The correct option is Austric.
Explanation
The linguistic diversity of India is broadly classified into four major language families: Austric (Nishada), Dravidian (Dravida), Sino-Tibetan (Kirata), and Indo-European (Aryan). These families are distributed based on historical migration and settlement patterns.Analysis:
- Austric (Austro-Asiatic) Family: This family is one of the oldest in India and is divided into two main branches: Munda and Mon-Khmer.
- The Mon-Khmer branch includes the languages spoken in Meghalaya (specifically Khasi and Jaintia) and the Nicobar Islands (Nicobarese).
- The Munda branch includes languages spoken by tribes in the Chota Nagpur Plateau and surrounding areas (e.g., Santhali, Mundari).
- Sino-Tibetan Family: This family covers the Himalayan belt and most of North-East India. While the Garo language spoken in Meghalaya belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of this family, the specific pairing with the Nicobar Islands in the question points to the Austric family.
- Dravidian Family: This family is predominantly found in Southern India (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam) and isolated pockets in Central India and Pakistan (Brahui).
- Indo-European Family: This is the largest language family in India, covering North, West, and parts of East India.
Key Takeaway:
The Khasi language of Meghalaya and the Nicobarese language of the Nicobar Islands are distinct members of the Mon-Khmer branch of the Austric language family.