Khasi language is included in
- A.Munda branch of Austro-Asiatic sub-family
- B.Mon-Khmer branch of Austro-Asiatic sub-family
- C.North Assam branch of Sino-Tibetan family
- D.Assam-Myanmari branch of Sino-Tibetan family
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Mon-Khmer branch of Austro-Asiatic sub-family. Khasi, spoken mainly in Meghalaya, belongs to the Mon-Khmer group of the Austric (Austro-Asiatic) languages, along with its close relatives Pnar and War.
In the classification of Indian languages, the Austric family has two main branches in India. The Munda branch covers languages of central and eastern India such as Santali, Mundari and Ho. The Mon-Khmer branch is represented mainly by Khasi in the Meghalaya hills and by Nicobarese in the Nicobar Islands. Khasi is thus a language island of Austro-Asiatic speech surrounded by Tibeto-Burman languages such as Garo. It is written in the Roman script.
A is wrong because the Munda branch includes Santali and Mundari, not Khasi. C is wrong because Khasi is not a Sino-Tibetan language at all; the North Assam branch covers languages of Arunachal Pradesh such as Adi and Mishmi. D is wrong because the Assam-Myanmari branch includes languages such as Bodo, Garo and Manipuri, again Sino-Tibetan.
Exam tip: Austric family in India: Munda branch (Santali, Mundari, Ho) and Mon-Khmer branch (Khasi, Nicobarese).
Practice Questions
View allThe royal portraits of Simhavishnu and Mahendravarman are found in which cave temple at Mamallapuram?
- A.Varaha Cave
- B.Ramanuja Cave
- C.Adivaraha Cave
- D.Trimurti Cave
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The Adivaraha cave temple at Mamallapuram has two rare royal portrait panels of the Pallava kings. One shows Simhavishnu seated between two queens, and the other shows his son Mahendravarman I standing with his two queens, with labels in the Pallava Grantha script naming them.
Read the full explanation →Near which one of the following cities in India have large statues of Kushana rulers been discovered ?
- A.Karnal
- B.Ropar
- C.Hisar
- D.Mathura
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At Mat, a village near Mathura, the Kushanas had a dynastic shrine (devakula) where life-size statues of their kings were found.
Read the full explanation →Who among the following is the author of the Hastyayurveda ?
- A.Palakapya
- B.Vagbhata
- C.Sushruta
- D.Charaka
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The Hastyayurveda, an ancient Sanskrit treatise on the care and medicine of elephants, is traditionally ascribed to the sage Palakapya.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements :
I. The Kailasanatha temple of Kanchi is the earliest Pallava temple hewn from solid rock.
II. The Vaikuntha Perumal temple at Kanchi is a rare Pallava temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
- A.I only
- B.II only
- C.Both I and II
- D.Neither I nor II
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The Kailasanatha temple of Kanchi is a structural temple built of stone blocks, not a temple cut out of solid rock, so statement I is wrong.
Read the full explanation →Teejan Bai, a recipient of the M. S. Subbulakshmi Centenary Award, 2016, is an exponent in
- A.Kannada classical vocal
- B.Kajari dance
- C.Bihu dance
- D.Pandavani, a traditional performing art
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Teejan Bai of Chhattisgarh is the best-known exponent of Pandavani, a folk ballad form that tells stories from the Mahabharata.
Read the full explanation →