03-13-2004, 07:16 AM
> We know what Sanskrit is, and what it isn't.
I do not understand the impetuousness in saying the above. However, I
do understand what you mean as a linguist.
But perhaps what you do not know is how the indigens see it....or is
it that one takes no cognizance of the fact that the indigen might a
opinion of their own on matters of such importance?
> It's just a question of terminology.
> I mean no disrespect, but a "dead" language is not one
> that's completely disused and forgotten; it's one that isn't the
first
> native language of anyone, which undergoes no or little change, and
> whose use is restricted to particular purposes.
Please do remember, over centuries, sanskrit has been used on a daily
basis by millions of Indians as part of their daily ritual. Every
significant event in many a Indian's life is touched and sanctified
by it and is perhaps incomplete without it. The relationship has
grown deeper than with "mere" language of communication - it has
grown into a cultural-bond. It is not a "professional competence" to
develop - much the attitude a modern western linguist (MWL) takes.
IMHO, neglecting cultural significance of a language is not the best
way of studying it. This is what the MWLs do. What excuse do they
present? -"Hey, I classify it as a dead language, so what's your
problem if I call it so?" IMHO, that attitude has got arrogance
written all over it and the backlash of that is what a MWL feels...as
one "wondering" professional Sanskritist found out sometime ago.
Allow me to emphasize. We are not discussing a particle travelling at
the speed of light. That can be done quite un-emotionally, and since
the particle has little say on the issue, what we conclude might be
taken as correct. However, we are disscusing about a language. One
significant aspect of a language is expressing emotions. Further we
are not discussing some yesterday-born-today-dead language like
Esperanto. We are discussing a 5000+ year old language (disregarding
the modern-linguistic-classroom-classification of "Vedic Sanskrit and
classical-sanskrit", it is _Sanskrit_ afterall isn't it?), one which
the natives have taken _extra-care_ to preserve it unchanged, and
have lavished on it highest praise - clearly indicating that they
fully well understand and appreciate the value and significance of
the language AND of what they are doing to it.
IMHO, it is naivety to expect no reaction when one tramples over
centuries old carefully preserved tradition (often on the face of
onslaught) with loosely formed speculative theories of "linguistics"
with utter disregard to what the cultural significance of the
language and what the native users/protectors of the language have to
say about it.
I understand, and, I am not being emotional here. I fully appreciate
the "Einsteinian" attempts by linguists to find the elusive unifying
base - the *PIE. But, I am not convinced that the PIE (without the *)
ever existed. OTOH, I am also equally convinced that it _DOES_ exist,
but only in the minds of the protagonists who have bought the theory.
Please note: Nothing personal here. I just expressed what in my
opinion is the error the MWL commits when he/she calls Sanskrit a
dead langauge. Unlike other languages, the "deadness" of it was not
out of disuse, but out of intention - to preserve and pass on the
cultural ethos via an unambiguous and "timeless" medium in an attempt
to stem the ravages that time causes to culture. In its so-
called "deadness" originates the sublime continuity of a culture and
a tradition - as one found nowhere else on earth.
> As Old and Middle Indic vernaculars gradually
> changed into the Modern Indo-Aryan languages, Sanskrit was
preserved
> unchanged by artificial means.
Clearly, it wasn't a "cultural-error" that the language got
preserved, it was a "cultural-intention".
So, please help me understand why, in your opinion did Sanskrit
undergo little change? What "artificial means" were used to preserve
it?
I do not understand the impetuousness in saying the above. However, I
do understand what you mean as a linguist.
But perhaps what you do not know is how the indigens see it....or is
it that one takes no cognizance of the fact that the indigen might a
opinion of their own on matters of such importance?
> It's just a question of terminology.
> I mean no disrespect, but a "dead" language is not one
> that's completely disused and forgotten; it's one that isn't the
first
> native language of anyone, which undergoes no or little change, and
> whose use is restricted to particular purposes.
Please do remember, over centuries, sanskrit has been used on a daily
basis by millions of Indians as part of their daily ritual. Every
significant event in many a Indian's life is touched and sanctified
by it and is perhaps incomplete without it. The relationship has
grown deeper than with "mere" language of communication - it has
grown into a cultural-bond. It is not a "professional competence" to
develop - much the attitude a modern western linguist (MWL) takes.
IMHO, neglecting cultural significance of a language is not the best
way of studying it. This is what the MWLs do. What excuse do they
present? -"Hey, I classify it as a dead language, so what's your
problem if I call it so?" IMHO, that attitude has got arrogance
written all over it and the backlash of that is what a MWL feels...as
one "wondering" professional Sanskritist found out sometime ago.
Allow me to emphasize. We are not discussing a particle travelling at
the speed of light. That can be done quite un-emotionally, and since
the particle has little say on the issue, what we conclude might be
taken as correct. However, we are disscusing about a language. One
significant aspect of a language is expressing emotions. Further we
are not discussing some yesterday-born-today-dead language like
Esperanto. We are discussing a 5000+ year old language (disregarding
the modern-linguistic-classroom-classification of "Vedic Sanskrit and
classical-sanskrit", it is _Sanskrit_ afterall isn't it?), one which
the natives have taken _extra-care_ to preserve it unchanged, and
have lavished on it highest praise - clearly indicating that they
fully well understand and appreciate the value and significance of
the language AND of what they are doing to it.
IMHO, it is naivety to expect no reaction when one tramples over
centuries old carefully preserved tradition (often on the face of
onslaught) with loosely formed speculative theories of "linguistics"
with utter disregard to what the cultural significance of the
language and what the native users/protectors of the language have to
say about it.
I understand, and, I am not being emotional here. I fully appreciate
the "Einsteinian" attempts by linguists to find the elusive unifying
base - the *PIE. But, I am not convinced that the PIE (without the *)
ever existed. OTOH, I am also equally convinced that it _DOES_ exist,
but only in the minds of the protagonists who have bought the theory.
Please note: Nothing personal here. I just expressed what in my
opinion is the error the MWL commits when he/she calls Sanskrit a
dead langauge. Unlike other languages, the "deadness" of it was not
out of disuse, but out of intention - to preserve and pass on the
cultural ethos via an unambiguous and "timeless" medium in an attempt
to stem the ravages that time causes to culture. In its so-
called "deadness" originates the sublime continuity of a culture and
a tradition - as one found nowhere else on earth.
> As Old and Middle Indic vernaculars gradually
> changed into the Modern Indo-Aryan languages, Sanskrit was
preserved
> unchanged by artificial means.
Clearly, it wasn't a "cultural-error" that the language got
preserved, it was a "cultural-intention".
So, please help me understand why, in your opinion did Sanskrit
undergo little change? What "artificial means" were used to preserve
it?