Classification

The written Kannada language has come under various religious and social influences in its 1600 years of known existence. Linguists generally divide the written form into four broad categories.

• Poorvada Halegannada (Pre-ancient Kananda) : This is the language of Halmidi scripture thought to be from fourth or fifth century CE.
• Halegannada (Ancient Kannada) : From ninth century CE onwards, until fourteenth century, Kannada works were classified under Old Kannada. In this period Kannada showed a high level of maturity as a language of original lierature. Mostly Jain and Saivite poets produced works in this period. This period saw the emergence of Jain puranas and Virashaiva Vachana Sahitya or simply vachana, a unique and native form of literature which was the sum contributions from all sections of society.
• Nadugannada ( Middle Kannada) : In the period between fifteenth and eighteenth century CE., Brahmanical Hinduism had a great influence on Kannada. Kannada grammar was further developed based on Sanskrit grammar by Keshiraja Bhatta. The language itself Sanskritized to a large extent. Non-brahmin Hindu saints like Kanakadasa and brahminical saints of vaishnava cadre such as Purandaradasa, Vijayadasa, Jagannathadasa etc., also produced devotional poems in this period. Kanakadasa's Ramadhanya Charite is a rare work on class struggle. This period saw the advent of Haridasa Sahitya which made rich contributions to bhakti literature and sowed the seeds of carnatic music.
• Hosagannada ( Modern Kannada) : The Kannada works produced by the end of nineteenth century and later are classified under Hosagannada or Modern Kannada. However, till the beginning of twentieth century there were Kannada literary works that could still be classified under Middle Kannada. Most notable among them is poet Muddana's works. Sometimes, his works were described as the 'dawn of Modern Kannada'. Generally, linguists treat Indira Bai or Saddharma Vijayavu by Gulvadi Venkata Raya as the first literary work in Modern Kannada.

Geographic Distribution

Kannada is mainly spoken in Karnataka in India, and to a good extent in the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and in Goa.

Official status

<-<-<---A Kannada language sign board in Bangalore.

Kannada is one of the 22 official languages of India and is the sole administrative language of the state of Karnataka.

Misinterpretation

The term "Kannada language" is often misinterpreted as meaning "the language of Canada". However, the languages of Canada are English and French.