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 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 most widely spoken Dravidian language, with over 70 million native speakers primarily located in Tamil Nadu, India, and Sri Lanka.

Multiple choice

What is the primary geographical region where Dravidian languages are spoken?

  1. North India

  2. South India

  3. East India

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

Dravidian languages are predominantly spoken in South India, with significant concentrations in states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its rich literary tradition dating back several centuries?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Tamil has a rich literary tradition spanning over 2,000 years, with notable works like the Sangam literature and the epic poem 'Silappatikaram'.

Multiple choice

What is the characteristic feature of Dravidian languages that distinguishes them from other language families?

  1. Tonal System

  2. Gender System

  3. Case System

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

Dravidian languages are known for their distinctive retroflex consonants, which are produced by curling the tongue back towards the palate.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its unique writing system that is not derived from any other script?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Tamil has its own unique writing system called Tamil script, which is not derived from any other known script and has a history dating back to the 3rd century BCE.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the Dravidian languages spoken in the northern regions of 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' refers to the Dravidian languages spoken in the northern regions of India, including languages like Brahui and Kurukh.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is spoken by the Gond people, one of the largest tribal communities in India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Gondi is a Dravidian language spoken by the Gond people, primarily in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh in India.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the Dravidian language spoken in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu and Kerala?

  1. Toda

  2. Kota

  3. Badaga

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

Toda is a Dravidian language spoken by the Toda people, an indigenous community living in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its unique whistling speech, enabling communication over long distances?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Silbo Gomero is a whistled language derived from the Canary Islands Spanish language, but it shares similarities with Dravidian languages in terms of its whistling techniques.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the Dravidian languages spoken in the southern regions of 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' refers to the Dravidian languages spoken in the southern regions of India, including languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is spoken by the Tulu people, primarily residing in the coastal regions of Karnataka?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Tulu is a Dravidian language spoken by the Tulu people, primarily residing in the coastal regions of Karnataka and parts of Kerala.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the Dravidian language spoken in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Jarawa is a Dravidian language spoken by the Jarawa people, an indigenous community living in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its unique vowel system, with a distinction between short, long, and extra-long vowels?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Tamil has a unique vowel system that distinguishes between short, long, and extra-long vowels, contributing to its rich phonology.

Multiple choice

Which of the following South Indian languages has the fewest dialects?

  1. Telugu

  2. Kannada

  3. Malayalam

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

Telugu has the fewest dialects among the major South Indian languages, with only two main dialects: the Telangana dialect and the Andhra dialect.

Multiple choice

Which of the following South Indian languages has the second fewest dialects?

  1. Kannada

  2. Malayalam

  3. Tamil

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

Kannada has the second fewest dialects among the major South Indian languages, with three main dialects: the Dharwad dialect, the Mysore dialect, and the Bangalore dialect.