Will learning Kannada affect my English?

Kannada is the second oldest of the four major Dravidian languages with a literary tradition. The earliest documentation of a full-length Kannada language stone inscription containing Brahmi characters with characteristics attributed to those of proto-Kannada in Hale Kannada script can be found in the Halmidi inscription, usually dated c. AD 450, indicating that Kannada had become an administrative language of that time.

Kannada also has something called diglossia: a feature in which there are multiple variants of a language in the same community. This means that formal, written Kannada is different from spoken Kannada – although, depending on who you ask, this difference can either be “not strongly marked” or “considerable.” Realistically speaking, how big the difference seems will depend on the dialect you’ve learned.

Learning Kannada:

Even if your main goal is to speak Kannada, you’ll need to learn the script in order to decipher bus timetables, read menus and prices, and understand street signs. Fortunately, it shouldn’t take you too long.

The Kannada Alphabet app from Bhasha.io will help you read and pronounce the Kannada script. In each mini-lesson, you’re introduced to four or five different characters and asked to select the right sound. We found it surprisingly effective at helping you recognize different characters, but it won’t teach you to write.

Explore from a huge number of courses, textbooks, apps, podcasts, YouTube channels, online classes, and more. Honestly and for many of them, you can click through and read a more detailed review along with a rating.

But not every resource is well suited to every learner. You might prefer visually attractive worksheets and grammar-based explanations. Or you find you learn best by speaking and or listening. So, take this into account when choosing between resources, and don’t be afraid to try a few out to see what works best.

As well as the resources we’re about to cover, you can also:

• Follow Kannada-language vloggers, influencers, and hashtags
• Find Kannada-language Facebook groups or forums related to your hobbies
• Write book/movie reviews, a blog, journal or short stories in Kannada
• Attend comedy shows or poetry readings (you’ll find virtual ones online)
• Write a letter to the editor of a Kannada-language newspaper or site
• Change the settings on your search engine so that it shows you Kannada-language results first
• Create flashcards
• Label things around the house in Kannada

No matter what methods you choose, try to do a bit of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. And look for a certain degree of balance between grammar, vocabulary, and culture.

As a Classical Language of India, Kannada has a rich literary history that stretches from the ninth-century Kavirajamarga through to the modern-day. But while there are numerous classic poems that are worth reading, you’ll probably find it easiest, to begin with, something more modern. Signing up for a course will give your learning structure and make it easier to measure your progress. You might find it keeps you motivated.

There’s an amazing new way to learn Kannada! Want to see what everyone’s talking about!