Kolami Explained

Kolami
Nativename:कॊलामि, కొలామి
Also Known As:Kolāmi
Imagealt:Kolāmi' in Devanagari alphabet (top) and Goykanadi alphabet (center) and Telugu alphabet (bottom)
States:India
Region:Maharashtra, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh
Ethnicity:239,583 Kolam (2011 census)[1]
Speakers:128,451, 54% of ethnic population
Date:2011 census
Ref:[2]
Familycolor:Dravidian
Fam2:Central
Fam3:Kolami–Naiki
Script:
Glotto:nort2699
Glottorefname:Northwestern Kolami Kolam
Ld1:Northwestern Kolami
Lc1:kfb
Lc2:nit
Ld2:Southeastern Kolami (Naiki)

Kolami (Northwestern Kolami/Southeastern Kolami) is a tribal Central Dravidian language spoken in Maharashtra and Telangana states of India. It falls under the Kolami–Naiki group of languages. It is the most widely spoken Central Dravidian language.

Sathupati Prasanna Sree has developed a unique script for use with the language.

Classification

Kolami language has been classified as a central dravidian language. It is well known as dravidian language of Maharashtra state. Well influenced by south central dravidian languages like Telugu and Gondi. It is also a tribal Dravidian language. Kolami is the dialect of the Kolam tribal group.

The Kolami dialect differs considerably from the Gond language of the neighboring district. In some respects, Kolami is closely related to Telugu and in others to Kannada. The influence of the Bhilli language is felt as the communication in the surrounding area comes into contact. Some other points of similarity are also important like the Toda dialect of the Nilgiris and according to Dr. Grierson, linguistically speaking, the Kolami may be the remaining descendants of the Dravidian tribes. who either never participated in the development of the main Dravidian language or who never adopted Dravidian language.

Writing systems

Kolami language is written using Devanagari, Goykanadi and Telugu scripts for writing purposes.

Numbers

First ten numbers

Modern
Devanagari script
Kolami numeralKolami word and transliteration
langशून्यम्
ऒक्कॊद्
Tamil: इन्दिङ्
Tamil: मून्दिङ्
Tamil: नालिङ्
Tamil: सेन्दि
Tamil: सादि
Tamil: एड्
Tamil: ऎनुंदि
Tamil: तॊंदि
१०Tamil: पदि

Characteristics

Kolami has a two-gender system, being either masculine or non-masculine. Kolami has developed aspirated stops, distancing itself from its ancestor Proto-Dravidian.

Phonology

! colspan="2"
FrontCentralBack
shortlongshortlongshortlong
Highpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Midpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Lowpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Consonants
LabialDental/
Alveolar
RetroflexPalatalVelarGlottal
Nasalpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /link/pronounced as /ink/
Plosivepronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Fricativepronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
pronounced as /ink/
Approximantpronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
pronounced as /ink/pronounced as /ink/
Rhoticpronounced as /ink/

Sample Text

Phrases English Translation Dēvanāgarī Telugu
Inne pidir tāned ? What is your name ? इन्नॆ पिदिर् तानॆद् ? ఇన్నె పిదిర్ తానెద్ ?
Anne pidir rāmak My name is rāmandअन्नॆ पिदिर् रामन्द् అన్నె పిదిర్ రామన్ద్
Rāmak, avar devarRāmak,they are godरामक्, अवर् देवक् రామక్,అపర్ దేవక్
Āy Yes आय् ఆయ్
Tōd, SillaiNo तोद्, सिल्लैతోద్, సిల్లై
var itti Come (singular) here वर् इत्ति వర్ ఇత్తి
varrurcome (plural) वर्रुर् వర్రుర్
Etti ini enāṅ where and how ऎत्ति इनि ऎनाङ् ఎత్తి ఇవి ఎనాఙ్

Also see Kolami Swadesh list on wiktionary.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A-11 Individual Scheduled Tribe Primary Census Abstract Data and its Appendix. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. www.censusindia.gov.in. 2017-11-18.
  2. Web site: Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. censusindia.gov.in. 2020-01-29.