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 North Indian language is predominantly used in the Jain scriptures, including the Agamas and Upangas?

  1. Hindi

  2. Gujarati

  3. Kannada

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

Prakrit, a group of ancient North Indian languages, is primarily used in Jain scriptures, such as the Agamas and Upangas.

Multiple choice

In Hinduism, which North Indian language is often used for chanting the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of the religion?

  1. Hindi

  2. Sanskrit

  3. Marathi

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

Sanskrit is the primary language used for chanting the Vedas, the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, which contain hymns, prayers, and philosophical teachings.

Multiple choice

In Hinduism, which North Indian language is often used for performing aarti, a ritual of worship involving the waving of lights?

  1. Hindi

  2. Sanskrit

  3. Bengali

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

Hindi is commonly used for performing aarti, a ritual of worship involving the waving of lights, in various regions of North India.

Multiple choice

Which North Indian language is predominantly found in the religious texts and rituals of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Hindu Vaishnava sect?

  1. Hindi

  2. Gujarati

  3. Kannada

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

Gujarati is the primary language used in the religious texts and rituals of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Hindu Vaishnava sect founded by Sahajanand Swami in the early 19th century.

Multiple choice

Which Central Indian language is closely related to Sanskrit, sharing many similarities in vocabulary and grammatical structures?

  1. Halbi

  2. Awadhi

  3. Bagheli

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

Chhattisgarhi, spoken in the state of Chhattisgarh, is closely related to Sanskrit. The language shares many similarities with Sanskrit in terms of vocabulary and grammatical structures, reflecting its historical and cultural connections with the ancient language.

Multiple choice

Which Central Indian language has a significant influence on the development of Marathi, contributing numerous loanwords and shaping its vocabulary?

  1. Chhattisgarhi

  2. Bundelkhandi

  3. Surgujia

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

Varhadi, spoken in parts of Central India, has had a significant influence on the development of Marathi. Many loanwords from Varhadi have been incorporated into Marathi, enriching its vocabulary and contributing to its linguistic diversity.

Multiple choice

Which Central Indian language has a significant influence on the development of Telugu, contributing numerous loanwords and shaping its vocabulary?

  1. Muria

  2. Bhatri

  3. Koya

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

Gondi, spoken in parts of Central India, has had a significant influence on the development of Telugu. Many loanwords from Gondi have been incorporated into Telugu, enriching its vocabulary and contributing to its linguistic diversity.

Multiple choice

The official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh is:

  1. Telugu

  2. Hindi

  3. Kannada

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

Telugu is the official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Multiple choice

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

  1. Malayalam

  2. Hindi

  3. English

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

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

Multiple choice

Which classical language was the lingua franca of the Indian subcontinent?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Latin

  3. Greek

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

Sanskrit was the lingua franca of the Indian subcontinent for centuries, and it continues to be used as a language of scholarship and religious ritual in many parts of India today.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic feature of the Marathi language?

  1. It is an Indo-Aryan language.

  2. It uses the Devanagari script.

  3. It has a rich vocabulary of Sanskrit words.

  4. It is spoken in the state of Maharashtra, India.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language that uses the Devanagari script and is spoken in the state of Maharashtra, India.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the Marathi language's script?

  1. Devanagari

  2. Tamil

  3. Telugu

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

Marathi is written in the Devanagari script, which is also used for Hindi, Sanskrit, and several other Indian languages.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a regional literature of India?

  1. Bengali

  2. Hindi

  3. English

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

English is not a regional literature of India, as it is not native to the country.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a major regional literature of India?

  1. Telugu

  2. Marathi

  3. Gujarati

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

Kannada is not a major regional literature of India, as it is not as widely spoken as the other options.

Multiple choice

What is the traditional language used in Kathakali performances?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Malayalam

  3. Hindi

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

Kathakali performances are traditionally conducted in Malayalam, the language of the state of Kerala, where Kathakali originated.