Languages — Set 5

Correct Answer: D. Hindi

• **Hindi** = It is designated as the primary official language of the Indian Union, written in the Devanagari script. • **Article 343** — This article of the Indian Constitution declares Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language of the Union. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: English: It is an 'associate' official language, not the sole primary official language; Sanskrit: While a classical language, it is not the official language of the Union; Both Hindi and English: While both are used for official purposes, Hindi is the primary official language, with English as an associate, so 'Hindi' alone is the most accurate answer for *the* official language.

Correct Answer: B. 6

• **Six** = Currently, the Government of India recognizes six languages as Classical Languages. • **Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia** — These are the six specific languages that have been granted Classical Language status by the Indian government. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: 8: This number is incorrect, as only six languages currently hold the official Classical Language status; 10: This number is significantly higher than the officially recognized count; 4: This number is too low, as two more languages (Malayalam, Odia) were added after the initial four.

Correct Answer: A. Meghalaya

• **Meghalaya** = Khasi is predominantly spoken in this northeastern Indian state by the Khasi people. • **Austroasiatic** — This language family to which Khasi belongs makes it distinct from most other languages in Northeast India, which are typically Tibeto-Burman. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Mizoram: The primary language here is Mizo, a Tibeto-Burman language; Assam: The official language is Assamese, an Indo-Aryan language; Manipur: The official language is Meitei (Manipuri), a Tibeto-Burman language.

Correct Answer: C. Karnataka

• **Karnataka** = Tulu is a widely spoken Dravidian language in the coastal region of this state (Tulu Nadu), with calls for its constitutional recognition. • **Eighth Schedule** — This schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of the Republic, and there's a movement to include Tulu in it. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Maharashtra: Marathi is the official language here, and Tulu is not widely spoken; Tamil Nadu: Tamil is the official language, and Tulu is not native to this state; Kerala: While Tulu is spoken in northern Kerala, Karnataka is the primary state associated with the larger Tulu Nadu region and the movement for its recognition.

Correct Answer: C. Tripitakas

• **Tripitakas** = Pali was the language used to record these early Buddhist scriptures. • **Theravada Buddhism** — Pali continues to be primarily used as a liturgical language in this major branch of Buddhism today. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: Guru Granth Sahib: This holy scripture of Sikhism is primarily written in Sant Bhasha (a form of Punjabi); Agamas: These are the scriptures of Jainism and some Hindu traditions, typically in Prakrit and Sanskrit; Vedas: These ancient Hindu scriptures are written in Vedic Sanskrit.

Correct Answer: D. Tripura

• **Tripura** = Bengali is the primary official language of this Northeastern Indian state. • **60%** — More than this percentage of Tripura's population speaks Bengali, alongside Kokborok. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Odisha]: Odia is the official language of Odisha; [Assam]: Assamese is the primary official language of Assam; Bengali is an associate official language only in the Barak Valley; [Jharkhand]: Hindi is the official language of Jharkhand.

Correct Answer: D. 21st Amendment

• **21st Amendment** = This constitutional amendment act added Sindhi as the 15th language to the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. • **1967** — This was the year when the 21st Amendment Act, adding Sindhi to the Eighth Schedule, was enacted. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [42nd Amendment]: This amendment, passed in 1976, made significant changes to the Constitution, often called a 'mini-constitution'; [71st Amendment]: This amendment added Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali to the Eighth Schedule; [92nd Amendment]: This amendment added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santali to the Eighth Schedule.

Correct Answer: D. Linguistics

• **Linguistics** = This is the scientific study of language, encompassing its form, meaning, and context. • **Phonetics, syntax, and semantics** — These are some of the sub-fields encompassed by linguistics, studying speech sounds, sentence structure, and meaning respectively. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Lexicography]: This is the practice of compiling dictionaries; [Philology]: This is the study of language in historical and literary texts, focusing on structure, history, and relationships; [Etymology]: This is the study of the origin and historical development of words.

Correct Answer: A. Both Mizo and English

• **Mizo and English** = Both these languages serve as official languages in the Indian state of Mizoram. • **Tibeto-Burman language family** — Mizo belongs to this language family, reflecting its linguistic roots in the region. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Hindi]: Hindi is not an official language of Mizoram; [Mizo]: While Mizo is an official language, English is also an official language; [English]: While English is an official language, Mizo is also an official language.

Correct Answer: C. Mysuru

• **Mysuru** = This city in Karnataka is home to the headquarters of the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL). • **1969** — The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) was established in this year to promote and develop Indian languages. • 💡 Wrong-option analysis: [Pune]: The Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, known for linguistic studies, is in Pune, but not CIIL; [New Delhi]: While a major educational hub, New Delhi is not the headquarters of CIIL; [Hyderabad]: Hyderabad has the University of Hyderabad which offers language courses, but it's not the CIIL headquarters.