| 421.4.5.2: SUB-GROUPING OF DRAVIDIAN LANGUAGES |
|
| The traditional
classification used at the beginning of the twentieth
century, which dates from Caldwell and which was taken
up by Sten Konow and Sir George Grierson in LSI, divided
the Dravidian languages into three groups: the Southern,
the Central and the Northern. The Southern group comprised
the major languages of South India sub-divided in their
turn into Dravidian subgroup (Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada)
and the Andhra subgroup (Telugu). The Central group comprised
the languages of the minor people living in territory
which now lies in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Orissa,
Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh (the Parja-Kolami and the
Gondi-Kui groups). The Northern group comprised Malto
and Kurukh which are spoken in Bihar and neighbouring
regions of Orissa, and Brahui which occupies an isolated
position in Baluchistan, far to the north-west. |
|
| The most
recent research has provided grounds for postulating closer
genetic links between Telugu and some of the Central languages
(particularly the Gondi - Kui group) than between Telugu
and the Southern languages. Thus while Bh. Krishnamurthy
adheres to the division into three basic groups, his Central
group takes in the Parja - Kolami languages and his Southern
group is further divided into two subgroups, the first
of which is basically a replica of the Dravidian subgroup
of the traditional classification, while the second includes
Telugu and the Gondi-Kui languages. North Dravidian languages
include Kurukh, Malto and Brahui. |
|
| 421.4.5.3: ENUMERATION OF DRAVIDIAN LANGUAGES |
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| Tamil: |
|
| Tamil is
spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India, North-East
portions of Sri Lanka. Further, a large number of Tamil-speaking
emigrants are to be found in South-East Asia Indonesia
and Africa. Northern and Southern dialectal variants of
the language are distinguished. A transitional stage between
these two is represented by the Eastern and Western dialects.
The speakers of this language (excluding Tamil speakers
in Sri Lanka are said to be 3,802,995 (1981 census). |
|
| Of all the
Dravidian literary languages, Tamil is the oldest, the
most richly documented and the most developed. The belongings
of its literature go back to the beginning of the Christian
era, and according to local tradition to a far earlier
period. Cave inscriptions in Brahmi characters found in
Madura and Tirunelvel districts date back to 100 B.C.
the literary language, especially the language of Tamil
classics, differs widely from the colloquial forms of
the language. |
|
| Malayalam: |
|
| It is spoken
in the Southern part of the Malabar Coast of India. Geographically,
Malayalam territory is virtually co-extensive with the
State of Kerala. The number of speakers of this language
turns out to be 25,700,705. Malayalam is closely connected
with Tamil, from which it divided off at the beginning
of the second millennium of our era. Literary works in
Malayalam can be dated back to 12th century A.D. but Kottayam
plate inscription of Thanuravi Varma is of 9th century
A.D. 21 Malayalam inscriptions are found dating up to
the end of 11th century. Early Malayalam literature (of
the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries) was very much
under Tamil influence. Subsequently, Sankrit influence
made itself felt more during the classical period (from
the 14th century onwards) when the ancient epics were
translated into Malayalam. |
|
| Kannada: |
|
| It is spoken
in Karnataka State. Total number of speakers turned out
are 25,697,146. Literature in Kannada goes back to atleast
the tenth century of Christian era. Inscriptions of Kadamba
Ka:kutsta Varma belong to 450 A.D. 150 Kannada inscriptions
discovered date back to the end of 9th century. The systematic
study and descriptions of the dialects is Badaga which
is spoken in the Nilgiri region in the extreme South of
Kannada territory and which displays a number of archaic
traits. |
|
| Kodagu: |
|
| It is spoken
by 79,172 in Coorg in the State of Karnataka. It is closely
akin to Kannada and is often classed as one of its dialects. |
|
| ToDa and Koa: |
|
| Two non-literary
languages - To·a, Koa each spoken by less than thousand
people have survied among the small tribes living in Nilgiri
Hills at the point where the states of Kerala, Karnataka
and Tamil Nadu meet. The interest of these languages lies
in the fact that they have retained some extremely archaic
structural features. To·a language is rich in fricatives. |
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