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 language is spoken by the sixth largest group of the Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom?

  1. Malayalam

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

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

Malayalam is spoken by the sixth largest group of the Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom, with over 400,000 speakers.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the seventh largest group of the Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom?

  1. Telugu

  2. Kannada

  3. Marathi

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

Telugu is spoken by the seventh largest group of the Indian diaspora in the United Kingdom, with over 300,000 speakers.

Multiple choice

Which of the following regional Indian languages has produced a significant body of literary works?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, and Telugu are all major regional Indian languages with a rich literary tradition.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the largest number of Indian diaspora in Bhutan?

  1. Hindi

  2. Nepali

  3. Bengali

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

Nepali is the most widely spoken language among the Indian diaspora in Bhutan, with over 50% of the population speaking it.

Multiple choice

What is the second most common language spoken by the Indian diaspora in Bhutan?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Hindi is the second most common language spoken by the Indian diaspora in Bhutan, with over 20% of the population speaking it.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the third largest group of Indian diaspora in Bhutan?

  1. Bengali

  2. Tamil

  3. Marathi

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

Bengali is the third most common language spoken by the Indian diaspora in Bhutan, with over 10% of the population speaking it.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the fourth largest group of Indian diaspora in Bhutan?

  1. Tamil

  2. Marathi

  3. Gujarati

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

Tamil is the fourth most common language spoken by the Indian diaspora in Bhutan, with over 5% of the population speaking it.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the fifth largest group of Indian diaspora in Bhutan?

  1. Marathi

  2. Gujarati

  3. Punjabi

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

Marathi is the fifth most common language spoken by the Indian diaspora in Bhutan, with over 2% of the population speaking it.

Multiple choice

Which language is the Katyayana Sulba Sutra primarily written in?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Tamil

  3. Prakrit

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

The Katyayana Sulba Sutra is predominantly written in Sanskrit, the classical language of ancient India, which was used for scholarly and religious purposes.

Multiple choice

In which language was the Bhagavad Gita originally written?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Hindi

  3. Tamil

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

The Bhagavad Gita was originally written in Sanskrit.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is considered the oldest and has a rich literary tradition dating back several centuries?

  1. Tamil

  2. Kannada

  3. Telugu

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

Tamil is recognized as the oldest Dravidian language with a literary tradition that spans over 2,000 years, boasting a vast corpus of ancient literature, including the renowned Sangam literature.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is known for its extensive use of compound words and its unique script, distinct from other Indian scripts?

  1. Kannada

  2. Telugu

  3. Malayalam

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

Kannada is characterized by its extensive use of compound words and its distinct script, known as the Kannada script, which is derived from the ancient Kadamba script.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language is renowned for its rich classical literature, including the famous work 'Silappathikaram', considered one of the five great epics of Tamil literature?

  1. Tamil

  2. Kannada

  3. Telugu

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

Tamil literature boasts a rich classical tradition, with 'Silappathikaram' standing as one of its most celebrated works. This epic poem, along with four others, forms the core of ancient Tamil literature.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language has a significant influence on the Carnatic music tradition, a classical music form that originated in South India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Kannada

  3. Telugu

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

Telugu has a profound influence on Carnatic music, a classical music form that originated in South India. Many prominent Carnatic musicians and composers have hailed from Telugu-speaking regions.

Multiple choice

Which Dravidian language has a rich tradition of oral literature, including folk tales, legends, and ballads that have been passed down through generations?

  1. Tamil

  2. Kannada

  3. Telugu

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

Tulu, a Dravidian language spoken in the coastal regions of Karnataka, has a vibrant tradition of oral literature. Folk tales, legends, and ballads form an integral part of Tulu culture and are often shared during festivals and gatherings.