Sanskrit's Influence on the Hindi Language

3 min read

Sanskrit is often considered the oldest language in the world. Sanskrit has survived for 5000 years in both oral and written form. It comes under the Indo-European family of languages. Interestingly, Sanskrit has given rise to many modern Indian languages. Hindi and other regional languages find their origins in this ancient tongue. It is interesting to explore the relationship between modern Hindi and ancient Sanskrit. 

Historical Context

Sanskrit’s first written record dates back to 1500 BC. According to oral traditions, the language can be as old as 5000 years. On the other hand, Hindi is only 200 years old. Hindi was developed as an official common language by Bharatendu Harishchandra during the British Raj. Indians wanted an official language of correspondence without the Persian influence of Urdu. Thus, Hindi was created from the classical Hindustani after subtracting major Persian words. 

Linguistic Influence

Any Sanskrit language course will tell you about its linguistic influence on languages like Marathi, Kannada, Gujarati, and Awadhi. Such languages have many words whose roots are Sanskrit words. The same is the case for Hindi. For example, the Sanskrit word ‘nidra’ is the root of the Hindi word ‘nind’. Similarly, we have root words for brother, mother, tree, fig, lion, etc. in Sanskrit. You will find thousands of such words in a Sanskrit dictionary. 

Cultural Impact

Sanskrit has also influenced Indian culture a lot. Many Bollywood songs and theatre plays have their origin in Sanskrit literature. Bollywood movies also have references to Sanskrit epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Hindi philosophers also use these references in their debates. You will come across many Hindi poems and prose that refer to these characters to add context in the situation. 

Modern Relevance

Sanskrit still commands great respect in literary circles. Although an extinct language, there have been attempts to revive it. The language continues to influence Hindi literature and vocabulary even today. Hindi language courses will teach you to coin new words to keep up with scientific inventions. Such words always use Sanskrit roots. ‘Antariksh yatri’ is Hindi for astronaut. It has Sanskrit roots. 

Sanskrit's enduring influence on Hindi is undeniable. It enriches its vocabulary, grammar, and cultural context. Sanskrit continues to shape modern Hindi despite being an ancient language. It is demonstrating the timelessness and adaptability of its linguistic legacy. The relationship between the two languages remains a fascinating area of study and appreciation.

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Riya Sharma 2
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