Veddah

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A language of Sri Lanka

ISO 639-3
ved
Alternate Names
Beda, Bedda, Vaedda, Veda, Vedda, Veddha, Weda, Weddo
User Population

Ethnic population: 2,500 (2002).

Location

Baddulla, Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, and Polonnaruwa districts in eastern mountains; Moneragala district.

Language Maps
Language Status

8b (Nearly extinct).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern, Sinhalese-Maldivian
Language Use

Shifted to Sinhala [sin] (Breton 1997).

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Veddah
Other Comments

They live in small rural settlements and are more of a caste than a separate ethnic group. Generally accepted as equal in rank to the Sinhalese Goyigama caste.