General Awareness ยท Civics Polity
Indian and Sri Lankan Languages
3,062 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
Which of the following is a major linguistic family in India?
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Indo-Aryan
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Dravidian
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Sino-Tibetan
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Austroasiatic
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The Indo-Aryan language family is the most widely spoken in India, with over 70% of the population speaking an Indo-Aryan language.
Which ethnic group is known for its distinct Dravidian language and culture?
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Tamil
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Kannada
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Malayalam
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Telugu
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The Tamil people are a Dravidian ethnic group native to the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the northern parts of Sri Lanka.
Which language is spoken by the majority of the population in Sri Lanka?
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Sinhala
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Tamil
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English
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Malayalam
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Sinhala is the official language of Sri Lanka and is spoken by the majority of the population.
Which language is spoken by the majority of the population in Sri Lanka?
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Sinhala
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Tamil
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English
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Malayalam
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Sinhala is the official language of Sri Lanka and is spoken by the majority of the population.
Which language is considered the oldest language in India?
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Sanskrit
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Tamil
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Hindi
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Bengali
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Sanskrit is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that is considered the oldest language in India. It is the liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, and has a rich literary tradition.
Which language is the official language of the state of Tamil Nadu?
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Tamil
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Hindi
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English
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Kannada
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.
Which language is the official language of the state of Karnataka?
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Kannada
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Hindi
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English
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Telugu
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.
Which language is the official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh?
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Telugu
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Hindi
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English
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Kannada
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.
Which language is the official language of the state of Kerala?
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Malayalam
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Hindi
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English
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Tamil
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.
Which of the following is a common language used in Bollywood music?
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Hindi
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English
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Tamil
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Telugu
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Hindi is the most commonly used language in Bollywood music, as it is the official language of India and is understood by a large majority of the population.
Which of the following is a common language used in Bollywood music from the southern states of India?
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Tamil
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Telugu
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Kannada
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Malayalam
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Tamil is a common language used in Bollywood music from the southern states of India, as it is the official language of Tamil Nadu and is spoken by a large population in the region.
Which Indian language is commonly spoken in the southern region of Laos?
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Hindi
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Punjabi
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Tamil
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Gujarati
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Tamil is the predominant language spoken by the Indian diaspora in the southern region of Laos. It is particularly prevalent among the Tamil community, which has a long history of migration to this region.
Which Indian language is commonly used in business and trade activities among the Indian diaspora in Laos?
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Hindi
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Punjabi
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Tamil
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Gujarati
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Gujarati is the primary language used in business and trade activities among the Indian diaspora in Laos. It is particularly prevalent among the Gujarati community, which has a strong presence in the business sector.
Which Indian language is commonly used in media and entertainment among the Indian diaspora in Laos?
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Hindi
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Punjabi
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Tamil
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Gujarati
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.
In which language was Buddhacharita written?
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Sanskrit
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Prakrit
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Pali
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Tamil
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Buddhacharita was written in Sanskrit, which was the literary language of ancient India.