Kannada

The earliest inscriptions in Kannada date back to 450 AD, while literature in Kannada began about 850 AD.

The initial development of the Kannada language is similar to that of other Dravidian languages, notably Tamil and Telugu. During later centuries, Kannada, along with Telugu, has been highly influenced by Sanskrit vocabulary and literary styles.

There is a sharp distinction between the spoken and written forms of the language. Spoken Kannada has many regional dialects, while the written form remains relatively constant across dialects. Colloquial Kannada has three dialects based on social class: Brahmin, non-Brahmin, and Untouchable.

Kannada (also known as Kanarese, Canarese, and Madrassi) is one of the 22 official languages of India. It is the official language of the state of Karnataka where it is spoken as a first language by over 35 million people. It is also spoken in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. It is estimated that world-wide it is spoken by 44 million people including those who speak it as a second language (Ethnologue).

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