Middle Indo-Aryan languages
Quick Summary
Middle Indo-Aryan languages, also known as Prakrits, represent a stage in the development of Indo-Aryan languages that followed Old Indo-Aryan (Sanskrit) and preceded New (Modern) Indo-Aryan languages. The term "Prakrit" generally refers to the vernacular or "natural" languages spoken by the populace, as opposed to Sanskrit, the polished language of the elite.1234
Key characteristics of Middle Indo-Aryan include:
* Phonological Simplification: A reduction in the complexity of sounds compared to Old Indo-Aryan. This involved changes to vowels, such as the merger of certain sounds and the transformation of diphthongs into single vowels. Final consonants were often deleted, and consonant clusters were modified.4
* Grammatical Changes: A reduction in noun cases and an increase in the influence of noun forms on verb systems.54
* Literary Forms: The most ancient literary Prakrit is Pali, the language of the Buddhist canon. Other significant literary Prakrits include MahÄrÄį¹£į¹rÄ«, ÅaurasenÄ«, and ArdhamÄgadhÄ«, used in various poetic works, dramas, and religious texts.3
* Inscriptions: The earliest written evidence of Middle Indo-Aryan comes from the AÅokan inscriptions, dating to the 3rd century BCE.3
These languages were spoken by millions across the Indian subcontinent and laid the groundwork for the diverse New Indo-Aryan languages spoken today.16
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