MAL ISO 639-3
Malayalam
മലയാളം (Malayāḷam) Autonym
A language of India
- ISO 639
- mal
- Alternate Names
- Alealum, Malayalani, Malayali, Malean, Maliyad, Mallealle, Mopla
- Autonym
- മലയാളം (Malayāḷam)
- Population
- 35,500,000 in India, all users. L1 users: 34,800,000 in India (2011 census). L2 users: 700,000 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 38,001,970 (as L1: 37,301,970; as L2: 700,000).
- Location:
- Karnataka state: Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, and Mysore districts; Kerala and Lakshadweep states; Puducherry state: Mahe; Tamil Nadu state: Colimbatore, The Nilgiris, and Tirunelveli districts.
- Language Status
- 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Kerala State; union territories Lakshadweep and Puducherry (1950, Constitution, Schedule VIII).
- Classification
- Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Malayalam
- Dialects
- Malabar, Nagari-Malayalam, Malayalam, South Kerala, Central Kerala, North Kerala, Kayavar, Namboodiri, Moplah (Mapilla), Pulaya, Nasrani, Nayar, Kasargod, Jeseri (Dweep Bhasha, Jesri). Caste and communal dialects: Namboodiri, Nayar, Moplah, Pulaya, Nasrani. Mapilla is among the most divergent dialects, differing considerably from literary Malayalam.
- Typology
- SOV; postpositions; noun head final; gender (masculine/feminine/neuter); case-marking (7 cases); tense; 37 consonants, 11 vowels, 2 diphthongs; non-tonal; light stress on first syllable; inclusive/exclusive pronouns.
- Language Use
- Cochin Jews in Kerala speak Malayalam. Used as L2 by Allar [all], Aranadan [aaf], Attapady Kurumba [pkr], Irula [iru], Jennu Kurumba [xuj], Kadar [kej], Kalanadi [wkl], Kanikkaran [kev], Kodava [kfa], Kudiya [kfg], Kunduvadi [wku], Kurichiya [kfh], Mala Malasar [ima], Malapandaram [mjp], Malaryan [mjq], Malasar [ymr], Malavedan [mjr], Mannan [mjv], Moundadan Chetti [cty], Muduga [udg], Mullu Kurumba [kpb], Muthuvan [muv], Paliyan [pcf], Paniya [pcg], Pathiya [pty], Ravula [yea], Thachanadan [thn], Ullatan [ull], Urali [url], Wayanad Chetti [ctt].
- Language Development
- Fully developed. Bible: 1841–2004.
- Language Resources
- OLAC resources in and about Malayalam
- Writing
- Arabic script, Naskh variant [Arab]. Braille script [Brai], used since 1998. Malayalam script [Mlym], primary usage.
- Other Comments
- Hindu, Christian, Jewish, Muslim.
Also Spoken in
- Location
- Scattered communities.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. The Malayali are immigrant workers from India in the United Arab Emirates (2016 J. Leclerc). View other languages of United Arab Emirates
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
1,130,000 in United Arab Emirates (2020).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Australia
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
53,200 in Australia (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Bahrain
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
14,400 in Bahrain (2019).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Canada
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
28,600 in Canada (2016 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United Kingdom
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
37,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 36,200, Northern Ireland 1,210.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Israel
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
11,000 in Israel (Leclerc 2018a).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Sri Lanka
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
713,000 in Sri Lanka (2019).
- Location
- Peninsular: western states.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Malaysia
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
35,800 in Malaysia (Salleh 2006).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of New Zealand
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
4,370 in New Zealand (2013 census).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Oman
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
223,000 in Oman (2020).
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of Qatar
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
78,900 in Qatar (2019).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- 6b (Threatened)
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. Christian. View other languages of Singapore
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
26,300 in Singapore (2010 census).
- Location
- Scattered.
- Language Status
- Unestablished
- Other Comments
- Non-indigenous. View other languages of United States
Language Name
Malayalam
User Population
146,000 in United States (2015 census).
Map
Location: Karnataka state: Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, and Mysore districts; Kerala and Lakshadweep states; Puducherry state: Mahe; Tamil Nadu state: Colimbatore, The Nilgiris, and Tirunelveli districts.
Size and Vitality
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