Population 180,000 (2000).
Region
Tamil Nadu, Theni District, Kambam Valley;
Dindigul District, Sirumalai,
Senkuruchi Hillocks & Palani.

Coimbatore District, Pollachi,
Western Fields & Western Gate Hills;

Dharmapuri, Vellore, Chingalpattu.

Salem districts;

Karnataka; Andhra Pradesh.

Alternate names

Canarese, Korambar, Kuramwari, Kuremban,
Kuruba, Kuruban, Kurubar, Kuruman,
Kurumans, Kurumar, Kurumba, Kurumban,
Kurumbar, Kurumbas, Kurumvari, Kurubas
Kuruma, Palu Kurumba, Southern
Non-standard Kannada.

Dialects
Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Pudukottai.

Classification
Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada,
Tamil-Kodagu, Kodagu.

Language use
Home. All ages. Few use Tamil [tam] or
Standard Kannada [kan].

Language development
Younger generation over 80% literate,
older generation less. Radio programs.

Writing system
Tamil script.

Comments

Reportedly 3 groups of Gowda: Okkili, Anuppa, and Kurumba, which may be languages or dialects of one language. Sometimes referred to as Alu or Palu Kurumba, but is a different language from Alu Kurumba [zua] in the hills. Kurumba and Kuruman are different Scheduled Tribes. Agriculturalists; pastoralists; urban workers. Hindu.

ABOUT KURUMBA Gounder

Kurumba language is a Dravidian[2] language spoken by the tribal Kuruba Gowda subcastes of Jenu Kuruba, Kadu Kuruba and Betta Kuruba of South India. These people are spread around the borders of three states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The language is also sometimes called as "Jenu Nudi"(Honey language). The language has never been written, apart from recent efforts to write the language using Kannada script. It is considered as a dialect of Kannada with Tamil and Malayalam words interspread.