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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 modern Indian language is the closest to Sanskrit?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Hindi is the closest modern Indian language to Sanskrit, with over 60% of its vocabulary derived from Sanskrit. This is due to the fact that Hindi evolved from Prakrit, which was a Middle Indo-Aryan language that was derived from Sanskrit.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language was the first to develop a written literature?

  1. Tamil

  2. Sanskrit

  3. Hindi

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

Tamil was the first modern Indian language to develop a written literature, with the earliest Tamil inscriptions dating back to the 3rd century BCE. Sanskrit, Hindi, and Bengali all developed written literatures later.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language was the first to be used as a medium of instruction in schools?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Bengali was the first modern Indian language to be used as a medium of instruction in schools, with the first Bengali-medium school being established in 1817. Hindi, Tamil, and Marathi were all later used as media of instruction in schools.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language was the first to be used as the official language of an Indian state?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Bengali was the first modern Indian language to be used as the official language of an Indian state, with the state of West Bengal adopting Bengali as its official language in 1948. Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu were all later adopted as official languages of Indian states.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language is the most widely used in the Indian film industry?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Hindi is the most widely used language in the Indian film industry, with over 80% of films being produced in Hindi. Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu are also used in the Indian film industry, but to a lesser extent.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language is the most widely used in the Indian music industry?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Hindi is the most widely used language in the Indian music industry, with over 60% of songs being produced in Hindi. Bengali, Tamil, and Punjabi are also used in the Indian music industry, but to a lesser extent.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language is the most widely used in the Indian television industry?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Hindi is the most widely used language in the Indian television industry, with over 70% of programs being produced in Hindi. Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu are also used in the Indian television industry, but to a lesser extent.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language is the most widely used in the Indian print media?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Hindi is the most widely used language in the Indian print media, with over 50% of newspapers and magazines being published in Hindi. Bengali, Tamil, and Malayalam are also used in the Indian print media, but to a lesser extent.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language is the most widely used in the Indian digital media?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Hindi is the most widely used language in the Indian digital media, with over 60% of websites and social media posts being in Hindi. Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu are also used in the Indian digital media, but to a lesser extent.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language is the most widely used in the Indian judiciary?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

English is the most widely used language in the Indian judiciary, with over 90% of court proceedings being conducted in English. Hindi, Bengali, and Tamil are also used in the Indian judiciary, but to a lesser extent.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language is the most widely used in the Indian education system?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Tamil

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

Hindi is the most widely used language in the Indian education system, with over 60% of schools and colleges using Hindi as the medium of instruction. Bengali, Tamil, and English are also used in the Indian education system, but to a lesser extent.

Multiple choice

Which variety of Punjabi is spoken in the region of Delhi, India?

  1. Delhi Punjabi

  2. Haryanvi

  3. Bhojpuri

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

The Delhi Punjabi variety of Punjabi is spoken in the region of Delhi in India and is known for its unique vocabulary and pronunciation.

Multiple choice

Which variety of Punjabi is spoken in the region of Haryana, India?

  1. Delhi Punjabi

  2. Haryanvi

  3. Bhojpuri

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

The Haryanvi variety of Punjabi is spoken in the region of Haryana in India and is known for its distinct accent and vocabulary.

Multiple choice

Which variety of Punjabi is spoken in the region of Uttar Pradesh, India?

  1. Delhi Punjabi

  2. Haryanvi

  3. Bhojpuri

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

The Bhojpuri variety of Punjabi is spoken in the region of Uttar Pradesh in India and is known for its unique vocabulary and pronunciation.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language was the first to be used as the official language of a High Court in India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Kannada

  3. Telugu

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

Tamil was the first modern Indian language to be used as the official language of a High Court in India.