General Awareness · Civics Polity

Indian and Sri Lankan Languages

2,991 Questions

Indian and Sri Lankan languages cover various linguistic families, regional dialects, and official state languages. A significant focus is placed on Dravidian languages and their distinctive scripts. Strengthen your general awareness of regional language distribution for upcoming tests.

Dravidian language familyOfficial state languagesRegional Indian dialectsSri Lankan languagesLinguistic communities

Indian and Sri Lankan Languages Questions

Multiple choice

Which language is the official language of the state of Tamil Nadu?

  1. Tamil

  2. Hindi

  3. English

  4. Kannada
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Tamil is the official language of the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is a Dravidian language that is spoken by over 70 million people worldwide.

Multiple choice

Which language is the official language of the state of Karnataka?

  1. Kannada

  2. Hindi

  3. English

  4. Telugu
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Kannada is the official language of the state of Karnataka in India. It is a Dravidian language that is spoken by over 40 million people worldwide.

Multiple choice

Which language is the official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh?

  1. Telugu

  2. Hindi

  3. English

  4. Kannada
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Telugu is the official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. It is a Dravidian language that is spoken by over 80 million people worldwide.

Multiple choice

Which language is the official language of the state of Kerala?

  1. Malayalam

  2. Hindi

  3. English

  4. Tamil
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Malayalam is the official language of the state of Kerala in India. It is a Dravidian language that is spoken by over 35 million people worldwide.

Multiple choice

Which Indian language is commonly used in media and entertainment among the Indian diaspora in Laos?

  1. Hindi

  2. Punjabi

  3. Tamil

  4. Gujarati
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Hindi is the primary language used in media and entertainment among the Indian diaspora in Laos. It is particularly prevalent in Bollywood films and television shows, which are popular among the Indian community.

Multiple choice

In which language was Buddhacharita written?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Prakrit

  3. Pali

  4. Tamil
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Buddhacharita was written in Sanskrit, which was the literary language of ancient India.

Multiple choice

Which language is closely related to Dhivehi?

  1. Sinhala

  2. Tamil

  3. Hindi

  4. Urdu
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Dhivehi is closely related to Sinhala, the official language of Sri Lanka.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is spoken by the largest number of people worldwide?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Tamil is the most widely spoken Dravidian language, with over 75 million native speakers primarily located in Tamil Nadu, India, and Sri Lanka.

Multiple choice

The Dravidian language family is primarily spoken in which region of the world?

  1. South Asia

  2. East Asia

  3. Southeast Asia

  4. Central Asia
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Dravidian language family is predominantly spoken in South Asia, particularly in southern India and parts of Sri Lanka.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its rich classical literature, dating back to the Sangam period?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Tamil has a rich classical literature dating back to the Sangam period (3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE), which includes works like the 'Thirukkural' and the 'Silappathikaram'.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its distinctive 'zha' sound, represented by the letter 'ழ'?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The 'zha' sound is a unique feature of the Tamil language and is represented by the letter 'ழ'.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its vibrant folk literature, including the epic 'Mahabharata' in its own unique version?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Telugu has a vibrant folk literature, including its own unique version of the epic 'Mahabharata' known as 'Andhra Mahabharatam'.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its distinctive 'ta' sound, represented by the letter 'ಟ'?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The 'ta' sound is a unique feature of the Kannada language and is represented by the letter 'ಟ'.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its rich tradition of Yakshagana, a form of traditional theater that combines music, dance, and storytelling?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Yakshagana is a traditional theater form that originated in Karnataka and is known for its vibrant performances.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its distinctive 'zha' sound, represented by the letter 'ഴ'?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The 'zha' sound is a unique feature of the Malayalam language and is represented by the letter 'ഴ'.