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Navigating the Labyrinth of Dravidian Languages: A Linguistic Maze

Description: Embark on a linguistic adventure as we delve into the fascinating world of Dravidian languages, exploring their unique features, historical evolution, and geographical distribution. Test your knowledge and understanding of these ancient tongues that have shaped the cultural and linguistic landscape of South Asia.
Number of Questions: 15
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Tags: dravidian languages linguistics language families south asia language diversity
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Which language family do Dravidian languages belong to?

  1. Indo-European

  2. Sino-Tibetan

  3. Austronesian

  4. Dravidian


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Dravidian languages form a distinct language family, independent of other major language families such as Indo-European or Sino-Tibetan.

What is the approximate number of Dravidian languages spoken today?

  1. 20

  2. 50

  3. 70

  4. 100


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

There are approximately 70 Dravidian languages spoken today, with varying degrees of mutual intelligibility.

Which Dravidian language has the largest number of speakers?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Telugu is the most widely spoken Dravidian language, with over 80 million native speakers primarily in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

What is the primary geographical region where Dravidian languages are spoken?

  1. North India

  2. South India

  3. East India

  4. West India


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Dravidian languages are predominantly spoken in South India, with some extending into parts of Central and Eastern India.

Which Dravidian language is known for its rich literary tradition dating back to the Sangam period?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Tamil has a rich literary tradition dating back to the Sangam period (3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE), with a vast corpus of classical literature.

What is the unique feature of Dravidian languages that distinguishes them from Indo-European languages?

  1. Tonal System

  2. Gender System

  3. Case System

  4. Verb Conjugation


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Dravidian languages have a tonal system, where the pitch of the voice can change the meaning of a word, unlike Indo-European languages which rely primarily on stress and intonation.

Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Kerala, India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Malayalam is the primary Dravidian language spoken in the state of Kerala, India.

What is the approximate number of Dravidian languages that are considered endangered or critically endangered?

  1. 10

  2. 20

  3. 30

  4. 40


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Approximately 30 Dravidian languages are considered endangered or critically endangered, facing the risk of extinction due to language shift and cultural assimilation.

Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Karnataka, India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Kannada is the primary Dravidian language spoken in the state of Karnataka, India.

What is the unique characteristic of Dravidian languages in terms of their verb conjugation system?

  1. Prefixing

  2. Suffixing

  3. Infixing

  4. Circumfixing


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Dravidian languages typically employ a suffixing system for verb conjugation, where suffixes are added to the verb root to indicate tense, aspect, and other grammatical features.

Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu, India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Tamil is the primary Dravidian language spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

What is the approximate number of Dravidian languages that are spoken outside of India?

  1. 5

  2. 10

  3. 15

  4. 20


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Approximately 10 Dravidian languages are spoken outside of India, primarily in neighboring countries such as Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Nepal.

Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Telugu is the primary Dravidian language spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.

What is the unique feature of Dravidian languages in terms of their noun class system?

  1. Two-Class System

  2. Three-Class System

  3. Four-Class System

  4. Five-Class System


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Dravidian languages typically have a two-class noun class system, distinguishing between animate and inanimate nouns.

Which Dravidian language is spoken in the state of Telangana, India?

  1. Tamil

  2. Telugu

  3. Kannada

  4. Malayalam


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Telugu is the primary Dravidian language spoken in the state of Telangana, India.

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