The correct answer is: B) Sanskrit.
Malayalam is a Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the Lakshadweep Islands. It is the official language of Kerala and is spoken by about 35 million people. Malayalam is closely related to Tamil and Kannada, and is also influenced by Sanskrit, Arabic, and Portuguese.
Sanskrit is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that is the liturgical language of Hinduism and Jainism. It is also the language of the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism. Sanskrit has had a profound influence on the development of many other Indian languages, including Malayalam.
The influence of Sanskrit on Malayalam can be seen in its vocabulary, grammar, and writing system. Many Malayalam words are derived from Sanskrit, and the Malayalam alphabet is based on the Sanskrit alphabet. Malayalam grammar is also influenced by Sanskrit, with many of the same grammatical rules and concepts.
The influence of Sanskrit on Malayalam is evident in the following examples:
- The word for “language” in Malayalam is “bhasha”, which is derived from the Sanskrit word “bhÄṣĔ.
- The word for “king” in Malayalam is “rajan”, which is derived from the Sanskrit word “rÄjan”.
- The word for “woman” in Malayalam is “stri”, which is derived from the Sanskrit word “strÄ«”.
- The Malayalam alphabet is based on the Sanskrit alphabet, with the addition of a few additional letters.
- Malayalam grammar is influenced by Sanskrit, with many of the same grammatical rules and concepts.
The influence of Sanskrit on Malayalam is a testament to the rich and long history of interaction between the two languages.