Languages of South Asia facts for kids
South Asia is a big region that includes countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Sometimes, Afghanistan is also included. This area is home to many different languages!
Imagine a huge family tree for languages. The languages spoken in South Asia belong to a few main "families" or groups. These are:
- Indo-Aryan languages: These are part of the even bigger Indo-European family. Many of them grew from an ancient language called Sanskrit.
- Dravidian languages: These are mainly spoken in South India and Sri Lanka.
- Tibeto-Burman languages: You'll find these along the northern and eastern parts of South Asia. They are part of the Sino-Tibetan language family.
- Iranian languages: These are also part of the Indo-European family. They are spoken in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Contents
Indo-Aryan Languages: A Big Family
Most of the Indo-Aryan languages developed from Sanskrit, a very old language. This group has the most speakers in South Asia. Here are some of the main Indo-Aryan languages:
Language | Number of Speakers | Where it's Spoken |
---|---|---|
Hindi | 615,500,000 | North India (like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand) |
Bengali | 265,000,000 | Bangladesh, West Bengal, Tripura |
Urdu | 170,200,000 | Pakistan, and parts of India (like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh) |
Marathi | 95,300,000 | Maharashtra |
Western Punjabi | 92,700,000 | Pakistani Punjab, Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
Gujarati | 60,600,000 | Gujarat |
Bhojpuri | 52,400,000 | Western Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Nepal |
Odia | 38,000,000 | Odisha |
Maithili | 34,000,000 | Eastern Bihar, eastern Jharkhand, Nepal |
Eastern Punjabi | 32,600,000 | Punjab, India |
Sindhi | 24,600,000 | Sindh, northern Gujarat |
Nepali | 24,500,000 | Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan |
Magahi | 20,700,000 | Southern Bihar, eastern Jharkhand, northern West Bengal |
Saraiki | 20,000,000 | Southwest Pakistani Punjab |
Sinhala | 17,300,000 | Sri Lanka |
Chhatisgarhi | 16,300,000 | Chhattisgarh |
Assamese | 15,300,000 | Assam |
Chhitagonian | 13,000,000 | Eastern Bangladesh |
Deccan | 12,800,000 | Northern Karnataka |
Sadri | 12,100,000 | Jharkhand, eastern Chhattisgarh, northern Odisha, southern Bihar |
Sylheti | 11,800,000 | Eastern Bangladesh, southern Assam |
Dravidian Languages: Southern Sounds
The Dravidian languages are mostly spoken in the southern parts of India and in Sri Lanka. They form a separate language family. Here are some of the most spoken Dravidian languages:
Language | Number of Speakers | Where it's Spoken |
---|---|---|
Telugu | 93,000,000 | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
Tamil | 81,000,000 | Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka |
Kannada | 56,400,000 | Karnataka |
Malayalam | 37,800,000 | Kerala |
Brahui | 3,300,000 | Central Balochistan |
Gondi | 3,000,000 | Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra |
Kurukh | 2,300,000 | Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, northern Bangladesh |
Tulu | 1,900,000 | Western Karnataka, northern Kerala |
Beary | 1,700,000 | Western Karnataka, northern Kerala |
Tibeto-Burman Languages: Mountain Voices
These languages are found in the northern and eastern parts of South Asia, often in mountainous regions. They are part of the Sino-Tibetan language family. One example is:
Language | Number of Speakers | Where it's Spoken |
---|---|---|
Dzongkha | Bhutan |
Iranian Languages: From West to South Asia
Some Iranian languages are spoken in South Asia, particularly in Pakistan and Afghanistan. These languages are also part of the larger Indo-European family. It's important to note that many Iranian languages are spoken outside South Asia, in West or Central Asia. The numbers below show the total speakers for each language.
Language | Number of Speakers | Where it's Spoken |
---|---|---|
Pashto | 40,000,000 | Afghanistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
Dari Persian | 20,500,000 | Afghanistan |
Balochi | 10,000,000 | Balochistan |
Images for kids
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Map of language families in South Asia.