There are 26 languages that belong to the Dravidian family and they are classified into four groups viz., South Dravidian (11), South Central Dravidian (7), Central Dravidian (5), and North Dravidian (3) (Krishnamurti in The Dravidian languages. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003). Four of them are literary languages viz., Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu and they have recorded history from the early centuries of the Christian era and are the major languages of South India. Kadar (aka, kadarba:se) is an endangered Dravidian tribal language spoken by the Kadar tribe, who inhabit the mountain regions of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu. The language of Kadar is at risk of disappearing, along with the cultural traditions and knowledge systems that it represents. The language is currently listed as critically endangered by UNESCO with only a few hundred speakers left. Kadar language is unique in its grammar and vocabulary, with a complex system of noun classes and verb conjugations. However, due to the influence of Tamil―the regional as well as the state language of Tamil Nadu―the Kadar language is rapidly declining in usage and is in danger of being lost forever. If Kadar is allowed to go extinct, it will represent a significant loss not only to the Kadar community but also to the broader field of linguistics. The present chapter is taking an effort to document and preserve the language through linguistic research for digital documentation.

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Kadar—An Endangered Dravidian Tribal Language of India

  • P. Chandramohan

摘要

There are 26 languages that belong to the Dravidian family and they are classified into four groups viz., South Dravidian (11), South Central Dravidian (7), Central Dravidian (5), and North Dravidian (3) (Krishnamurti in The Dravidian languages. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003). Four of them are literary languages viz., Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Telugu and they have recorded history from the early centuries of the Christian era and are the major languages of South India. Kadar (aka, kadarba:se) is an endangered Dravidian tribal language spoken by the Kadar tribe, who inhabit the mountain regions of the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu. The language of Kadar is at risk of disappearing, along with the cultural traditions and knowledge systems that it represents. The language is currently listed as critically endangered by UNESCO with only a few hundred speakers left. Kadar language is unique in its grammar and vocabulary, with a complex system of noun classes and verb conjugations. However, due to the influence of Tamil―the regional as well as the state language of Tamil Nadu―the Kadar language is rapidly declining in usage and is in danger of being lost forever. If Kadar is allowed to go extinct, it will represent a significant loss not only to the Kadar community but also to the broader field of linguistics. The present chapter is taking an effort to document and preserve the language through linguistic research for digital documentation.