The languages of India

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Rohana (Year 8) asks why there are 121 languages in India?

The population of India stands at 1.366 billion people. This figure is equivalent to one seventh of the global population and is higher than the population of the United States.

India is rich in linguistic diversity because it is a continent-sized landmass with a large population, containing more than 10% of the global population and 10% of the global languages.

As a result, it is likely that people originating from northern India and those from southern India will not understand what the other is saying. So, if you go to India, make sure you know a few words in the correct language!

The map showcases the vast number and range of languages spoken in India.

You can also see that two people living only an hour apart may speak a whole different language! In India, linguistic borders are fluid and lots of people speak at least two languages.

You might be wondering why there are so many languages spoken in India? When India was colonised, other countries introduced new cultures, religions and sometimes languages.

Is it difficult to learn a new language? Of course! It is just like when we learn French, German or Spanish, but that’s what makes India so special.

Sharing languages brings people closer together in a way that really warms your heart.