1. Languages spoken by the Dravidian people:
The Dravidian people speak a variety of languages belonging to the Dravidian language family. This family is distinct from the Indo-Aryan language family that dominates the northern parts of India.
2. The Dravidian language family:
The Dravidian language family is one of the major language families of the world, with about 75 languages spoken by over 240 million people primarily in South India and parts of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Some of the most prominent Dravidian languages include:
* Tamil (spoken by over 80 million people)
* Telugu (spoken by over 80 million people)
* Kannada (spoken by over 45 million people)
* Malayalam (spoken by over 35 million people)
* Tulu
* Kodava
* Brahui
Key Characteristics of Dravidian Languages:
* Agglutinative morphology: words are formed by adding multiple suffixes to a root.
* Complex verb conjugations: verbs change form depending on tense, mood, person, and number.
* Unique phonology: with sounds not found in Indo-Aryan languages.
It's crucial to note that Dravidian languages are diverse and have distinct dialects and regional variations.
Instead of saying "Dravidian language," it's more accurate to specify the specific Dravidian language you're interested in.