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Language

Malayalam

Dravidian Languages

Malayalam is a Dravidian language primarily spoken by the Malayali people, native to the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

Facts
ISO 639-3 Code
mal 2
Speaker Count
37,000,000 2
2011 census, native speakers.
Status
Living 2
Region
Kerala, Lakshadweep and Puducherry, India 2
Partially Attested
Attested From (Year)
from 849 2
Quilon Syrian copper plates dated 849/850 CE, considered by some the oldest inscription in Old Malayalam; the article dates Old Malayalam inscriptions to the 9th to 13th century CE.
Classification
Language Kind
Safe 1
Official Status
Official Language 2
Connections

In Family

Dravidian, Language Families
Source Wikipedia: Malayalam

Written In

Malayalam Script, Scripts
Source Wikipedia: Malayalam
In the Other Atlases

Cases Where Used

Kerala

Also in Divinity Atlas: used in this subject.

Original Language Of

The Painted House

Also in Film and Media Atlas: a work originally in this language.

Found In

Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Glottolog: Malayalam (Glottolog languoid mala1464)
GlottologEndangerment, AES status
Quote, Endangerment, AES status
AES status: not endangered
View the Source
2. Wikipedia: Malayalam
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    Malayalam (മലയാളം, Malayāḷam, [mɐlɐjaːɭɐm] ) is a Dravidian language, primarily spoken by the Malayali people, native to the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé district).
  • Infobox, ISO 639-3
    mal
  • Infobox: speakers2
    L2: (2011)<ref name="e28
  • Lead section, first sentence
    is a Dravidian language, primarily spoken by the Malayali people, native to the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry
  • Official status
    Malayalam has official language status in Kerala, Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé).
  • Old Malayalam
    The Quilon Syrian copper plates of 849/850 CE are considered by some to be the oldest available inscription written in Old Malayalam.
  • Official status, Malayalam entity page
    Malayalam has official language status in Kerala, Lakshadweep and Puducherry (Mahé).
  • In Family: Dravidian, Infobox, Language family
    Top family: Dravidian languages; immediate branch: Southern Dravidian (Southern I), within the Malayalamoid group.
  • Written In: Malayalam Script
View the Source
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