Languages — Set 5
Arts & Culture · भाषाएं · Questions 41–50 of 50
Which language has been designated as the 'official language' of the Indian Union?
Correct Answer: D. Hindi
Hindi in Devanagari script is the primary official language of the Union. English is an additional 'associate' official language used for parliamentary and legal purposes. India does not have a 'national language' defined in the constitution.
How many classical languages are currently recognized by the Government of India?
Correct Answer: B. 6
The government recognizes six languages as Classical: Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia. These languages meet specific criteria regarding antiquity and original literary tradition. Recently, more languages like Marathi and Pali have been under consideration for this list.
The language 'Khasi' is predominantly spoken in which state?
Correct Answer: A. Meghalaya
Khasi is a major language of the Khasi people in Meghalaya. It is unique because it belongs to the Austroasiatic language family. It was traditionally an oral language and now mostly uses the Latin script.
In which state is 'Tulu' a widely spoken but not yet constitutionally recognized official language?
Correct Answer: C. Karnataka
Tulu is spoken in the Tulu Nadu region, which spans coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala. There is an ongoing movement to include it in the Eighth Schedule. It has a rich oral tradition and uses the Kannada script for writing today.
The 'Pali' language is historically significant for being the medium of which religious scriptures?
Correct Answer: C. Tripitakas
Pali was the language used to record the early Buddhist scriptures known as the Tripitakas. It is a Middle Indo-Aryan language that was widely understood by common people during the Buddha's time. Today, it is primarily used as a liturgical language in Theravada Buddhism.
Which state has 'Bengali' as its primary official language?
Correct Answer: D. Tripura
Bengali is the official language of West Bengal and the primary official language of Tripura. In Tripura, it is spoken by more than 60% of the population alongside Kokborok. It is also an associate official language in the Barak Valley of Assam.
The 'Sindhi' language was added to the Eighth Schedule by which constitutional amendment?
Correct Answer: D. 21st Amendment
The 21st Amendment Act of 1967 added Sindhi as the 15th language in the Eighth Schedule. Sindhi is spoken by a large community spread across several Indian states after partition. It is written in both Arabic and Devanagari scripts in India.
What is the study of languages and their structure called?
Correct Answer: D. Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of language, including its form, meaning, and context. It encompasses sub-fields like phonetics, syntax, and semantics. Philology is more specifically the study of language in historical literary texts.
Which language is known as the official language of the state of Mizoram?
Correct Answer: A. Both Mizo and English
Mizo and English are both official languages used in the state of Mizoram. Mizo belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family and is written in the Roman script. The use of English facilitates administration and communication with the rest of the country.
Which Indian city is the headquarters of the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL)?
Correct Answer: C. Mysuru
The CIIL is located in Mysuru, Karnataka, and works under the Ministry of Education. It was established in 1969 to promote and develop Indian languages. It conducts extensive research on minor and endangered languages of India.