Malavedan

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A language of India

ISO 639-3
mjr
Alternate Names
Malai Vedan, Malavetan, Towetan, Veda Bhasha, Vedans, Vettava Bhasha
User 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 Maps
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.