] The New Testament in Relli, copyright page. The Word for the World and Relli Translation Samiti, 2023.
• [2] Relli (caste) - Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute, Government of Odisha. Community profile.
• [3] Reli language - Wikipedia - Overview of the Reli language classification and speakers.
• [4] Relli in India - Joshua Project. People group profile with population and religious data.
• find.bible entry - find.bible. Bible catalogue entry for REIWFW.
• bible.com - YouVersion.
• ebible.org entry - ebible.org.