Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How do Classical Mongolian and Literary Mongolian differ as labels for the written language?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
In the context of the Mongolian language, "Classical Mongolian" and "Literary Mongolian" are used interchangeably as labels for the same traditional Mongolian script.1
There is no functional difference between these terms; both refer to the written language that emerged and became standardized through the translation of Buddhistic literature from Tibetan, Sanskrit, and Chinese sources starting in the 17th century. This written form generally represents the language as it was spoken during the era of Genghis Khan, remaining distinct from the evolution of the spoken language until some colloquial features were integrated in the 19th century.12