One of India's 22 state-recognized languages and the official language of the state of Kerala, Malayalam is spoken by 36 million people worldwide. Over one million speakers of Malayalam live in the Middle East alone, concentrated in places such as Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. For these reasons, both within India and abroad, Malayalam is taking a more prominent role in business communication and the spread of south Indian culture.This handy reference includes everything that a traveler needs to be understood when visiting Kerala in south India. The dictionary contains important terms related to transportation, lodging, and local culture, while the phrasebook covers everything from food to bargaining and medical visits. 4,000 dictionary entries Entries include Malayalam script and Romanized phonetics Concise grammar and pronunciation guides Helpful notes on the history and culture of Kerala throughout Perfect for travelers, businesspeople, and students