Sanskrit: Difference between revisions
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'''Sanskrit''' is an ancient [[Indo-European]] [[language]] which was spoken on the [[Indian subcontinent]]. Like [[Latin]], Sanskrit enjoyed a long life as a literary language, and, in addition to a large body of [[Sanskrit literature|literature]], is the language in which many of the central texts of [[Hinduism]] were written. | '''Sanskrit''' is an ancient [[Indo-European]] [[language]] which was spoken on the [[Indian subcontinent]]. Like [[Latin]], Sanskrit enjoyed a long life as a literary language, and, in addition to a large body of [[Sanskrit literature|literature]], is the language in which many of the central texts of [[Hinduism]] were written. | ||
Sanskrit belongs to the [[Indo-Iranian]] branch of the Indo-European family of languages, and, in its oldest forms, preserves some of the features of [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]]. The oldest form of Sanskrit is [[Vedic sanskrit]], preserved in collections of religious hymns and ritual handbooks. In its [[classical | Sanskrit belongs to the [[Indo-Iranian]] branch of the Indo-European family of languages, and, in its oldest forms, preserves some of the features of [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] (like Proto-Indo-European's original eight [[grammatical case|grammatical cases]]). The oldest form of Sanskrit is [[Vedic sanskrit]], preserved in collections of religious hymns and ritual handbooks. In its [[classical Sanskrit|classical]] form, a large body of literature was written in Sanskrit, including the two widely-popular epics, the [[Mahabharata]] and the [[Ramayana]]. Though proper Classical Sanskrit was maintained for many centuries, vernacular languages related to Sanskrit (the Prakrits) developed alongside it. One of these, [[Pali]], became historically important as one of the languages of [[Buddhism]]. | ||
Revision as of 19:23, 22 April 2008
Sanskrit is an ancient Indo-European language which was spoken on the Indian subcontinent. Like Latin, Sanskrit enjoyed a long life as a literary language, and, in addition to a large body of literature, is the language in which many of the central texts of Hinduism were written.
Sanskrit belongs to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European family of languages, and, in its oldest forms, preserves some of the features of Proto-Indo-European (like Proto-Indo-European's original eight grammatical cases). The oldest form of Sanskrit is Vedic sanskrit, preserved in collections of religious hymns and ritual handbooks. In its classical form, a large body of literature was written in Sanskrit, including the two widely-popular epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. Though proper Classical Sanskrit was maintained for many centuries, vernacular languages related to Sanskrit (the Prakrits) developed alongside it. One of these, Pali, became historically important as one of the languages of Buddhism.