Kurichiya
PrintA language of India
ISO 639-3
Alternate Names
Kowohans, Kurichchan, Kurichchia, Kurichia, Kurichiyars, Kuruchans
Population
29,400 (2004 survey). Ethnic population: 32,800 (2001 census).
Location
Kerala, Wayanad district, Mananthavady and Vythiri tahsils; Kannur and Kozhikode districts.
Language Maps
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Dialects
Kunnam, Wayanad. Lexical similarity: 60%–66% between dialects; Wayanad dialect 67%–71% with Malayalam [mal].
Language Use
Shifting to Malayalam [mal], more in Kunnam than in Wayanad dialect. All are bilingual in Malayalam, but less than half with good proficiency. Many prefer Malayalam over Kurichiya and think children should learn Malayalam first. Possible reluctance to use mother tongue outside of village domain.
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 68% (2001 census). Grammar.
Language Resources
Writing
Malayalam script.
A Scheduled Tribe. Consider themselves higher caste than Brahmin. An endangered language (CIIL). Further study is being done at Annamalai University. Hindu, traditional religion, Christian.