The youngest state in India, Telangana, was formed after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 on linguistic grounds, and is a melting pot of cultures and languages. It shares a joint linguistic history with Andhra Pradesh, Telugu being the dominant language in both states. This volume of the People’s Linguistic Survey of India, The Languages of Telangana (volume three, part two-TS), discusses the major languages spoken in the state and also the tribal languages, along with a detailed exploration of their vocabulary, folktales, folk songs, and domains of use. The volume hopes to be a valuable addition to the PLSI series, as it attempts to describe the languages spoken in this newly-formed state.

G. N. Devy is the chief editor of the PLSI series. He taught at the Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda, till 1996 before leaving to set up the Bhasha Research Centre in Baroda and the Adivasi Akademi at Tejgadh. There, he worked towards conserving and promoting the languages and culture of indigenous and nomadic communities. Apart from being awarded the Padma Shree, he has received many awards for his work in literature and language conservation.

Professor A. Usha Devi has worked in the field of theoretical and applied linguistics for over four decades. She has taught at M.S. University (Baroda), Telugu University and Addis Ababa University. She received her doctorate degree in linguistics from Osmania University and has published widely in English and Telugu. Some of her important publications include: Acquisition of Syntax (1990), Applied Linguistics (edited; 2006) and Andhra Pradesh Telangana Rashtrala Bhashalu (co-edited; 2015). She received the Kirti Puraskaram in 2013.

The People’s Linguistic Survey of India
The National Editorial Collective
List of Volumes
Acknowledgements
Foreword
A Nation Proud of Its Language Diversity: Chief Editor’s Introduction
Introduction to the Volume
Contributors to the Volume
An Appeal to Readers
List of Languages covered in this Volume
Abbreviations

1. Telugu
A. Usha Devi and D. Chandrasekhar Reddy

2. Deccani Urdu-Its Origin and Survival 77
Jameela Nishat and Harbir Kaur Arora

3. Scheduled Languages as Minority Languages in Telangana
A. Subash

4. Gondi 
Todasam Dev Rao and Chahkati Dasru

5. Koya 
Payam Venkatratnam, Karam Ranga Rao and A. Usha Devi

6. Kolami
Tekam Sudhakar

7. Banjara/Lambadi
B. Sevya, S. Ravi Naik and V. Chandralal Naik

8. Chenchu
Dasari Chinna Mooganna and Thokala Guravayya

9. Yerukala
K. Ganganna Yerukala, O.V. Sudhakar Yerukala and V. Shiva Shankar

10. The Lesser Known Languages of Telangana

Bibliography
Index

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES