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 Indian language is the official language of the state of Karnataka?

  1. Hindi

  2. Kannada

  3. Telugu

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

Kannada is the official language of the state of Karnataka, and is spoken by over 40 million people.

Multiple choice

Which Indian language is the official language of the state of Kerala?

  1. Hindi

  2. Malayalam

  3. Tamil

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

Malayalam is the official language of the state of Kerala, and is spoken by over 35 million people.

Multiple choice

Which East Indian language is spoken by the largest number of people?

  1. Bengali

  2. Hindi

  3. Marathi

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

Hindi is the most widely spoken East Indian language, with over 400 million native speakers.

Multiple choice

Which East Indian language is known for its rich classical literature and ancient inscriptions?

  1. Sanskrit

  2. Hindi

  3. Marathi

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

Sanskrit is an ancient East Indian language with a rich literary tradition. It is considered the sacred language of Hinduism and is still used in religious ceremonies and rituals.

Multiple choice

Which East Indian language is known for its distinct Dravidian roots and unique grammatical features?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Telugu is a Dravidian language spoken in the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is known for its unique grammatical features and rich literary tradition.

Multiple choice

Which East Indian language is known for its unique script and distinctive vowel system?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Oriya is an East Indian language spoken in the eastern state of Odisha, India. It is known for its unique script and distinctive vowel system.

Multiple choice

Which East Indian language is known for its distinctive tonal system and elaborate verb morphology?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Naga is an East Indian language spoken in the northeastern states of Nagaland and Manipur, India. It is known for its distinctive tonal system and elaborate verb morphology.

Multiple choice

Which language has the most resources on the NDLI?

  1. English

  2. Hindi

  3. Bengali

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

English has the most resources on the NDLI, followed by Hindi, Bengali, and Marathi.

Multiple choice

What is the status of Sanskrit in India?

  1. Official language

  2. Classical language

  3. Regional language

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

Sanskrit is a classical language in India.

Multiple choice

Which state in India has the official language that is classified as a Dravidian language?

  1. Tamil Nadu

  2. Karnataka

  3. Andhra Pradesh

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

Tamil, the official language of Tamil Nadu, is a Dravidian language, a language family distinct from Indo-Aryan languages.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a major language spoken in India?

  1. Hindi

  2. English

  3. Bengali

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

While Hindi, Bengali, and Telugu are major languages spoken in India, English is not a native language of the country and is used primarily for official purposes and communication.

Multiple choice

What is the primary language used in Kannada cinema?

  1. Kannada

  2. Telugu

  3. Tamil

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

Kannada cinema, also known as Sandalwood, is the film industry of Karnataka, India, and primarily uses the Kannada language.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language is spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh and is also the official language of the state?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Telugu is the official language of the state of Andhra Pradesh and is spoken by a majority of the population in the state.

Multiple choice

Which modern Indian language is spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu and is also the official language of the state?

  1. Hindi

  2. Bengali

  3. Marathi

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

Tamil is the official language of the state of Tamil Nadu and is spoken by a majority of the population in the state.

Multiple choice

Which language is spoken by the majority of the population of Rutland Island?

  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 spoken language in Rutland Island, with over 60% of the population speaking it as their first language.