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 approximate number of Dravidian languages spoken today?

  1. 20

  2. 50

  3. 70

  4. 100
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

There are approximately 70 Dravidian languages spoken today, with the majority of them spoken in South India.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language has the largest number of speakers?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Tamil is the Dravidian language with the largest number of speakers, with over 70 million speakers worldwide.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is considered to be the most conservative?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Tamil is considered to be the most conservative Dravidian language, as it has retained many features of Proto-Dravidian, the ancestral language of all Dravidian languages.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in North India?

  1. Northern Dravidian

  2. Central Dravidian

  3. Southern Dravidian

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

The term 'Northern Dravidian' is used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in North India, such as Brahui and Kurukh.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is spoken in the Maldives?

  1. Dhivehi

  2. Sinhala

  3. Tamil

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

Dhivehi is the Dravidian language spoken in the Maldives.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in Central India?

  1. Northern Dravidian

  2. Central Dravidian

  3. Southern Dravidian

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

The term 'Central Dravidian' is used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in Central India, such as Gondi and Kui.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is spoken in Sri Lanka?

  1. Dhivehi

  2. Sinhala

  3. Tamil

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

Sinhala is the Dravidian language spoken in Sri Lanka.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in Eastern India?

  1. Northern Dravidian

  2. Central Dravidian

  3. Southern Dravidian

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

The term 'Eastern Dravidian' is used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in Eastern India, such as Telugu and Kannada.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Telugu is the Dravidian language spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in Southern India?

  1. Northern Dravidian

  2. Central Dravidian

  3. Southern Dravidian

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

The term 'Southern Dravidian' is used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in Southern India, such as Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Karnataka in India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Kannada is the Dravidian language spoken in the state of Karnataka in India.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in Western India?

  1. Northern Dravidian

  2. Central Dravidian

  3. Southern Dravidian

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

The term 'Western Dravidian' is used to refer to the Dravidian languages spoken in Western India, such as Tulu and Kodava.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Kerala in India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Malayalam is the Dravidian language spoken in the state of Kerala in India.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a notable regional language in India?

  1. Assamese

  2. Gujarati

  3. Kannada

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

While Assamese, Gujarati, and Kannada are all notable regional languages in India, Urdu is not typically considered a regional language, but rather a national language.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is a variety of Bhojpuri?

  1. Sarnami

  2. Fiji

  3. Mauritian

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

Sarnami is a variety of Bhojpuri spoken in Suriname.