Language in India

 Language develops throughout history due to different cultures, customs and traditions as a mode of communication. Language in its literary meaning is a system of communication through speech, a collection of sounds that a group of people understand to have the same meaning.

Classification of Indian languages

Indo Aryan group

• A branch of the larger Indo-European family
• 74% of the indian speak

A. Old Indo Aryan group

• development around 1500 B.C
• Sanskrit originated from this group (Called as mother of indian languages)

Development of sanskrit

• Sanskrit grammar began with Panini in 400 B.C. with his book Ashtadhyayi
• Literature like Mahavastu,mahavamsa written in sanskrit language
• The chaste form of Sanskrit developed in between 300 BC to 200 BC. It was a refined version of Vedic Sanskrit.
• The first evidence of the use of Sanskrit can be found in the inscriptions of
• Rudradamana at Junagarh in the present Southern Gujarat region.
• Mainstream use started in Gupta period as found in the form of Mahakavya and Khand kavyas
• Spoken by high verna's only

B. Middle Indo aryan group

• Belong to 600 BC to 1000AD
• Prakrit language originate from this period
• Prakrit refer to language spoken by common folks

Prakrit Languages Types

Pali:

• Spoken in Magadha.
• 5th to 10th BC
• The Tripitaka of Buddhism were also written in Pali.
• It is believed that Buddha himself did not speak in Pali
• Belong to Sanskrit language

Ardha Magadhi:

• Most important language of Prakrit
• Court language of many Mahajana padas
• Buddha and Mahavira believed to spoken in this language
• East languages like Bangali,Mathiali,Assamese derive from this
• Used in Ashken rock edicts and Jain Agamas

Shurasheni:

• Famous for writing drama in medieval india
• Famous among jain monks
• Shatkhandgama written in Shurasheni language

Maharashtri Prakrit

• Official Language of Satavahana Dynasty
• Predecessor of Konkani and Marathi Language
• ‘Gaha Kosha’ by King Hala and Gaudavaho(slaying of the
• king of Gauda) by Vakpati written in this language

Elu

• Predecessor of Sinhala language
• Similar to pali language

Paishachi:

• Called as BHUTA BHASHA
• Gundhaya “BRIHATKATHA” Written in this Language

Apabhramsa Language:

• Developed during the transition from middle Indo aryan to Modern Language
• Called as corrupt version of Sanskrit or prakrit
• Used by common folks
• Become a Major language by 6-7th century AD
• Pushpadanta wrote Mahapurana (Digambara Jain text) and Dhanapala’s Bhavisayattakaha written in apabhramsa language

C. Modern Indo Aryan languages:

• Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujrati, Marathi, Punjabi, Rajasthani, Sindhi, Odia, Urdu belong to this period
• Spoken in north, west and eastern india

Dravidian group

• Spoken in the southern part of India.
• Around 25% of the Indian Population Speaks these languages
• Include 21 Language variety

Classification of Dravdian languages

Northern groups

• Consist of 3 language of Bruhai,malto and kurukh
• Bruhai spoken in balochistan ,malto in Bengal and odisha
• Kurukh language in eastern india

Middle Groups

• Consist of eleven languages Like Gondi, Khond, Kui, Manda, Parji,Gadaba, Kolami, Pengo, Naiki, Kuvi and Telugu.
• Telugu language spoken in Andra and telangana become civilised language
• Other language remain confined to small areas

Southern Group

• 7 language belong to this group
• Most important language among are Tamil,kannada and malayalam
• Some language like Tulu,toda spoken in tribal belt
• Among the 21 dravidian languages 4 Languages are most important and spoken widely
• Tamil (Oldest language and also a classical language also spoken in tamil nadu)
• Telugu (Numerically spoken by largest group of people)
• Malayalam (Youngest of all dravidian language)
• Kannada

Sino- Tibeaten group

• Spread in North Bihar, North Bengal, Assam and up to the North-Eastern frontiers of the nation.
• Older than the Indo-Aryan languages and are
• Referred as Kiratas in Oldest sanskrit texts.
• 0.6% of the population speak in these language

Sino Tibetan group divided into 3 subgroups:

A. Tibeto burman

• Tibetan: Sikkimese, Bhutia, Balti, Sherpa, Lahuli and Ladakhi
• Himalayan-Kinnauri and Limbu
• North Assam-Abor, Miri, Aka, Dafla and Mishmi
• Assam-Burmese-Kuki-chin, Mikir, Bodo and Naga.
• Manipuri or Meithi is the most important language spoken under Kuki-chin under the sub-group.
• B. Shimese chinese
• Ahom is the most important language
• Spoken in Assam

Negroid

Austric

• Belong to Austro-asiatic sub-family
• Spoken in Central, Eastern and North-Eastern India.
• Munda and kol are representing languages
• Some of them also belong to Mon-Khmer groups like Khasi and Nicobarese.
• The existence of these languages have been much before the advent of the Aryans and were referred to in ancient Sanskrit literature as Nisadas
• Santhali is the most important language under this group
• With the exceptions of Khasi and Santhali, all Austro-asiatic languages on Indian territory are endangered.

Others

• Include the language like Gondi,Oreon,praji etc. classified as other due to their separate origin

Ancient Script of India

• A script is also known as a writing system or orthography.
• Brahmi script is called the mother of all languages Like Devanagari, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Odia, Assamese/Bengali, etc.

Types of scripts:

1. Indus script:

• Oldest script of the indian subcontinent
• Consist of various symbols
• Belong to Harappan civilisation
• Not deciphered till date

2. Brahmi Script

• Oldest decipher script of indian subcontinent
• Used extensively in all other languages
• Written in left to right and Abugida system (Consonant represent letters and vowels as Matras)
• Deciphered by James prinsep in 1837. Used by Ashoka in rock edicts

3. Gupta script

• Belong to gupta empire descended from Bramhi script
• Used to write sanskrit language
• Gave rise to Nagari ,siddam,Sharada scripts and further to Devenagari,Gurmukhi script also

4. Kharosthi Script

• Spoken in Gandhara region (Pakistan)
• Deciphered by Jame Prinecep
• Sister script of Brahmi
• Written in Abugida system like brahmi but in right to left
• Include roman Numeral system also

5. Vatteluttu script

• Originated in South india
• Abugida system
• Tamil language emerged from vatteluttu script

6. Kadamba script

• Kannada language emerge from this script
• Developed during kadamba dynasty in 4th-6th century AD
• Descendents of brahmi script

7. Grantha script

• Used in tamil nadu and kerala in 6th to 20th century AD
• Used to write Sanskrit and classical language Manipravalam
• Malayalam script is direct descendents of this language
• Tigalari and sinhala alphabets also belong to this scripts

8. Sarada script

• Abugida writing system developed around 8th Century AD
• Used in Kashmiri and Sanskrit
• Contemporary used by Kashmiri pandit only

9. Gurumukhi script

• Developed for Sarada script
• Standardised by Guru Angad
• Guru Granth sahib was written in Gurumukhi script
• Punjabi language originated from this

10. Devanagari script

• Abugida writing system and wrote from left to right
• Mother of 120 languages like Hindi ,nepali,Bodo,sindhi etc.
• Spoken in india and nepal
• Used in classical sanskrit texts

11. Modi script

• Descendent of brahmi script
• Marathi language form from this script
• Other language like gujrati,Kannada,urdu etc

12. Urdu script

• Origin in 13th centuryAD in the time of delhi sultanate
• Modification of persian language
• Written from right to left
• Extended form is called as shahmukhi script
• Official language of India
• Article 343 (1) of the Constitution of India states that “The Official Language of the Union Government shall be Hindi in Devanagari script.” “Unless Parliament decided otherwise, the use of English for official purposes was to cease 15 years after the Constitution came into effect”,
• In 1960s, widespread protest start in south india led to Passing of Official Language act 1963
• Giving official language status to hindi as well as english to persuade the south indian people
• 22 languages are added to schedule 8 of the constitution to promote diversity of india

At the time of independence	Assamese Hindi Malayalam Punjabi Telugu Bengali Kannada Marathi Sanskrit Urdu Gujarati Kashmiri Odia Tamil
21st constitutional amendment add	Sindhi
71st constitutional amendment add	Konkani, manipuri ,nepali
92nd constitutional amendment add	Bodo, Dogri,maithili,santhali

 Indian Classical Languages

• In 2004, Indian government started recognising Language as classical on based of some criteria.
• High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500–2000 years
• A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers
• The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community;
• The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.
• Languages declared as classical languages:

Tamil	2004
Telugu	2008
Kanada	2008
Sanskrit	2005
Malayalam	2013
Odia	2014

Benefits of Being Declared a Classical Language

• Two major international awards for scholars of eminence in Classical Indian Languages to be awarded annually.
• A ‘Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages’ will be set up.
• The University Grants Commission will be requested to create and to start with at least in the Central Universities, a certain number of Professional Chairs for Classical
• Languages for scholars of eminence in Classical Indian Languages.