Kodava

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
kfa
Alternate Names
Coorge, Coorgi Kodava, Kadagi, Khurgi, Kodagu, Kotagu, Kurja, Kurug
Population

200,000 (2001). Ethnic population: 200,000. 100,000 in Kodagu District; 100,000 in Karnataka District and major cities.

Location

Karnataka, Coorg (Kodagu) and Mysore districts, around Mercara; Kerala, Wayanad district.

Language Maps
Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Kodagu
Dialects

None known. May be more than 1 language. 66% intelligibility of Malappuram [pcg]. Lexical similarity: 72% with Malappuram Paniya [pcg].

Language Use

Vigorous. L1 of Airi, Male-Kudiya, Meda, Kembatti, Kapal, Maringi, Heggade, Kavadi, Kolla, Thatta, Koleya, Koyava, Banna, Golla, Kanya, Ganiga, and Malaya. Home, community, religion. Most also use Kannada [kan]. Many also use English [eng]. Also use Malayalam [mal]. Used as L2 by Kudiya [kfg].

Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: More than 95% in Kannada [kan]. Newspapers. Radio programs. Films. TV.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Kodava
Writing

Kannada script [Knda].

Other Comments

A symbol of identity. ‘Kodagu’, situated to the west. Northern variety has emerged as standard and is used in Kodava literature (Rajyashree 2001). Hindu, traditional religion.

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