Tamil is one of the world’s oldest continuously spoken languages and a cornerstone of South Indian cultural heritage. As a member of the Dravidian language family, Tamil shares deep historical, linguistic, and cultural ties with several neighboring languages. According to the eLinguistics.net analysis using specific software modules to assess linguistic relationships, the five languages most similar to Tamil are Malayalam, Kannada, Tulu, Telugu, and Gondi.
- Malayalam (81.1)
Malayalam is primarily spoken in Kerala. In fact, Malayalam and Tamil evolved from a common proto-language. In addition, Early Malayalam literature was heavily influenced by Tamil classics. Therefore, they share a lot of similar vocabulary. - Kannada (69.3)
Spoken in Karnataka, Kannada is another prominent Dravidian language with a history that intertwines closely with Tamil. The two languages share common vocabulary. Despite Kannada’s notable Sanskrit influence, many everyday words remain remarkably similar to Tamil equivalents. - Tulu (62.9)
Tulu is spoken mainly in the coastal districts of Karnataka and parts of Kerala. Although its speaker base is smaller compared to Tamil, Tulu maintains a robust cultural identity within the Dravidian family. As a result, they have similar basic grammar and phonology. - Telugu (61.9)
Telugu, predominantly spoken in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, is the most widely spoken Dravidian language. Although its modern form has been significantly influenced by Sanskrit, Telugu shares many foundational grammatical principles with Tamil. - Gondi (50.0)
Gondi is spoken by the Gond tribes primarily in central India. Gondi retains several grammatical and lexical features that are characteristic of the Dravidian family, linking it back to Tamil and its sister languages. However, they have distinct vocabulary and regional variations.
(to be considered for the list, the language must be spoken by at least one million people)