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 South Indian language is the official language of the state of Kerala?
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Telugu
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Kannada
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Tamil
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Malayalam
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Malayalam is the official language of the state of Kerala, India.
Which South Indian language is spoken by the largest number of people?
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Telugu
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Kannada
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Tamil
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Malayalam
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Telugu is spoken by the largest number of people in South India.
Which South Indian language has the oldest literary tradition?
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Telugu
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Kannada
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Tamil
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Malayalam
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Tamil has the oldest literary tradition among the South Indian languages.
Which South Indian language is known for its rich classical music tradition?
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Telugu
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Kannada
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Tamil
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Malayalam
Correct answer
Explanation
Carnatic Music is a classical music tradition that originated in South India.
Which South Indian language is known for its rich literary tradition?
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Telugu Literature
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Kannada Literature
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Tamil Literature
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Malayalam Literature
Correct answer
Explanation
All of the South Indian languages have rich literary traditions.
Which South Indian language is known for its vibrant folk art tradition?
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Telugu Folk Art
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Kannada Folk Art
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Tamil Folk Art
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Malayalam Folk Art
Correct answer
Explanation
All of the South Indian languages have vibrant folk art traditions.
Which of the following is the official language of Andhra Pradesh?
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Telugu
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Hindi
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English
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Kannada
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Telugu is the official language of Andhra Pradesh, as per the Andhra Pradesh Official Language Act, 1966.
What is the official language of Karnataka?
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Kannada
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Tulu
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Konkani
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English
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Kannada is the official language of Karnataka, as per the Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963.
Which language is the official language of Kerala?
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Malayalam
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Tamil
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Kannada
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English
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Malayalam is the official language of Kerala, as per the Kerala Official Language Act, 1969.
Which script is used to write the Kannada language, and is one of the major Dravidian scripts?
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Brahmi
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Devanagari
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Kannada
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Tamil
C
Correct answer
Explanation
Kannada is a script that originated in India around the 10th century CE. It is used to write the Kannada language, which is spoken by over 40 million people in India. Kannada is characterized by its rounded letters and distinct vowel signs.
Which script is used to write the Telugu language, and is one of the major Dravidian scripts?
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Brahmi
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Devanagari
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Kannada
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Telugu
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Telugu is a script that originated in India around the 11th century CE. It is used to write the Telugu language, which is spoken by over 80 million people in India. Telugu is characterized by its rounded letters and distinct vowel signs.
Which script is used to write the Malayalam language, and is one of the major Dravidian scripts?
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Brahmi
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Devanagari
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Kannada
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Malayalam
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Malayalam is a script that originated in India around the 13th century CE. It is used to write the Malayalam language, which is spoken by over 35 million people in India. Malayalam is characterized by its rounded letters and distinct vowel signs.
Which of the following is the most important language of the Chera Dynasty?
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Tamil
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Malayalam
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Kannada
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Telugu
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Tamil is the most important language of the Chera Dynasty.
Which of the following is NOT a modern Indian language?
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Hindi
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Bengali
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Tamil
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Latin
D
Correct answer
Explanation
Latin is a classical language that is no longer spoken as a native language. Hindi, Bengali, and Tamil are all modern Indian languages that are spoken by millions of people in India.
What is the most widely spoken modern Indian language?
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Hindi
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Bengali
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Tamil
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Telugu
A
Correct answer
Explanation
Hindi is the most widely spoken modern Indian language, with over 400 million native speakers. It is the official language of India and is also spoken in many other countries in South Asia.