Why is the Telugu language called an Italian of the East?

Chakilam Pramodh Rao
2 min readSep 9, 2023

--

Image Source: Microsoft Bing Image Search.

The Telugu language is called the Italian of the East because of its melodic and musical nature. Telugu words end with vowels, such as “du, mu, vu, lu”, which make them sound smooth and pleasant. This feature is also found in Italian, which is known for its lyrical and expressive qualities. Some sources say that the phrase “Italian of the East” was coined by the Italian explorer Niccolo Da Conti, who visited the Vijayanagara Empire in the 15th century and was impressed by the Telugu language and culture. Other sources say that it was the Englishmen of the 19th century who gave this name to Telugu, as they found it to be a rich and elegant language with a long literary tradition.

Telugu belongs to the Dravidian family of languages, which are spoken mainly in southern India. It is the official language of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and one of the twenty-three official national languages of India. It has about eighty million native speakers and another 30–40 million second-language speakers around the world. Telugu has a written script that is derived from the ancient Brahmi script. It has complex grammar and a large vocabulary that includes words from Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, Turkish, English, and other languages. Telugu literature dates back to the 11th century and includes works of poetry, drama, fiction, history, philosophy, and religion. Some of the famous Telugu writers are Nannaya, Tikkana, Srinatha, Potana, Vemana, Kandukuri Veeresalingam and Gurajada Apparao.

Telugu is a beautiful and versatile language that can express a range of emotions and ideas. It is also a language that connects people from different regions, religions, and backgrounds. Telugu speakers are proud of their language and culture and celebrate them through various festivals, arts, and media. Telugu is also a language that is evolving and adapting to the changing times and needs of its speakers. It is a language that has a bright future in the globalized world.

Article: My Inputs + AI Generated.

Grammer Check: Grammarly.

--

--

Chakilam Pramodh Rao

History, Politics, Football, Advertising & Marketing (Case Studies), Technology, and Personalities.