Page Type: languageMalavedan | Ethnologue

MJR ISO 639-3

Malavedan

A language of India

ISO 639
mjr
Alternate Names
Malai Vedan, Malavetan, Towetan, Veda Bhasha, Vedans, Vettava Bhasha
Population
27,000 (2011), decreasing. Ethnic population: 33,000 (2011 census). 26,000 in Kerala and 7,000 In Tamil Nadu.
Location:
Kerala state: Ernakulam, Idukki, Kollam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Trivandrum districts; Tamil Nadu state: scattered in Dindigul, Kanniyakumari, Madurai, Nilgiris, Salem, and Tirunelveli districts.
Language Status
6b (Threatened).
Classification
Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Malayalam
Dialects
Vetan, Vettuvan. Lexical similarity: 64%–68% with Malayalam [mal], 48%–52% with Tamil [tam].
Language Use
Shifting to Malayalam [mal] in Kerala state, especially in Idukki district. Home, village in Pathanamthitta district. Some of all ages. Negative attitudes, especially in Kerala state. Also use English [eng]. Also use Malayalam [mal], especially in Kerala.
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 67%–78% for Kerala, 56% for Tamil Nadu (2001 census).
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Malavedan
Writing
Unwritten [Qaax].
Other Comments
A Scheduled Tribe. Hindu.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Kerala state: Ernakulam, Idukki, Kollam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Trivandrum districts; Tamil Nadu state: scattered in Dindigul, Kanniyakumari, Madurai, Nilgiris, Salem, and Tirunelveli districts.