General Awareness ยท 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 of the following regional languages has a significant body of literature written in the Malayalam script?

  1. Tamil

  2. Malayalam

  3. Kannada

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

Malayalam has a significant body of literature written in the Malayalam script, including works by poets like Vallathol Narayana Menon and Kumaran Asan.

Multiple choice

Which of the following regional languages has a significant body of literature written in the Kannada script?

  1. Tamil

  2. Malayalam

  3. Kannada

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

Kannada has a significant body of literature written in the Kannada script, including works by poets like Kuvempu and D.R. Bendre.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the second largest number of people in India?

  1. Bengali

  2. Telugu

  3. Marathi

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

Bengali is the second most widely spoken language in India, with over 90 million native speakers.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the third largest number of people in India?

  1. Telugu

  2. Marathi

  3. Tamil

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

Telugu is the third most widely spoken language in India, with over 80 million native speakers.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the fourth largest number of people in India?

  1. Marathi

  2. Tamil

  3. Gujarati

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

Marathi is the fourth most widely spoken language in India, with over 70 million native speakers.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the fifth largest number of people in India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Gujarati

  3. Kannada

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

Tamil is the fifth most widely spoken language in India, with over 60 million native speakers.

Multiple choice

Which language is closely related to Dhivehi?

  1. Sinhala

  2. Tamil

  3. Kannada

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

Sinhala, the official language of Sri Lanka, is closely related to Dhivehi and shares many similarities in vocabulary and grammar.

Multiple choice

Which language is commonly used in government and official communication in the Minicoy Islands?

  1. Dhivehi

  2. Hindi

  3. English

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

Dhivehi is the official language of the Minicoy Islands and is used in government and official communication.

Multiple choice

Which language is commonly used in trade and commerce in the Minicoy Islands?

  1. Dhivehi

  2. Hindi

  3. English

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

Dhivehi is commonly used in trade and commerce in the Minicoy Islands, although English is also used to some extent.

Multiple choice

Which language is commonly used in religious ceremonies and rituals in the Minicoy Islands?

  1. Dhivehi

  2. Hindi

  3. English

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

Dhivehi is commonly used in religious ceremonies and rituals in the Minicoy Islands, as it is the language of the Quran and Islamic teachings.

Multiple choice

Which language is commonly used in media and entertainment in the Minicoy Islands?

  1. Dhivehi

  2. Hindi

  3. English

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

Dhivehi is commonly used in media and entertainment in the Minicoy Islands, although English is also used to some extent.

Multiple choice

Which language is commonly used in tourism and hospitality in the Minicoy Islands?

  1. Dhivehi

  2. Hindi

  3. English

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

English is commonly used in tourism and hospitality in the Minicoy Islands, as it is an international language and is understood by many visitors.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a major Indian language?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Telugu

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

English is not an Indian language.

Multiple choice

Which Indian language is known for its rich vocabulary of classical music?

  1. Tamil

  2. Kannada

  3. Hindustani

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

Hindustani, a blend of Hindi and Urdu, is known for its rich vocabulary of classical music, including terms related to ragas, talas, and musical instruments.

Multiple choice

Which Indian language is known for its unique script that resembles a spider's web?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Grantha, an ancient script used in South India, is known for its unique characters that resemble a spider's web. It was primarily used for writing Sanskrit and Tamil texts.