# Sanskrit: Can it be spoken colloquially?



## panjabigator

The reason I ask this is because Sanskrit is not really spoken much in India, however many people learn it to understand religion better (Hinduism is based in Sanskrit) and because of the linguistics of it.  It is spoken by one city in South India natively (the name slips my mind, but I've seen it on Wikipedia before), but I dont know if this is actually Sanskrit or Sanskritized Kannada (language of the state).  So, Im going to say the Vedic Sanskrit as a spoken language is pretty much dead, but can it be revived like, say Hebrew was?  My impression was that Hebrew was "revamped" into a spoken language and was adopted in Israel as the national language.  In India, there is a lot of agitation upon this subject, and I wonder if the same could be done with Sanskrit...that way people would learn their native tongue and Sanskrit to communicate with different states.


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## shaloo

That would really be a great idea, Sean.
And I believe that it must be done as soon as possible.....
Because in India, English is so dominating that the regional languages are getting highly influenced by it. 
Most of the people don't understand Sanskrit, let alone speaking colloquially. And people think a language like Sanskrit is only for learning vedas or for spiritual purposes, but never consider it to rein as any other normal language.

What I feel is that Sanskrit should also be made a compulsory subject at school, at least to give the students an idea about it (coz, if parents themselves don't know something, how can they encourage their children to take up?).

And I sometimes listen to the Sanskrit News in DoorDarshan, which is the only active access to the language today.
The language sounds very calm, pleasant and soothing.

Well, I am FOR the promotion of Sanskrit as a spoken language.

Shaloo


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## modus.irrealis

When I started reading your post I thought right away of Hebrew, but then you beat me to it. But there's no reason you can't raise a new generation whose mother language will be Sanskrit, but like Hebrew, because it will be taught to them by non-native speakers and those children will not be exposed to an exclusively Sanskrit environment, I think you'd get significant changes to the Sanskrit, i.e. it wouldn't be Classical Sanskrit anymore, but say in Hindi areas you'd have a Hindi-ized Sanskrit.

But there is one large difference between the situations of Hebrew and Sanskrit. Hebrew died out, while Sanskrit (or at least Indo-Aryan languages very closely related to it) have survived, so in that sense Sanskrit is still spoken in a way that Hebrew wasn't (until modern times).

I also have a couple questions:

Is there a "Neo-Sanskrit?" What I mean is something like Neo-Latin, which is Latin but with the additional vocabulary required to discuss modern times. I could see something like that used today as a second language.

But that leads me to my second question. What do speakers of non-Indo-Ayran languages in India think of Sanskrit? Would they see it as something good or bad if it were necessary for them to learn it?

Thymios


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## shaloo

http://www.unesco.org/most/p2vidal.htm

This site tells that neo-sanskrit is the sanskrit from 19th century onwards in India. 
On one side, I think there must be something called as a Neo-Sanskrit, in order to meet today's language needs.
But on the other side, I feel that since the language is no longer in colloquial use, there would'nt be a need to include modern terminology.
When there are no readers, except for a minor set of enthusiastic linguists, who will take the pains to produce articles and stuff in that lang?


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## shaloo

modus.irrealis said:
			
		

> I also have a couple questions:
> 
> Is there a "Neo-Sanskrit?" What I mean is something like Neo-Latin, which is Latin but with the additional vocabulary required to discuss modern times. I could see something like that used today as a second language.
> 
> But that leads me to my second question. What do speakers of non-Indo-Ayran languages in India think of Sanskrit? Would they see it as something good or bad if it were necessary for them to learn it?
> 
> Thymios


 
I've given you my thouhgts about your first question.

And coming to your second one..............let me explain.

Basically, I am a Dravidian speaker (Telugu) coming from the South India.
But my dad was always a lover of Sanskrit. He can understand Sanskrit(not colloquial, though)....I mean....the slokas, mantras(vedic chants and hymns) etc...and he always tells me to learn spoken Sanskrit.

I was also quite interested and so I enrolled myself for Sanskrit in high school and then at University also....but there was no significant improvement in my levels.....in fact, I could score more marks because of whatever I had learnt since childhood.

But still, Im interested in it and would wish to take up Sanskrit in the near future.


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## shaloo

And you know what......?
Most of the words we have in Telugu, have their roots in Sanskrit.
And most of the pronunciations also coincide.
I feel a good telugu speaker will not find mastering Sanskrit that difficult.


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## modus.irrealis

Thanks shaloo for your responses. Your comments about Sanskrit make sense, especially because of its religious and cultural significance. It reminds me of the way Latin is (was) thought of in non-Romance speaking Catholic countries.

But Sanskrit is interesting, and I'm starting to take baby steps approaching it (I won't call myself a learner until I learn the script), but it's a fascinating language, and I'm especially shocked by how similar it is to Ancient Greek, much more than either is to Latin, which is usually paired with Greek.

About Neo-Sanskrit, I couldn't tell if that site was referring to Sanskrit as a language being used for new concepts or Sanskrit-inspired words/phrases being used in modern langauges -- Greek has done something similar by reintroducing ancient words for modern concepts. Even if it's the latter, I guess these phrases could be used in a reintroduced Sanskrit. But Latin, e.g., has the Vatican which puts out documents in Latin so this new vocabulary is needed there, and I thought that something like that might occur with Sanskrit.


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## Pivra

There is a town in southern India where Sanskrit is their first language. But I don't think that Sanskrit was ever spoken on a daily basis before.


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## shaloo

http://acharya.iitm.ac.in/sanskrit/why_sans.html

I was thinking if this site could be helpful to anyone interested in Sanskrit and other Dravidian Languages.


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## Pivra

Sanskrit has a word for chocolate, so, I think it can be spoken colloquially. But for me, Sanskrit sounds far too formal and holy to be spoken by people. Its alphabets are even called DevaNagari..... haha. (actually I would like Thailand to start speaking Sanskrit fully and not speaking just a portion of the language and messed everything up like we are doing right now).


Are you sure that everyone are capable of learning the language of the Gods lol? It is so hard to learn and its grammars are so difficult. (although very logical). I don't really get how its the best language for computer. For me, when Thai is getting a new word we use Sanskrit to coin up a new term.

"In contrast, the word "akshara" in Sanskrit denotes something fundamental and significant. One of the direct meanings of the word is that it denotes the set of letters of Sanskrit from the first to the last. The word also means that the sound of the letter does not ever get destroyed and thus signifies the eternal quality of the sound of the letters. The consequence of this meaning is that the sound of a word is essentially the sounds of the aksharas in the word, a concept which will help simplify text to speech applications with computers."


Akshara in Thai is written อักษร and we pronounce it "aksorn" (although written as Akshara) I don't get about how we quality of the sound is eternal here. Or maybe its just us who can't say the words properly. lol 


ps. (not play station)   I have a Thai version of Ramayana (Ramakirti lol) and its written by the Princess of Thailand in Sanskrit, I finished the book although I don't know what 80% of the thing is but just reading it out loud is already a pleasure to do, everything sounds euphoneous. (sorry we ruined it haha  )


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## shaloo

> Are you sure that everyone are capable of learning the language of the Gods lol? It is so hard to learn and its grammars are so difficult. (although very logical). I don't really get how its the best language for computer. For me, when Thai is getting a new word we use Sanskrit to coin up a new term.


 
Well, my answer would be YES. But one must have the determination to do it. And basically, I feel its people who made Sanskrit sound so difficult to the younger generation....for example, my friends still think that Sanskrit is a tough one and the very mention of the word gives them a feeling of avoidance.The surroundings that they've been brought up is to be blamed for that. Interest must be instilled in the child right from the beginning.My father always encouraged me to read, read and read, no matter which language it was.To him, nothing is tough or impossible. Just one thing that I would like to tell:

People of ancient ages had none of the facilities that we have today... but still, they learnt Sanskrit. 

Now when we have almost everything we want in order to learn and practise, why should we find it difficult?

I agree that there is a vast decline in the number of people speaking sanskrit, but can we help it by just discussing?

Why not forget whatever has happened and think about passing a better understanding of our culture and languages to our next generation?
Lets be the leaders!


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## Pivra

India and Thailand and other countries with Vedic based cultures should try to take this language out from its tomb. Agree? I love the sound of the language, my aunt learned it before she left for the US 30 years ago. She still remembers lots of thinks, she said, "if it sounds wrong you know its wrong"


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## shaloo

I DEFINITELY DO AGREE!

As I earlier mentioned, let it begin from us. It should not be like a decision taken out of excitement but our enthusiasm and love for the language should continue forever.

I agree.....and Sanskrit should NOT be taught the way we I was taught at college. It simply used to be like....learning the grammar rules byheart and then reproducing the same in the examination papers.
And we never wrote answers in Sanskrit....its an utter shame to tell.
The question paper used to be in Sanskrit, we would understand whatever was asked and then answer in English. I never liked it.I hated to do that.


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## panjabigator

> What do speakers of non-Indo-Ayran languages in India think of Sanskrit? Would they see it as something good or bad if it were necessary for them to learn it?



I have no clue about non-Indo Aryan speakers...I'd assume it would depend on religion.  Sanskrit is of utmost importance to Hindu's so that answers your question somewhat.  I cannot comment on the tribal areas.  A more important question would be how would the non Hindu's (such as myself) feel?  I think the Muslims wouldn't be too keen on it, and I don't think the Sikhs would like it very much either.  But knowing Sanskrit would be amazing for linguists like myself...languages like Bangla (Bengali) and Marathi are chock full of Sanskrit "tatsama" and "tadbhav" words and for a Panjabi speaker like myself, it is harder to know them (lack of exposure).


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## modus.irrealis

panjabigator said:
			
		

> I have no clue about non-Indo Aryan speakers...I'd assume it would depend on religion.  Sanskrit is of utmost importance to Hindu's so that answers your question somewhat.  I cannot comment on the tribal areas.  A more important question would be how would the non Hindu's (such as myself) feel?  I think the Muslims wouldn't be too keen on it, and I don't think the Sikhs would like it very much either.


Now that's interesting. As you could tell, I didn't even think that Sanskrit would be so strongly associated with Hinduism. I need to stop thinking along the lines of Sanskrit is to South Asia as Latin is to Western Europe. I guess I was thinking that it was something like where, although Latin is linked with Catholicism, the non-Catholic Romanians seem very proud of their Romance heritage. But your post sent me researching a bit online and I think I understand things better, but I have to say the linguistic situation alone is fascinating.



> But knowing Sanskrit would be amazing for linguists like myself...languages like Bangla (Bengali) and Marathi are chock full of Sanskrit "tatsama" and "tadbhav" words and for a Panjabi speaker like myself, it is harder to know them (lack of exposure).


That also sent me researching . I understand that "tatsama" refers to words borrowed from Sanskrit in their Sanskrit forms, but are "tadbhav" Sanskrit words that have been adapted to the borrowing language's pronunciation, or are they words that have developed from ancient times within the language?


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## panjabigator

Sorry...I really should of defined them!  Tadbhava words are modified Sanskrit words, used in the vernacular language.  Tatsama words are identical in Sanskrit and the vernacular.

I think many non-hindu's are proud of their linguistic heritage and history.


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## Pivra

I'm a Hindu Thai, Thailand is predominantly Buddhists, most of the daily terms are Pali but since it used to be bunch of Hindu kingdoms before, words in literatures are more Sanskritic than Pali. I was able to separate Pali from Sanskrit until recently. (in grade 9, in my Thai class back there)


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## panjabigator

Do the communities get a long well?  Pali is a related language of Sanskrit...I believe it is a decendent language.


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## Captain Haddock

Pali does not descend from Sanskrit, but they're each Indo-Aryan languages and share many similarities (according to Wikipedia).

If I recall correctly, word roots from Sanskrit and Pali are used for making technical words in Thai like Latin and Greek are in English. Linguistically, though, Thai is not related.


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## panjabigator

Whoops!  So Thai, although not linguistically related, draws on Sanskrit for coinign new words?  What else does it use?


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## Pivra

I would say about 65% of new words are from Pali and the rest are older Thai words and Sanskrit or some from English. Some words that sound funny when traslated such as computer are in English, we tried to make it into Pali once, came out bad.


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## panjabigator

Are the Pali routes similar to the Sanskrit ones?  Did Pali arrive in India with Sanskrit?  I have heard of this language before, but I was always unsure if it was a spoken language.


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## Pivra

It is old Bihari. Sanskrit arrived first along with Hinduism but after Emp. Ashoka spreaded Buddhism into Thailand Pali came with the Maurayan armies. Many cities name that were in Sanskrit were changed to Pali or something more Buddhist related. The city of Sri Dharmaraj's (นครศรีธรรมราช) old name was Baranasi (Binares) but Sri Dharmaraj probably means something like Emp. Ashoka himself. 

 In Pali there is less no  Sh as in Rishi and there is no Ksh. I need to go back to Thailand and get my textbook lol. There is quite a difference between the two languages.


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## Confused Linguist

Captain Haddock said:
			
		

> Pali does not descend from Sanskrit, but they're each Indo-Aryan languages and share many similarities (according to Wikipedia).
> 
> If I recall correctly, word roots from Sanskrit and Pali are used for making technical words in Thai like Latin and Greek are in English. Linguistically, though, Thai is not related.


 
Could it be that Wikipedia is wrong? I spent one year at university studying Pali words and how they were derived from Sanskrit.


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## Confused Linguist

Bengali is derived from Pali.

Sanskrit: dharma

Pali: dhamma

Bengali: dhormo, dhommo


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## Confused Linguist

Pivra said:
			
		

> In Pali there is less no Sh as in Rishi and there is no Ksh. I need to go back to Thailand and get my textbook lol. There is quite a difference between the two languages.


 
In Bengali there is no 'sh' as in 'Rishi' and 'ksh' is pronounced as 'k' at the start of a word and 'kk' if it is in the middle or end of a word.

Sanskrit: kshamaa

Bengali: khomaa


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## panjabigator

Panjabi--Khimaa
We dont have the ksh letter either.


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## panjabigator

Btw...some people in India pronounce the Ksh letter like a Chh sound.  I have heard people say Chhamma or Chhatriya (for kshatriya, the caste).


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## anthro

All,

I have been trying to create a more colloquial and simplified form of sanskrit that can be quickly learned and utilized.  I had done this for my own enjoyment; but please email me if you are interested in any way.

Thanks.


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## Jampuppy

shaloo said:


> http://acharya.iitm.ac.in/sanskrit/why_sans.html
> 
> I was thinking if this site could be helpful to anyone interested in Sanskrit and other Dravidian Languages.


 
I was using that site before I encountered a teacher and found it extremely helpful.  It's well-organized and it's the only site I've found so far that includes mp3's of the sounds, all free for download.

Also,  http://learnsanskrit.wordpress.com/about/ has a very attentive teacher and fairly regularly interactive students.  I have never checked this one out, but it looks like it could help with grammar:  http://www.chitrapurmath.net/sanskrit/step-by-step.htm.  This looks more like what you're hoping for, anthro:  http://www.speaksanskrit.org/forum/.  It looks pretty fun, actually!


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## drkpp

It is NOT a dead language. 
It is still being spoken though very less frequently.

Following villages speak Sanskrit exclusively.

1. Mattur, Karnataka State, India
2. Jhiri, District: Rajgadh, Madhya Pradesh State, India
3. Ganoda, District: Banswada, Rajasthan State, India
4. Bawali, District: Bagapat, Uttar Pradesh State, India
5. Mohad, District: Narasinhpur, Madhya Pradesh State, India


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