Yerukala language

Yerukala
Region	South India
Ethnicity	Yerukala
Native speakers	70,000 (2001 census)
Language family	Dravidian Southern Tamil–Kannada Tamil–Kodagu Tamil–Malayalam Tamil languages Yerukala
Language codes
ISO 639-3	yeu
Glottolog	yeru1240

Yerukula is a Dravidian language mainly spoken by the Yerukala tribe. This language is also called Kurru basha or Kulavatha. Yerukala is linguistically close to South Dravidian languages such as Ravula and Irula. Lexical similarity among these languages ranges from 53% to 81%; in the case of Irula, it varies from 33% to 38%; in case of Ravula, it varies from 28% to 45%; in case of modern Tamil, it varies from 27% to 45%.

Some of the language terms, mostly relations.

English	Kurru	English	Kurru	English	Kurru
Father	Aava	Father's Father	Jejaava	Father's Mother	Jeji
Mother	Amma	Mother's Father	Tata	Mother's Mother	Ammamma
Son	Momu	Elder Brother	Berannu	Younger Brother	Thenbhi
Daughter	Maga	Elder Sister	Berukka	Younger Sister	Thangisee
Grand Daughter	Pethi	Grand Son	Pyathu	Father's Sister	Atta
Elder Sister-in-law	Nanga	Younger Sister-in-law	Merchenchi	Uncle	Mama

See also

• Yerukala surnames

References and notes

The only book on the Yerukala language published so far is "Yerukula Dialect" by G. Srinivasa Varma, Dept. of Linguistics, Annamalai University, 1978.

External links

• http://www.yerukala.info - Yerukalas Home Page
• http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/08/stories/2007080853290400.htm - Yerukala script