About Kannada Language

Kannada is a Southern Dravidian language and according to scholar Sanford B. Steever, its history can be conventionally divided into three stages: Old Kannada (Haḷegannaḍa) from 450–1200 AD, Middle Kannada (Naḍugannaḍa) from 1200–1700 and Modern Kannada (Hosagannaḍa) from 1700 to the present. Kannada is influenced to a considerable degree by Sanskrit and Kannada also influenced to Sanskrit. Influences of other languages such as Prakrit can also be found in Kannada. The scholar Iravatham Mahadevan indicated that Kannada was already a language of rich spoken tradition earlier than the 3rd century BC and based on the native Kannada words found in Prakrit inscriptions of that period, Kannada must have been spoken by a broad and stable population.The scholar K. V. Narayana claims that many tribal languages which are now designated as Kannada dialects could be nearer to the earlier form of the language, with lesser influence from other languages.

Kannada literature began with the Kavirajamarga of Nripatunga (9th century CE) and was followed by Pampa’s Bharata (941 CE). The earliest extant grammar is by Nagavarma and dates to the early 12th century; the grammar of Keshiraja (1260 CE) is still respected. Kannada literature was influenced by the Lingayat (Virasaiva) and the Haridasa movements. In the 16th century the Haridasa movement of vernacular devotional song reached its zenith with Purandaradasa and Kanakadasa, the former considered the father of Karnatak music, the classical music of southern India.

Kannada is originated from the Dravidian Language. Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam are the other South Indian Languages originated from Dravidian Language. Kannada and Telugu have almost the same script. Kannada as a language has undergone modifications since BCs. It can be classified into four types:

• Purva Halegannada (from the beginning till 10th Century)

• Halegannada (from 10th Century to 12th Century)

• Nadugannada (from 12th Century to 15th Century)

• Hosagannada (from 15th Century)

Amazing Facts about Kannada

• Kannada is one of the oldest languages: ...

• Kannada has 10 vowels and it can be surprising how every word in Kannada ends with a vowel. ...

• There is no silent letter in Kannada. ...

• Kannada is the only Indian language for which a foreigner Ferdinand Kittel wrote a Dictionary.

Source: Wikipedia