Telugu language

File:Post-Independence Era

Telugu

Region	South India
Speakers	81 million
Language family	Dravidian
This language related article is a stub.

Telugu (

Template:తెలుగు

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This template is designed to format and link to pages related to the Telugu language (`Lang-te`) on a MediaWiki-based site like Wikipedia. It allows for up to 15 parameters to be passed through, which can be used to format text or link to specific pages. The template also supports optional label, prefix, and suffix parameters for additional customization.) is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and the most widely spoken member of the Dravidian language family. Telugu ranks fourth among the languages with the highest number of native speakers in India, with over 81 million speakers as per the 2011 Census of India.

History

The history of the Telugu language can be traced back to the 6th century CE. The earliest known inscriptions in Telugu date to the 6th century CE, and the language has a rich literary tradition that began in the 11th century with the works of Nannaya, the first known Telugu poet.

Geographic Distribution

Telugu is primarily spoken in the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Significant Telugu-speaking communities are also found in the neighboring states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Odisha. Additionally, there is a considerable Telugu-speaking diaspora in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.

Dialects

Telugu has several dialects, which can be broadly categorized into four groups: Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, Telangana, and Kalinga. Each of these dialects has its own unique phonological and lexical characteristics.

Phonology

Telugu phonology is characterized by its use of vowel harmony and a wide range of consonants. The language has 16 vowels and 41 consonants, including aspirated and unaspirated stops, nasals, and approximants.

Grammar

Telugu grammar is agglutinative, meaning that it forms words and expresses grammatical relationships through the addition of prefixes and suffixes. The language follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order and has a rich system of inflections for verbs, nouns, and adjectives.

Script

The Telugu script is an abugida derived from the Brahmi script. It is used to write not only Telugu but also other languages such as Sanskrit and Kannada. The script consists of 60 symbols, including 16 vowels, 3 vowel modifiers, and 41 consonants.

Literature

Telugu literature has a long and illustrious history, with its roots in the 11th century. Some of the most notable works include the Mahabharata by Nannaya, Tikkana, and Errana, and the Ramayana by Ranganatha. Modern Telugu literature has produced many acclaimed poets, novelists, and playwrights.

Culture

Telugu culture is rich and diverse, encompassing various forms of art, music, dance, and cuisine. The language plays a central role in the cultural identity of the Telugu-speaking people and is celebrated through festivals such as Ugadi and Sankranti.

See also

• Languages of India
• Dravidian languages
• Andhra Pradesh
• Telangana
• Telugu literature
• Telugu script