General Awareness ยท Civics Polity

Indian and Sri Lankan Languages

3,062 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 considered the oldest surviving language in the Indian subcontinent?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Tamil

  3. Hindi

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

Tamil is widely recognized as the oldest surviving language in the Indian subcontinent, with a rich literary history dating back several centuries.

Multiple choice

The Dravidian language family is primarily spoken in which region of the Indian subcontinent?

  1. North India

  2. South India

  3. East India

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

The Dravidian language family is predominantly spoken in South India, including states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken in the state of Maharashtra and is known for its vibrant cinema industry?

  1. Hindi

  2. Marathi

  3. Telugu

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

Marathi is the official language of the state of Maharashtra in India and is known for its rich cultural heritage and vibrant cinema industry.

Multiple choice

The language spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh and is known for its distinctive Telugu script is:

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Telugu

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

Telugu is the official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India and is known for its unique script and rich cultural heritage.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken in the state of Karnataka and is known for its contributions to classical music and dance?

  1. Hindi

  2. Marathi

  3. Telugu

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

Kannada is the official language of the state of Karnataka in India and is known for its contributions to classical music and dance, as well as its rich literary tradition.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken in the state of Gujarat and is known for its unique Gujarati script?

  1. Hindi

  2. Marathi

  3. Telugu

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

Gujarati is the official language of the state of Gujarat in India and is known for its unique script and rich cultural heritage.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken in the state of Kerala and is known for its contributions to Malayalam literature?

  1. Hindi

  2. Marathi

  3. Telugu

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

Malayalam is the official language of the state of Kerala in India and is known for its rich literary tradition and contributions to Malayalam literature.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not an Indo-Aryan language?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Tamil is a Dravidian language, while Hindi, Bengali, and Marathi are Indo-Aryan languages.

Multiple choice

Which language is the primary official language used in the Indian Armed Forces?

  1. Hindi

  2. English

  3. Tamil

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

English is the primary official language used in the Indian Armed Forces, as it is the most widely understood language in the country.

Multiple choice

What is the primary language spoken in the backwater regions of Kerala?

  1. Hindi

  2. English

  3. Tamil

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

Malayalam is the primary language spoken in the backwater regions of Kerala, reflecting the state's rich cultural heritage and linguistic diversity.

Multiple choice

Which of the following languages is spoken in the state of Karnataka?

  1. Kannada

  2. Telugu

  3. Marathi

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

Kannada is the official language of the state of Karnataka. It is spoken by over 40 million people in the state.

Multiple choice

Which of the following languages is spoken in the state of Kerala?

  1. Malayalam

  2. Tamil

  3. Kannada

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

Malayalam is the official language of the state of Kerala. It is spoken by over 30 million people in the state.

Multiple choice

Which of the following languages is spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu?

  1. Tamil

  2. Malayalam

  3. Kannada

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

Tamil is the official language of the state of Tamil Nadu. It is spoken by over 60 million people in the state.

Multiple choice

Which of the following languages is spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh?

  1. Telugu

  2. Tamil

  3. Kannada

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

Telugu is the official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is spoken by over 80 million people in the state.

Multiple choice

Yakshagana music is typically performed in which language?

  1. Kannada

  2. Tulu

  3. Konkani

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

Yakshagana music is typically performed in the Kannada language.