Tulu language Totally Explained

Everything about Tulu Language totally explained

Tulu is a Dravidian language of India with fewer than two million speakers, known as Tuluvas. Most Tuluvas live in the districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in the west of the state of Karnataka. It is also spoken in the Kasaragod taluk of Kerala. The original written script of the language, similar to Malayalam script, is rarely used today. It is normally written in the Kannada script now.

Geographic distribution

There are indications in a few Malayalam works that the region stretching from the Chandragiri river, now part of the Kasaragod district of Kerala, to Gokarna, now part of Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, was called Tulu Nadu. However, the present day Tulu linguistic boundary is confined to Dakshina Kannada and the Udupi district. Northern Kasaragod, Dakshina Kannada and the Udupi district (except Kundapur) are the major Tulu cultural regions. Tuluvas have a saying: "Oorudu nanjaanda paarad badkodu". A loose translation would be: "If it's tough at home; run away and survive". Tuluvas are true to this character and have migrated to other places in great numbers. Mumbai and Thane in Maharastra state has a sizable population of Tuluvas. Tulu is widely spoken in the Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts of Karnataka state. Efforts are also being made to get Tulu included in the list of national languages of India.

Script

19th century missionaries used the Kannada script to transcribe Tulu works, but it soon fell out of use. Tulu is mostly written in the Kannada script since most people study Kannada in schools. Attempts are being made to revive the original script Tulu Script. Tulu Script is similar to Malayalam script Mandara Ramayana is a modern epic written in Tulu by Mandara Keshav Bhat.
Some inscriptions in Tulu languages may be found in and around the village of Barkur.

Tulu Films

Tulu has small film industry, with an average of about one Tulu film being released in a year. These movies are played in movie theatre all around South Canara and Udupi Districts. The first Tulu film was Yenna Thangadi (My Sister) released in 1971. The latest Tulu flick is Kadala Mage (Son of the sea) released 2006. Some of the more popular films released are Koti Chennaye, Bollidota, Bisatti Babu, Adrushtavanthedi, Bangaar Patler, and Satya Volundu.

No.	Year	Film	Translation
1	1971	*Ennatangadi*	My Sister
2		*Daredha budadhi*
3		*Pagetta Puge*	Fumes of Revenge
4		*Bisatti Babu*'	Knife Babu
5		*Koti Chennaiia*
6		*Kaasdaya Kandane*	Wealthy Husband
7		*Udalda Todar*
8		*Yaan Sanyasi aape*	I Will Become a Saint
9		*Bayya mallige*	Dusk Jasmine
10		*Yer malthina tappu*	Whose mistake was it?
11		*Saaviradorti saavithri*	Saavithri - the one in a Thousand
12		*Inquilab zindabad*
13		*Tulu naada siri*	*The richness of Tulu land*'
14		*Sangama saakshi*	Proof of Union
15		*Nyaayogaad enna baduku*	My life is for Justice
16		*Bollidota*
17		*Kariyani kattandi kandane*	A Husband without tying a knot
18		*Bhagyavatemdi*	Lucky lady
19		*Badkera budle*	Let Live
20		*Daareda seere*
21		*Raathri pagel*	Day & Night
22		*Pettayi pili*	Wounded Tiger
23		*Badukonji kavite*	Life is a Song
24		*Satya olundu*	Where's the truth?
25	1991	*Bangar patler*	Land Lord with a Golden Heart
26		*Badhuku da bille*	Value of Life
27	1993	*September 8*	The eight day of September
28		*Kaala*	Time
29		*Maribale*	Evil Trap
30		*Onte adjust malpi*	Please adjust a Bit
31	2005	*Suddha*	The Cleansing Rites
32	2006	*Kadala Mage*	Son of the Sea
33	2007	*Birse*	Brilliant HumanBeing

The language

The paucity of literary works has rendered the precise dating of the origin of this language very difficult. It is considered to be the oldest Dravidian language by some scholars.
Spoken Tulu changes as we move from South to North. There is a common perception that there are only two Tulu dialects, namely Shivalli and Common. But a study of the language and pronunciation suggests there are four distinct dialects of this language: Shivalli, Jain, Common, and Tribal.

Brahmin dialect: Spoken by Tulu Brahmins (Sthanika Brahmins and Shivalli Brahmins ).

Jain dialect: Spoken by the Jains in the northern part of Tulu Nadu. ; Common dialect: Spoken by the majority of people of Tulu Nadu; the dialect of commerce, entertainment and art.

Tribal dialect: Spoken by tribal people; closely resembles the Common dialect. Tulu isn't taught in schools. Schedule 8B of the Constitution of India doesn't recognize it as an official language.

Further Information

Get more info on 'Tulu Language'.

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