Page Type: languageKanikkaran | Ethnologue

KEV ISO 639-3

Kanikkaran

A language of India

ISO 639
kev
Alternate Names
Kanikkar, Kannikan, Kannikaran, Kannikharan, Malampashi
Population
19,000 (2007). Ethnic population: 19,000.
Location:
Kerala state: Ernakulam, Koliam, Kozhikode, and Trivandrum districts, Nedumangadu and Neyyattinkara sub-districts; Tamil Nadu state: Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts.
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil
Dialects
None known. Lexical similarity: 71%–80% between Kanikkaran varieties in Kerala, 67%–71% between Kanikkaran in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, 66%–75% with Malayalam [mal], 59%–65% with Tamil [tam].
Language Use
Almost all in Kerala are shifting to Malayalam [mal], but those in Tamil Nadu use L1. Some of all ages. Also use English [eng]. Also use Malayalam [mal]. Also use Tamil [tam].
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 71%–80% in Kerala, 59%–68% in Tamil Nadu (2001 census). Grammar.
Other Comments
Traditional religion, Hindu.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Kerala state: Ernakulam, Koliam, Kozhikode, and Trivandrum districts, Nedumangadu and Neyyattinkara sub-districts; Tamil Nadu state: Kanniyakumari and Tirunelveli districts.