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
Which of the following is an East Indian language?
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Hindi
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Bengali
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Marathi
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Telugu
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Tamil
Correct answer
Explanation
East Indian languages are a group of languages spoken in the eastern part of India. They include Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, and Tamil.
Which of the following is a characteristic feature of East Indian languages?
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Tonal languages
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Vowel harmony
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Retroflex consonants
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All of the above
D
Correct answer
Explanation
East Indian languages are characterized by tonal languages, vowel harmony, and retroflex consonants.
Which of the following is an example of a tonal language in East India?
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Hindi
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Bengali
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Marathi
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Assamese
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Odia
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Assamese is an example of a tonal language in East India. It has six tones, which are used to distinguish words with different meanings.
Which of the following is an example of a vowel harmony language in East India?
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Hindi
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Bengali
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Marathi
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Telugu
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Tamil
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Telugu is an example of a vowel harmony language in East India. In Telugu, the vowels in a word must agree in terms of their frontness or backness.
Which of the following is an example of a language with retroflex consonants in East India?
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Hindi
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Bengali
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Marathi
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Kannada
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Malayalam
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Hindi is an example of a language with retroflex consonants in East India. Retroflex consonants are pronounced with the tongue curled back towards the roof of the mouth.
Which language is the official language of 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, as specified in the Sri Lankan constitution. It is also the national language of Sri Lanka and is widely spoken throughout the country.
Which language is the most widely used language in business 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 most widely used language in business in Sri Lanka, as it is the official language of the country. It is also the national language of Sri Lanka and is widely spoken throughout the country.
What is the primary language of the Vedas?
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Sanskrit
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Prakrit
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Pali
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Tamil
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The primary language of the Vedas is Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language.
Which language is written using the Maithili Script?
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Maithili
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Hindi
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Sanskrit
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Bengali
A
Correct answer
Explanation
The Maithili Script is used to write the Maithili language, which is spoken in the Mithila region of India.
Which Dravidian language is predominantly spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu, India?
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Kannada
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Telugu
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Malayalam
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Tamil
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Tamil is the primary language spoken in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India, and is one of the major Dravidian languages.
Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India?
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Kannada
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Telugu
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Malayalam
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Tamil
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Telugu is the primary language spoken in Andhra Pradesh, a state in southern India, and is one of the major Dravidian languages.
Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Karnataka, India?
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Kannada
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Telugu
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Malayalam
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Tamil
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Kannada is the primary language spoken in Karnataka, a state in southern India, and is one of the major Dravidian languages.
Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Kerala, India?
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Kannada
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Telugu
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Malayalam
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Tamil
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Malayalam is the primary language spoken in Kerala, a state in southern India, and is one of the major Dravidian languages.
Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Telangana, India?
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Kannada
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Telugu
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Malayalam
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Tamil
B
Correct answer
Explanation
Telugu is the primary language spoken in Telangana, a state in southern India, and is one of the major Dravidian languages.
Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Puducherry, India?
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Kannada
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Telugu
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Malayalam
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Tamil
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Tamil is the primary language spoken in Puducherry, a union territory in southern India, and is one of the major Dravidian languages.