The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.
SIL code: YEU
ISO 639-2: dra
| Population | 300,000 (1997). |
| Region | Andhra Pradesh, Rayalseema, Telengana and Andhra regions; Tamil Nadu, Nilgiri, Coimbatore, Periyar, Salem, Chengai Anna; Karnataka; Kerala; Maharashtra. |
| Alternate names | YERUKALA, YARUKULA, YERKULA, YERUKLA, ERUKALA, KORAVA, YERUKALA-KORAVA, YERUKULA-BHASHA, ERUKU BHASHA, KORCHI, KURUTHA, KURRU BHASHA |
| Dialects | PARIKALA, SANKARA-YERUKALA. |
| Classification | Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil. |
| Comments | Closely related to Ravula and Irula. Lexical similarity among varieties ranges from 53% to 81%, with Irula from 33% to 38%, with Ravula from 28% to 45%, with Tamil from 27% to 45%. Some regions have low bilingual proficiency in Telugu--higher in Andhra Pradesh and among educated adults. In Andhra Pradesh, increasing use in home, friends, religion. In Rayalseema and Telengana regions it is even greater. Fairly vigorous language use. Strong positive attitude toward Yerukula. Some people called 'Yerukula' speak Telugu as mother tongue. Traditionally nomadic. A Scheduled Tribe in India. Investigation needed: intelligibility with dialects. Literacy rate in second language: 14.55%. Most want Yerukula books, but script decision is sensitive. Telugu. Subtropical forest. Mountain slope, plains. Basketmakers; animal husbandry: pigs. 1,000 to 6,500 feet. Hindu. |
