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The Kodava (, natively: Koḍava takkï, , meaning 'speech of Kodavas', Angloid name: Codava, Coorgi) is a Dravidian language spoken in Kodagu district (Coorg) in Southern Karnataka, India. It is an endangered language. The term Kodava has two related usages. Firstly, it is the name of the Kodava language and culture followed by a number of communities from Kodagu. Secondly, within the Kodava-speaking communities and region (Kodagu), it is a demonym for the dominant Kodava people. Hence, the Kodava language is not only the primary language of the Kodavas but also of many other castes and tribes in Kodagu. The language has two dialects: Mendele (spoken in Northern and Central Kodagu, i.e. outside Kodagu's Kiggat naadu) and Kiggat (spoken in Kiggat naadu, in Southern Kodagu).
Historically, it has been associated to Old Canarese or Hale kannada
However, it has been re-analysed as a language by early 20th century academics. Now it is considered as an intermediate language between Kannada language, Malayalam, Tamil language, and Tulu language in comparative linguistics.It is traditionally written using the thirke script which is an abugida. The 2011 Census of India reports 96,918 persons who returned Kodava as their mother tongue and 16,939 who returned Coorgi/Kodagu, for a total of 113,857 persons coming under the parent group which is again identified as Coorgi/Kodagu (another name for Kodava) as the mother tongue.
| +Vowels ! !Front vowel !Central vowel !Back vowel |
| +Consonants ! colspan="2" | !Bilabial !Dental consonant !Alveolar !Retroflex !Palatal !Velar consonant !Glottal |
The Coorgi is an alphabet developed by the linguist Gregg M. Cox that is used by a number of individuals within Kodagu district of India to write the endangered Dravidian language of Kodava, also known sometimes as Coorgi.
The script uses a combination of 26 consonant letters, eight vowel letters and a diphthong marker. Each letter represents a single sound and there are no . A computer-based font has been created.The Coorgi-Cox handbook, Feb. 2005. The script was developed out of the request by a group of Kodava individuals to have a distinct script for Kodava Takk, to distinguish the language. Kodava Takk is generally written in the Kannada script, but can also be found written in the Malayalam script, especially along the borders with Kerala. The new script is intended as a unified writing system for all Kodava Takk speakers.Gregg Cox, April 2005.
Recently an old Kodava script from the 14th century was discovered, it is now called the Thirke script.
Various other scripts were made by Kodava writers like Iychettira M Muthanna, Koravanda Appayya, Appaneravanda Kiran Subbaiah.
The Pattole Palame, a collection of Kodava folksongs and traditions compiled in the early 1900s by Nadikerianda Chinnappa, was first published in 1924. The most important Kodava literature, it is said to be one of the earliest, if not the earliest, collection of folklore of a community in an Indian language. Nearly two-thirds of the book consists of folksongs that were handed down orally through generations, sung even today during marriage and death ceremonies and during festivals relating to the seasons and in honour of local deities and heroes. Traditionally known as Balo Pat, these songs are sung by four men who beat dudis (drums) as they sing. Kodava folk dances are performed to the beat of many of these songs. The Pattole Palame was written using the Kannada script originally; it has been translated into English by Boverianda Nanjamma and Chinnappa, grandchildren of Nadikerianda Chinnappa, and has been published by Rupa & Co., New Delhi.
| Moodi | Hudugi | Peṇ/Peḍai/Ponnŭ | Penkutti | Ponnu | Girl |
| Kinha | Huduga | Aan/Peḍiyan/Paiyan/Chiruvan | Aankutti | Aan/Kinni | Boy |
| Po(Singular); Poyi(Plural) | Hogu | Pō(y) | Poyko | Poyi | Go |
| Kanni | Saaru/ganji | Kañji/Kūṭṭŭ/Chārŭ | Chaar | Kajipu | Stew (lentils, vegetables, etc.) |
| Koole | Anna/Kool | Chōr/Kūḻ | Chor | Nuppu | Cooked Rice |
| Id | Idu | Iḍŭ/Vai | Ide | Dee | Put |
| Thimbak | Tinnakke | Thinnŭ/Uṇṇŭ/Sāppiḍŭ | Tinnuka/Kazhikkuka | Thinere | To Eat |
| kuLi | snana | kuLi | kuLi | Meela | To Bath |
| Unda? | Unta/ideya? | Uṇḍā?/Irukkuthā? | Undo? | Unda? | Is There? |
| Bappi | Bartini | Var(uk)iṟēn/Varuvēn | Varam | Barpe | I will Come (Farewell Greeting) |
| Ulla- | iddene/ulle | irukkiṟēn/uḷḷēn | Ulle | Ulle | Am There |
| Bandand Ulla- | Baruta iddene | Var(uk)iṟēn | Varunnund | Barond ulle | Am coming |
| Yenene Ulliya? | Hege iddiya? | Eppaḍi/Enneṇdŭ (uḷḷ-/irukkiṟ-)(-ai/-āi/-īrgaḷ) | Engane und? | Encha ulla/ya? | How are you? |
| Māṅge | Maavu | Māṅgā(y)/Māmpaḻam | Māṅga/Māmpaḻam | Mudi/Kukku | Mango |
| Kaḷḷa | Kaḷla | Kaḷḷan/Kaḷvan/Thiruḍan | Kaḷḷan | Kalva | Thief |
| Suroole /Minyathele | Modalu/Suroonalli | Mudal(il) | Adyam | Suru | First |
| Karay Paambu | Kere Haavu | Chārai Pāmbŭ | Chēra Pamb | Keri | Rat Snake |
| Mūle | Mūle | Mūlai | Mūla | Mudye/mūle | Corner |
| Āme | Āme | Āmai | Āma | Eme | Tortoise |
| Bēli | Bēli | Vēli | Vēli | Bēli | Fence |
| Bitth/Kuru | Beeja/bitha | Vitthŭ/Vithai | Vitth/Kuru | Bitth | Seed |
| Bādege | Bādige | Vādakai | Vādaka | Badige | Rent |
| Chaththe | Sante | Chanthai | Chantha | Santhe | Market |
| Ēni | Ēni | Ēṇi | Ēṇi | Ēni | Ladder |
| Pulunja Puḷi | Hunase Huli | PuLi | PuLi | Punke puli | Tamarind |
| Gaali/Kaath | Gaali | Kāṟṟŭ/Kāththŭ | Kaatt | Gaali | Wind |
| Thaari | Kodu/tha | Tharŭ/Koḍŭ | Tharu | Koru | give |
| Kaapi | Kaapi | Kaapi | Kaapi | Kaapi | Coffee |
| Paaduva- | Haadu | Paadŭ | Paaduka | Pada paad | to sing |
| Mother | Avva- |
| Father | Appa- |
| Grandfather | Ajja- |
| Grandmother | Ajjava- Thaayi |
| Maternal Uncle / Paternal Aunt's husband | Thammaava- / Maava- |
| Maternal Uncle's wife / Paternal Aunt | Maavi / Thammaavi |
| Eldest Paternal Uncle / Eldest Maternal Aunt's husband | Baliappa- |
| Eldest Paternal Uncle's wife / Eldest Maternal Aunt | Baliavva- |
| Elder Paternal Uncle / Elder Maternal Aunt's husband | Bojappa- |
| Elder Paternal Uncle's wife / Elder Maternal Aunt | Bojavva- |
| Younger Paternal Uncle / Younger Maternal Aunt's husband | Kunjappa- |
| Younger Paternal Uncle's wife/ Younger Maternal Aunt | Kunjavva- |
| Youngest Paternal Uncle / Youngest Maternal Aunt's husband | Cheriappa- |
| Youngest Paternal Uncle's wife/ Youngest Maternal Aunt | Cheriavva- |
| Father-in-law | Maava- |
| Mother-in-law | Maavi |
| brother-in-law (elder) / cross-cousin (elder, brother) / lineal cousin (elder, sister)'s husband | Baava- |
| sister-in-law (elder)/ cross-cousin (elder, sister) / lineal-cousin (elder, brother)'s wife | Mamma- |
| brother (elder) / lineal cousin (elder brother) / cross-cousin (elder, sister)'s husband | Anna- / Annaiah |
| sister (elder) / lineal-cousin (elder, sister) / cross-cousin (elder, brother)'s wife | Akko / Akkaiah |
| brother (younger) | Thammanna- |
| sister (younger) | Thange |
| Wife | Ponne |
| Husband | Wadiyye |
| Son | Momva- |
| Daughter | Mova |
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