Ravula (IPA:[raːʋuɭɐ]), known locally as Yerava (IPA:[jerɐʋɐ]) or Adiyan (IPA:[ɐɖijɐn]), is a Dravidian language of Karnataka and Kerala spoken by the Adiyar. It is classified under the category Malayalamoid languages in both the linguistics and the Census of India. However their language exhibits a number of peculiarities which marks it off from Malayalam as well as from other tribal speeches in the districts of Kodagu and Wayanad. It is spoken by 25,000 Ravulas (locally called Yerava) in Kodagu district of Karnataka and by 1,900 Ravulas (locally called Adiyan) in the adjacent Wayanad district of Kerala. The term 'Yerava' is derived from the Kodava Language or Kannada word Yeravalu meaning borrow.

Phonology

Adiya's phonology is similar to Malayalam with a few differences.

FrontCentralBack
Closeiu
Near-closeɪʊ
Close-mideo
Midə
Open-midɛɔ
Opena
  • All vowels except for /ɪ,ə,ʊ,ɔ/ demonstrate contrastive vowel length.

Consonants

BilabialDentalAlveolarRetroflexPalatalVelar
Nasalmn̪nɳɲŋ
Stopvoicelesspt̪ʈck
voicedbd̪ɖɟg
Fricatives
Approximantʋlɭj
Trillr