Page Type: languageMuthuvan | Ethnologue

MUV ISO 639-3

Muthuvan

A language of India

ISO 639
muv
Alternate Names
Mudavan, Muduva, Muduvan, Muduvar, Mutuvar, Paanti naattu peeccu
Population
16,800 (2006 IMB).
Location:
Andhra Pradesh state; Kerala state: Idukki district, Devikulam sub-district, Adimali and Devikulam blocks; Ernakulam, Kannur, Kottayam, Kozhikode, and Thrissur districts; Tamil Nadu state: Coimbatore district, Udumalpet and Valparai sub-districts, Anaimalai hills; Madurai district, Cardamom hills.
Language Status
5 (Developing).
Classification
Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil
Dialects
Western Muthuvan (Malayalam Muthuvan, Nattu Muthuvan), Eastern Muthuvan (Pandi Muthuvan, Tamil Muthuvan). Intelligibility 82%–87% between dialects, eastern dialect more intelligible to western than vice versa, 80% intelligibility of Malayalam [mal]. Lexical similarity: 77%–88% between dialects, 62%–67% with Tamil [tam], 58%–68% with Malayalam [mal].
Language Use
Vigorous. Home, village, religion. Used by all. Positive attitudes. Also use English [eng]. Also use Malayalam [mal], especially youth. Also use Tamil [tam], especially older people.
Language Development
Literacy rate in L2: 24% (31% males, 17% females) (1991 census); 40% for Tamil Nadu (2001 census). NT: 2018.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Muthuvan
Writing
Tamil script [Taml].
Other Comments
Hindu.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Andhra Pradesh state; Kerala state: Idukki district, Devikulam sub-district, Adimali and Devikulam blocks; Ernakulam, Kannur, Kottayam, Kozhikode, and Thrissur districts; Tamil Nadu state: Coimbatore district, Udumalpet and Valparai sub-districts, Anaimalai hills; Madurai district, Cardamom hills.