Kolarian

The term "Kolarian" historically refers to a proposed language family, primarily based on work in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, that grouped together the Munda languages of eastern India with certain languages of southern India, namely the Dravidian languages. The hypothesis suggested a genetic relationship and common origin between these two language families.

This theory, once fairly prominent, is now largely discredited and considered obsolete by modern linguists. Subsequent in-depth linguistic research, particularly focusing on comparative reconstruction and historical phonology, has failed to provide sufficient evidence to support the Kolarian hypothesis. While some shared typological features and loanwords exist between Munda and Dravidian languages due to geographical proximity and language contact, these are generally attributed to borrowing rather than a shared ancestral language.

The Dravidian language family is now widely accepted as an independent language family with its own distinct origin and internal relationships. Similarly, the Munda languages are considered a branch of the Austroasiatic language family, which stretches across Southeast Asia.

The continued mention of "Kolarian" in older texts and historical linguistic discussions should be understood within the context of the historical development of linguistic scholarship. The term represents a superseded attempt to classify and understand the relationships between these language groups, and its continued use today often serves as a historical marker of evolving linguistic theories.