Welcome to the Toda Language Website!
The Toda language, spoken in the Nilgiri Hills area near Ooty and Tamil Nade border, is considered to be an oral language. There are about 1,500 speakers of the language according to the 2001 census (Ethnologue). Although it exists at the linguistic intersection of Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada, Toda is an extremely unique language compared to the others and is derived from Southern Dravidian. It shares many linguistic features with Tamil and Kota. However, the Toda language is considered to be endangered and vigorous (6a) in its categorization by Ethnologue. Considering the language is primarily oral, there is an urgent need for more investigation into its presence and need for documentation to preserve Toda and the culture and histories of its people.
This website is designed for native speakers of Toda, non-native speakers, linguists, and the public, who wish to learn more about the Toda language, people, history and culture.
See below for details on the structure and content of the website:
History and Culture – For visitors interested in exploring more about the Toda people, their history, customs and practices, and religious beliefs
Language Properties – For visitors interested in learning about the linguistic features of the Toda language, which encompasses details about Consonants and Vowels, Phonology, Morphology, and Syntax
Vocabulary – For visitors interested in learning vocabulary words in the Toda language through Tamil translations and observing words in context of Toda texts; This section also includes a linguistic comparison of Toda along with other prevalent languages in the area
Audio – For visitors interested in listening to the Toda language in storytelling, songs, and conversations
Resources – For visitors interested in further discovering and studying the Toda language, this section of the website provides a list of categorized resources
Toda Language 