The speakers of major Indian languages belong to how many language families ?
- A.Two
- B.Three
- C.Four
- D.Six
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Four. The major languages of India belong to four language families: Indo-European (Indo-Aryan), Dravidian, Austric (Austro-Asiatic) and Sino-Tibetan.
The Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European family is the largest, spoken by about three-quarters of Indians and including Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi and Odia. The Dravidian family, about a fifth of the people, covers Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam in the south. The Austric family includes Santhali, Mundari and Khasi, spoken in the tribal belt of central and eastern India and in Meghalaya. The Sino-Tibetan family covers many languages of the Himalaya and the North-East, such as Bodo, Manipuri (Meitei) and Ladakhi.
A is wrong because two families, Indo-Aryan and Dravidian, leave out the Austric and Sino-Tibetan speakers.
B is wrong because three families still leave one major family out.
D is wrong because six counts small or isolated groups; the major languages fall into four families.
Exam tip: four families: Indo-Aryan (largest), Dravidian, Austric (Santhali, Khasi) and Sino-Tibetan (Bodo, Manipuri).
Practice Questions
View allWhich one of the following features is the result of erosion and deposition work of a river?
- A.Pothole
- B.Oxbow lake
- C.Levee
- D.Rapid
Show answer
An oxbow lake forms when a river erodes the outer banks of a meander and deposits silt that seals off the loop, so it needs both erosion and deposition.
Read the full explanation →According to Census of India, 2011, which one among the following is the least populated state in India ?
- A.Maharashtra
- B.Madhya Pradesh
- C.Odisha
- D.Punjab
Show answer
Of the four states listed, Punjab had the smallest population in the 2011 Census, about 2.77 crore people. The 2011 Census, the fifteenth census of India, counted about 121 crore people in all.
Read the full explanation →Doldrum are
1. equatorial calms
2. calm and light winds
3. roaring forties
4. variable both in position and in extent
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A.1, 2 and 4
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.1 and 3
- D.2, 3 and 4
Show answer
The doldrums are the equatorial belt of calm and light, variable winds, and the belt shifts with the seasons; they have nothing to do with the roaring forties.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following Indian cities is not located on a river bank ?
- A.Agra
- B.Bhagalpur
- C.Bhopal
- D.Kanpur
Show answer
Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is not built on a river bank; it is known instead as the City of Lakes.
Read the full explanation →Milpa and Ladang are different names for
- A.shifting cultivation.
- B.mixed farming.
- C.truck farming.
- D.plantation agriculture.
Show answer
Milpa is the name for shifting cultivation in Mexico and Central America, and Ladang is its name in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Read the full explanation →