Kukna language
Kukna, also known as Canarese Konkani is a minority language spoken by the Konkani people of Karnataka and Kerala.
Names
The Karnataka dialects are referred to as Canarese Konkani or Karnataka Konkani. The Kerala dialects are referred to as Travancore Konkani or Kerala Konkani or simply Konkani from Kerala. Certain dialects like the Canara Saraswat dialects of the Gaud Saraswats and Bhanaps are called आमचीगॆलॆं āmcigelẽ (lit. ours) and the dialect of the Cochin Gaud Saraswats is called कॊच्चिमांय koccimā̃y (lit. mother Cochin) by the members of those communities.
The word Canara is a Portuguese corruption of the word Kannada. Konkani speaking communities from Canara usually distinguish themselves from their Goan counterparts by adding the prefix Canara. e.g. Saraswats from Canara are call themselves Canara Saraswats and Christians, Canara Christians. The early Portuguese conquistadors referred to Konkani as lingoa Canarim as a reference to Canara.
Geographic distribution
Canarese Konkani is mainly spoken as a minority language in the Indian States of Karnataka, Kerala, and some parts of Maharashtra. The speakers are concentrated in the districts of Uttara Kannada district, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka, and, in districts of Cochin, Ernakulam, Alapuzha, Kollam, Calicut, Kannur and Kasargod in Kerala.
