India's national language is Hindi e.g. dialect) that has some connection—de facto or de jure—with a people and the territory they occupy. There is little consistency in the use of this term. One or more languages spoken as first languages in the territory of a country may be referred to informally or designated in legislation as national languages of the country. National and/or official languages are mentioned in over 150 world constitutions. C.M.B. Brann, with particular reference to Africa, suggests that there are "four quite distinctive meanings" for national language in a polity: \n* "Territorial language" (chthonolect, sometimes known as chtonolect) of a particular people \n* "Regional language" (choralect) \n* "Language-in-common or community language" (demolect) used throughout a country \n* "Central language" (politolect) used by government and perhaps having a symbolic value. The last is usually given the title of official language. Standard languages, such as Standard German, Standard French, and Standard Spanish, may serve as national (language-in-common), regional, and international languages.

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