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

What is the status of minority languages in Sri Lanka?

  1. Recognized and protected

  2. Not recognized or protected

  3. Partially recognized and protected

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

Minority languages in Sri Lanka are recognized and protected by the Constitution, which guarantees the right to use and promote one's own language.

Multiple choice

Which language is used in the media in Sri Lanka?

  1. Sinhala only

  2. Tamil only

  3. English only

  4. Sinhala, Tamil, and English
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Sinhala, Tamil, and English are all used in the media in Sri Lanka, with different media outlets catering to different language groups.

Multiple choice

What is the status of the Sinhala language in Sri Lanka?

  1. Official language

  2. National language

  3. Both official and national language

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Sinhala is both an official language and a national language in Sri Lanka, as recognized by the Constitution.

Multiple choice

What is the status of the Tamil language in Sri Lanka?

  1. Official language

  2. National language

  3. Both official and national language

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Tamil is an official language in Sri Lanka, as recognized by the Constitution, but it is not a national language.

Multiple choice

Which language is used in government and official documents in Sri Lanka?

  1. Sinhala only

  2. Tamil only

  3. English only

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

Sinhala and Tamil are both used in government and official documents in Sri Lanka, as recognized by the Constitution.

Multiple choice

What is the status of minority languages in the media in Sri Lanka?

  1. Recognized and promoted

  2. Not recognized or promoted

  3. Partially recognized and promoted

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

Minority languages in Sri Lanka are recognized and promoted in the media, with some media outlets catering specifically to minority language groups.

Multiple choice

What is the future of the official languages in Sri Lanka?

  1. Sinhala and Tamil will continue to be the official languages

  2. English will become the sole official language

  3. A new language will be adopted as the official language

  4. The status of the official languages will change
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sinhala and Tamil are likely to continue to be the official languages of Sri Lanka in the foreseeable future, as they are deeply rooted in the country's history and culture.

Multiple choice

Which of the following languages belongs to the Dravidian language family?

  1. Marathi

  2. Gujarati

  3. Telugu

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

Telugu is a Dravidian language spoken in the southern states of India, including parts of Central India.

Multiple choice

Which of the following languages is considered a member of the Indo-Aryan language family?

  1. Marathi

  2. Gujarati

  3. Telugu

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

Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the state of Maharashtra and parts of Central India.

Multiple choice

Which of the following languages is considered a member of the Dravidian language family?

  1. Marathi

  2. Gujarati

  3. Kannada

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

Kannada is a Dravidian language spoken in the state of Karnataka and parts of Central India.

Multiple choice

Which of the following languages is classified as an Indo-Aryan language?

  1. Gujarati

  2. Telugu

  3. Bengali

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

Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the state of Gujarat and parts of Central India.

Multiple choice

In which language was the Siddhanta Shiromani written?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Hindi

  3. Bengali

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

The Siddhanta Shiromani was written in Sanskrit.

Multiple choice

What is the primary language of Sanskrit drama?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Hindi

  3. Tamil

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

Sanskrit drama, as the name suggests, is primarily performed in Sanskrit, a classical language of India.

Multiple choice

What is the primary language of the Vedas?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Hindi

  3. Tamil

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

The Vedas are written in Sanskrit, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language.

Multiple choice

What is the traditional color used in Indian calligraphy?

  1. Black

  2. Red

  3. Blue

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

Black is the traditional color used in Indian calligraphy. It is considered to be the most auspicious color and is often used for religious texts.