Meaning of word- “LANGUAGE“
Humans use language as a means of communication to convey meaning and express thoughts, ideas, emotions, and information. It is a complex and dynamic system that allows people to interact, share information, and understand one another.
Components of LANGUAGE
Languages are made up of various components, such as sounds or phonemes (speech sounds), grammar (rules for forming sentences), vocabulary (words and their meanings), and syntax (word and phrase arrangement). Different languages have distinct structures, rules, and features that distinguish them from one another.
Role of India in ancient languages
India is a culturally diverse country with a rich linguistic heritage. Throughout its history, various ancient languages have been spoken and used for communication, literature, and religious texts.
Different forms of ancient languages of India
Some of the prominent ancient languages of India include:
- Sanskrit: Sanskrit is an ancient Indo-Aryan language and is considered the sacred language of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. It is known for its complex grammatical structure and extensive literature, including the Vedas, Upanishads, Mahabharata, Ramayana, and numerous philosophical and religious texts.
- Prakrits: Prakrits are a group of ancient Middle Indo-Aryan languages that evolved from Sanskrit. They were spoken across different regions of ancient India and were used in literary works, drama, and poetry. Examples of Prakrits include Ardhamagadhi, Magadhi, Pali, Shauraseni, and Maharashtri.
- Tamil: Tamil is one of the oldest languages in India and has a rich literary tradition dating back over 2,000 years. It is primarily spoken in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and parts of Sri Lanka. Tamil literature includes the Sangam literature, which consists of ancient poetic works composed by Tamil scholars.
- Prakrit languages of Jainism: Jainism, an ancient Indian religion, has its own set of Prakrit languages associated with its religious texts and literature. These languages include Ardhamagadhi, Jain Maharashtri, and Jain Shauraseni.
- Dravidian languages: Dravidian languages form a major language family in India, primarily spoken in South India and parts of East India. Ancient Dravidian languages include Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Each of these languages has a rich literary tradition and a long history of usage.
- Brahmi script languages: The Brahmi script, one of the oldest known writing systems in the Indian subcontinent, was used to write several ancient languages. Inscriptions in Brahmi have been found across the Indian subcontinent, and languages such as Pali, Prakrits, and early versions of Sanskrit were written in this script.
Languages change and evolve over time as a result of processes such as borrowing words from other languages, adopting new expressions, and changing pronunciation and grammar. Language acquisition happens naturally when children are exposed to and interact with others in their native language.