General Awareness · 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

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an endangered language spoken in Sri Lanka?

  1. Sinhala

  2. Tamil

  3. English

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

Vedda is an endangered language spoken by the Vedda people of Sri Lanka.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the endangered language spoken by the Kodava people of India?

  1. Kodava

  2. Kannada

  3. Tulu

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

Kodava is an endangered language spoken by the Kodava people of Kodagu district in Karnataka, India.

Multiple choice

Which language is predominantly used in Carnatic music?

  1. Telugu

  2. Kannada

  3. Tamil

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

Carnatic music is a system of music that originated in the southern part of India, and Tamil is the predominant language used in this genre.

Multiple choice

Which language is used in Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form from Tamil Nadu?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu, and Tamil is the language used in this dance form.

Multiple choice

Which language is used in Kuchipudi, a classical dance form from Andhra Pradesh?

  1. Telugu

  2. Tamil

  3. Kannada

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

Kuchipudi is a classical dance form that originated in Andhra Pradesh, and Telugu is the language used in this dance form.

Multiple choice

Which East Indian language is spoken by the largest number of people?

  1. Bengali

  2. Hindi

  3. Marathi

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

Hindi is the most widely spoken East Indian language, with over 400 million native speakers.

Multiple choice

Which East Indian language is spoken in the state of Maharashtra?

  1. Bengali

  2. Hindi

  3. Marathi

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

Marathi is the official language of the state of Maharashtra.

Multiple choice

Which East Indian language is spoken in the state of Telangana?

  1. Bengali

  2. Hindi

  3. Marathi

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

Telugu is the official language of the state of Telangana.

Multiple choice

What is the traditional language of yoga?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Hindi

  3. English

  4. Tamil

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

The traditional language of yoga is Sanskrit.

Multiple choice

Which Indian language has been influenced by English the most?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Hindi has been influenced by English more than any other Indian language due to its status as the official language of India and its widespread use in education, media, and government.

Multiple choice

Which Indian language has the largest number of loanwords from English?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Hindi has the largest number of loanwords from English due to its status as the official language of India and its widespread use in education, media, and government.

Multiple choice

Which Indian language has been influenced by English the least?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Tamil has been influenced by English the least among the major Indian languages due to its strong literary tradition and its resistance to foreign influences.

Multiple choice

What are some examples of English loanwords in Tamil?

  1. தொலைபேசி

  2. கணினி

  3. இணையம்

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

All of the given options are examples of English loanwords in Tamil.

Multiple choice

What is the official language of the Union Territory of Puducherry?

  1. Tamil

  2. French

  3. English

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

Tamil is the official language of Puducherry, as per the Official Languages Act, 1963.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a major language of instruction in Indian schools?

  1. Hindi

  2. English

  3. Sanskrit

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

Sanskrit is not a major language of instruction in Indian schools, although it is a classical language of India.