Information AboutPrakrit |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT PRAKRIT | |
| ancient languages | |
| indo-aryan languages | |
| languages of india | |
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In Sanskrit Drama , kings speak in Prakrit when addressing women or servants, in contrast to the Sanskrit used in reciting more formal poetic monologues. The three Dramatic Prakrit s - Sauraseni , Magadhi , Maharashtri , as well as Jain Prakrit each represent a distinct tradition of literature within the history of India. Other Prakrits are reported in historical sources, but have no extant corpus (e.g., Paisaci ). Prakrit is foremost a native term, designating "vernaculars" as opposed to Sanskrit. Some modern scholars follow this classification by including all Middle Indo-Aryan Languages under the rubric of "Prakrits", while others emphasise the independent development of these languages, often separated from the history of Sanskrit by wide divisions of Caste , Religion , and Geography . Ardhamagadhi , which was used extensively to write Jain scriptures, is the definitive form of Prakrit, while others are considered variants. Courses teaching Prakrit teach Ardhamagadhi often. Pali (the language of Theravada orthodoxy) tends to be treated as a special exception, as classical (Sanskrit) grammars do not consider it as a Prakrit ''per se'', presumably for sectarian rather than linguistic reasons. ETYMOLOGY According to the dictionary of Monier Monier-Williams , the most frequent meanings of the Sanskrit term "prakrta", from which our "prakrit" is derived, are "original, natural, normal" and the term is derived from prakrti, "making or placing before or at first, the original or natural form or condition of anything, original or primary substance." In linguistic terms, this is used in contrast with samskrta, "refined". TRADITIONAL ACCOUNTS Virtually every Sanskrit student in India learns the traditional story that Sanskrit was created and then refined over many generations (traditionally more than a thousand years) until it was considered complete and perfect. Some scholars restrict the Prakrits to the languages used by Hindu and Jain writers; others include the Buddhist languages, such as Pali and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit , and the inscriptional Prakrits. Other Prakrits include the Gāndhārī , and Paisaci, which is known through grammarians' statements. The modern languages of India developed from the Prakrits, after the intermediary stage of the Apabhramsa Language . |
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