Telugu language

Lore & Background

Telugu is a Dravidian language native to the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where it holds official status. It is one of the few languages, alongside Hindi and Bengali, that serves as a primary official language in more than one Indian state. With approximately 100 million speakers, it is the most widely spoken Dravidian language and ranks as the fourteenth most spoken native language globally. Recognized as a classical language by the Government of India, Telugu boasts a recorded history of at least 2,000 years. Its range extends beyond its homeland into the Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and the union territories of Puducherry and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, though it is a minority language there. A significant Telugu diaspora exists in countries such as the United States, Australia, Malaysia, Mauritius, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, and it is the fastest-growing language in the United States. In South Africa, it is a protected language and offered as an optional third language in schools in KwaZulu-Natal. Linguistically, Telugu split from Proto-Dravidian around 1000 BCE, with its earliest words appearing in Prakrit inscriptions from the 4th century BCE in Bhattiprolu, Andhra Pradesh. An early label inscription, "tolacuvānḍru," near Keesaragutta Temple dates to the Vishnukundina period, and inscriptions in Old Telugu script have been found as far as Indonesia and Myanmar. Telugu has served as an official language for over 1,500 years, acting as the court language for dynasties including the Vishnukundina, Kakatiyas, Vijayanagara Empire, and Qutb Shahis, and was adopted even by non-Telugu dynasties like the Thanjavur Marathas. Its literary tradition spans over a thousand years, with roughly 10,000 pre-colonial inscriptions. The language is central to Carnatic music and has been praised for its natural musicality. The name Telugu likely derives from the Proto-Dravidian word *ten ('south'), with older forms including Teluṅgu and Tenuṅgu.

Reader's Guide

It was also adopted as an official language by non-Telugu dynasties, such as the Thanjavur Marathas in Tamil Nadu. In the precolonial era, Telugu became the language of high culture throughout South India, with Vijaya Ramaswamy comparing its dominance to that of French as the cultural language of Europe. Telugu predominates in the evolution of Carnatic music, one of two main subgenres of Indian classical music, and is widely taught in music colleges focusing on Carnatic tradition. Pavuluri Mallana's Sāra Sangraha Ganitamu (c. 11th century) is the first scientific treatise on mathematics in any Dravidian language. Avadhānaṃ, a literary performance requiring immense memory and in-depth knowledge of literature and prosody, originated and was specially cultivated among Telugu poets for over five centuries.

Did You Know?

• Telugu is the fastest-growing language in the United States.
• It is one of the few languages that has primary official status in more than one Indian state, alongside Hindi and Bengali.
• The earliest Telugu words appear in Prakrit inscriptions dating to c. 4th century BCE, found in Bhattiprolu, Andhra Pradesh.
• Telugu is offered as an optional third language in schools in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.