30 Kannada Quiz Questions and Answers

Kannada is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the Indian state of Karnataka and in some parts of neighboring states. It is one of the 22 officially recognized languages of India and has a rich literary and cultural heritage dating back centuries. Here’s an overview of the Kannada language:

1. History and Script:
Kannada has a long history, with its roots dating back to ancient times. The Kannada script is derived from the Brahmi script and is written from left to right. It underwent various changes over the centuries, with the current script called the “Kannada script” evolving around the 5th century AD.

2. Geographic Distribution:
Kannada is the official language of Karnataka, where it is spoken by the majority of the population. Apart from Karnataka, significant Kannada-speaking communities exist in the neighboring states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.

3. Phonetics and Phonology:
Kannada has 49 phonemes, including 13 vowels and 36 consonants. It is a syllable-timed language, meaning each syllable takes an equal amount of time to pronounce. The language has a musical quality, with stress on certain syllables to create rhythm and melody.

4. Vocabulary:
The Kannada vocabulary has borrowed words from various languages like Sanskrit, Prakrit, Persian, Arabic, and English. However, the majority of the vocabulary is derived from Kannada’s Dravidian origins.

5. Grammar:
Kannada has a complex and rich grammar system with eight cases, similar to other Dravidian languages. It follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order. Nouns are categorized based on gender (masculine, feminine, and neuter) and have singular and plural forms.

Article outline

• Part 1: 30 Kannada language quiz questions & answers
• Part 2: Download Kannada language questions & answers for free
• Part 3: Free online quiz creator – OnlineExamMaker

Part 1: 30 Kannada language quiz questions & answers

1. What is the Kannada language primarily spoken?
a) Karnataka
b) Kerala
c) Tamil Nadu
d) Maharashtra
Answer: a) Karnataka

2. How many phonemes does the Kannada language have?
a) 26
b) 36
c) 49
d) 58
Answer: c) 49

3. The Kannada script is derived from which script?
a) Devanagari
b) Brahmi
c) Arabic
d) Cyrillic
Answer: b) Brahmi

4. What is the official status of Kannada in India?
a) National language
b) Regional language
c) Official language of Karnataka
d) Classical language
Answer: c) Official language of Karnataka

5. Which word order does Kannada follow?
a) Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)
b) Verb-Subject-Object (VSO)
c) Subject-Object-Verb (SOV)
d) Object-Subject-Verb (OSV)
Answer: c) Subject-Object-Verb (SOV)

6. How many cases does Kannada grammar have?
a) 4
b) 6
c) 8
d) 10
Answer: c) 8

7. Who is the author of the Kavirajamarga, the earliest known literary work in Kannada?
a) Pampa
b) Ranna
c) Nripatunga Amoghavarsha I
d) Adikavi Pampa
Answer: c) Nripatunga Amoghavarsha I

8. What is Yakshagana?
a) Traditional dance-drama
b) Classical dance form
c) Martial art
d) Folk song
Answer: a) Traditional dance-drama

9. Which poet is often referred to as the “Adikavi” (the first poet) of Kannada literature?
a) Pampa
b) Ranna
c) Ponna
d) Sarvajna
Answer: a) Pampa

10. Which period saw the emergence of great poets like Pampa, Ranna, and Ponna in Kannada literature?
a) Ancient period
b) Medieval period
c) Modern period
d) Prehistoric period
Answer: b) Medieval period

11. Kannada language has borrowed words from which of the following languages?
a) English
b) Spanish
c) Sanskrit
d) French
Answer: c) Sanskrit

12. What is the literary form of Kannada language poetry that uses triple rhymes?
a) Vachana
b) Upanishad
c) Tripadi
d) Dohas
Answer: c) Tripadi

13. Which modern Kannada writer received the Jnanpith Award, the highest literary award in India?
a) Kuvempu
b) Masti Venkatesh Iyengar
c) U. R. Ananthamurthy
d) G. S. Shivarudrappa
Answer: c) U. R. Ananthamurthy

14. Which ancient poet is known for his work “Shabdamanidarpana,” a Sanskrit grammar book?
a) Ranna
b) Adikavi Pampa
c) Nripatunga Amoghavarsha I
d) Sri Vijaya
Answer: d) Sri Vijaya

15. In which century did the Kannada language undergo significant changes and develop its current script?
a) 2nd century AD
b) 5th century AD
c) 8th century AD
d) 11th century AD
Answer: b) 5th century AD

Part 2: Download Kannada language questions & answers for free

16. What is the traditional folk dance of Karnataka, performed by women during festivals?
a) Yakshagana
b) Dollu Kunitha
c) Kamsale
d) Lavani
Answer: b) Dollu Kunitha

17. The Kannada script is similar to the script of which other Indian language?
a) Telugu
b) Tamil
c) Malayalam
d) Hindi
Answer: a) Telugu

18. Who was the first Kannada poet to receive the Jnanpith Award?
a) Kuvempu
b) Masti Venkatesh Iyengar
c) K. S. Narasimhaswamy
d) Shivaram Karanth
Answer: b) Masti Venkatesh Iyengar

19. Which Kannada poet is known for his Vachanas, a form of mystic poetry?
a) Kuvempu
b) Allama Prabhu
c) G. S. Shivarudrappa
d) K. S. Narasimhaswamy
Answer: b) Allama Prabhu

20. The modern Kannada script has how many basic characters?
a) 40
b) 49
c) 52
d) 56
Answer: b) 49

21. Which Kannada writer is popularly known as “Karnataka Kula Tilaka” (The Ornament of Karnataka)?
a) Kuvempu
b) Masti Venkatesh Iyengar
c) R. K. Narayan
d) Jnanpith Award
Answer: a) Kuvempu

22. What is the traditional art form of storytelling in Karnataka?
a) Yakshagana
b) Harikatha
c) Sangeetha
d) Nataka
Answer: b) Harikatha

23. What is the name of the traditional art of shadow puppetry in Karnataka?
a) Kathakali
b) Togalu Gombeyaata
c) Odissi
d) Bharatanatyam
Answer: b) Togalu Gombeyaata

24. Which ancient Kannada poet is known for his work “Shishupala Vadha,” a classic epic?
a) Pampa
b) Ranna
c) Ponna
d) Adikavi Pampa
Answer: b) Ranna

25. Who was the first Kannada writer to be honored with the Jnanpith Award?
a) Kuvempu
b) Masti Venkatesh Iyengar
c) Girish Karnad
d) G. S. Shivarudrappa
Answer: b) Masti Venkatesh Iyengar

26. Which Kannada poet is known for his epic “Jaimini Bharata”?
a) Pampa
b) Ranna
c) Raghavanka

d) Ponna
Answer: c) Raghavanka

27. Which language influenced Kannada literature during the Chalukya dynasty rule?
a) Greek
b) Persian
c) Sanskrit
d) Tamil
Answer: c) Sanskrit

28. Which Kannada poet is known for his Vachanas and is considered a saint-poet?
a) Allama Prabhu
b) Akka Mahadevi
c) Basavanna
d) Sarvajna
Answer: c) Basavanna

29. In which script was the earliest Kannada inscription found?
a) Brahmi
b) Devanagari
c) Persian
d) Tamil
Answer: a) Brahmi

30. What is the traditional folk dance of Karnataka, performed by men during festivals?
a) Yakshagana
b) Dollu Kunitha
c) Kamsale
d) Lavani
Answer: c) Kamsale

Part 3: Free online quiz maker – OnlineExamMaker

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