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pnauhwar21
January 2nd, 2006, 04:40 AM
Hi All,

Here is another thing I wonder :).

We all know that different languages are spoken in different parts of world which were originated over a period of time from various base languages. Now every language has its own words, alphabets, grammar, rules, etc.

Now the questions are :

1) How would have the first ever language and then subsequent languages viz. Sanskrit, Hindi, Kantonese, english been created? On what basis were the alphabets, words denoting everything found on earth created and who did that?

2) How did the man communicate before a proper language was developed? I know you will say using sign languages. But without a proper language, do u think man would have been using some strange sounds just like animals? Its quite interesting to visualize how they would have started creating a proper language to denote objects.

3) As we know, for a Hindi speaking person, Chinese or french is totally junk as we dont understand anything. When a child is born, he doesnt know any language. He learns it from his parents, environments and then relates everything in the world with the words of his language.
I guess animals also teach their siblings using their own language though it doesnt makes sense to us just like russian or chinese. So, a hypothitical questions for research is, if a human child is left since his birth with maybe dogs and they take care of him as one of their own, will that child grow with barking like dogs which may have its own syllables, grammar which makes sense to dogs :confused:

We may not have answers to everything but lets try to figure out with every superior intelligence :cool:

dndeswal
January 12th, 2006, 09:29 PM
A very short answer. Swamy Dayanand's explanation is that the first generation of men and women (Rishis - no mention what was the size of that first group) was created by God and that this 'first group' had full knowledge of language (Vedas - obviously Sanskrit) and also the various branches of knowledge at the time its 'birth'. According to him, this first generation (of Rishis) was God's making. What kind of laboratory He must have used for such a creation, is not known to us as His deeds are beyond our comprehension. Subsequent generations were started by that first group by natural method (conception in woman's womb). According to Swamiji, this first group of mankind was created in Tibet area from where it spread to other corners of our Globe. For details, read the book 'Satyarthprakash'.

Development of subsequent languages is a long story and various scholars have their own views.

The above does not confer with Darwin's theory which is still controversial.

If we do not believe this, then the same famous riddle will persist: "Who came first - hen or the egg?"

raj_rathee
January 13th, 2006, 10:17 PM
A very short answer. Swamy Dayanand's explanation is that the first generation of men and women (Rishis - no mention what was the size of that first group) was created by God and that this 'first group' had full knowledge of language (Vedas - obviously Sanskrit) and also the various branches of knowledge at the time its 'birth'. According to him, this first generation (of Rishis) was God's making. What kind of laboratory He must have used for such a creation, is not known to us as His deeds are beyond our comprehension.

Oh boy. Satyarth Parkash mein sacch mucch yeh sab likha hua hai !!!
And someone actually believes that ????????????????? :D

deepakchoudhry
January 21st, 2006, 10:17 PM
Energy based sounds given by the divine power to our rishis became the Sanskrit Language.

And vedas and Other important scripture were written.

Each letter in sanskrit denotes a specific energy sound.

Thats why Mantra and Sound are so important in hindu philsophy.

Most languages in the Sub continent are based on Sanskrit.

dndeswal
January 27th, 2006, 05:48 PM
.
The divine power of Sanskrit

The facts quoted by Deepak Choudhry about Sanskrit language are most accurate and defined scientifically. I write here my own experience with this language. Not only the languages in the Indian Sub-continent, European languages too have some connection with Sanskrit. At the time of my graduation in the 70s when I opted for Sanskrit as a subject for my BA (Honours) course at the Panjab University in Chandigarh (though the medium of studies was still English), some of my classmates used to make sarcastic comments about my choice – just to discourage. Though having studied Sanskrit in a university, I still find myself lagging behind compared to those who have studied it in a Gurukul.

With years of experience in life and in Service too, I now realize that my choice proved to be a right one. Today, my colleagues wonder how my power of grasping words of Western languages is so sharp, compared to them. During my days in Moscow, some basic Russian language classes were attended – my Russian tutor was appreciating the fact that I grasped the words quickly. Reason is that Russian grammar composition is similar to Sanskrit’s – singular, dual, plural, male-female verbs and so on. While in USA, no need was felt to learn a foreign language but in Mexico, I had to attend to some Spanish classes. Spanish, like Indian languages, is a phonetic one – unlike English and French. Hence I could grasp it quickly. But here in this part of Switzerland (Geneva) the language is French (not phonetic) - difficult to be learnt without a tutor. But even without a tutor – ‘kaam chal raha hai’.

· In the past thousands of years (if not lakhs which Swamy Dayanand has written), Vedas have survived not because of their preservation on paper (book) but because of transferring the voice-text from one generation to the other. The written form of Mantras has also remained intact only because of their composition in energy based sounds. The text of other ancient books has changed, including Mahabharat and Ramayan. Successive scholars have inserted their own texts (Shlokas) in those books. Technically, this factor is called "Prakshepann". This has not been the case with Vedas - only because of their sound scientific base.

· One may note that Western poetry leads to depression whereas Sanskrit poetry fills us with a strange divine power, enabling us to adjust with time. A Western lover (in poetry) goes near the grave of his beloved (‘Premika’), starts weeping in her memory and commits suicide. This is not the case with ancient Indian literature. A Sanskrit-knowing person never thinks about committing suicide even in the worst days of his life or in acute poverty. For us, suicide (killing oneself) is similar to killing another human being – even our illiterate masses prefer to beg than to commit suicide.

I intended to write here a few lines in Sanskrit but am unable to do so because of non-availability of Devanagri software. The one which I have is not Windows-XP compatible.



* * * * *

devdahiya
January 28th, 2006, 12:59 AM
.
The divine power of Sanskrit

The facts quoted by Deepak Choudhry about Sanskrit language are most accurate and defined scientifically. I write here my own experience with this language. Not only the languages in the Indian Sub-continent, European languages too have some connection with Sanskrit. At the time of my graduation in the 70s when I opted for Sanskrit as a subject for my BA (Honours) course at the Panjab University in Chandigarh (though the medium of studies was still English), some of my classmates used to make sarcastic comments about my choice – just to discourage. Though having studied Sanskrit in a university, I still find myself lagging behind compared to those who have studied it in a Gurukul.

With years of experience in life and in Service too, I now realize that my choice proved to be a right one. Today, my colleagues wonder how my power of grasping words of Western languages is so sharp, compared to them. During my days in Moscow, some basic Russian language classes were attended – my Russian tutor was appreciating the fact that I grasped the words quickly. Reason is that Russian grammar composition is similar to Sanskrit’s – singular, dual, plural, male-female verbs and so on. While in USA, no need was felt to learn a foreign language but in Mexico, I had to attend to some Spanish classes. Spanish, like Indian languages, is a phonetic one – unlike English and French. Hence I could grasp it quickly. But here in this part of Switzerland (Geneva) the language is French (not phonetic) - difficult to be learnt without a tutor. But even without a tutor – ‘kaam chal raha hai’.

· In the past thousands of years (if not lakhs which Swamy Dayanand has written), Vedas have survived not because of their preservation on paper (book) but because of transferring the voice-text from one generation to the other. The written form of Mantras has also remained intact only because of their composition in energy based sounds. The text of other ancient books has changed, including Mahabharat and Ramayan. Successive scholars have inserted their own texts (Shlokas) in those books. Technically, this factor is called "Prakshepann". This has not been the case with Vedas - only because of their sound scientific base.

· One may note that Western poetry leads to depression whereas Sanskrit poetry fills us with a strange divine power, enabling us to adjust with time. A Western lover (in poetry) goes near the grave of his beloved (‘Premika’), starts weeping in her memory and commits suicide. This is not the case with ancient Indian literature. A Sanskrit-knowing person never thinks about committing suicide even in the worst days of his life or in acute poverty. For us, suicide (killing oneself) is similar to killing another human being – even our illiterate masses prefer to beg than to commit suicide.

I intended to write here a few lines in Sanskrit but am unable to do so because of non-availability of Devanagri software. The one which I have is not Windows-XP compatible.



* * * * *




Good take and how so true.

sampuran
January 28th, 2006, 05:22 AM
How language was created, I dont know. But from close observation some thing can be said about how a child learns to speak. He/She does so by trying to mimic whatever he/she hears. Simultaneously adults try to build up the power of co-relation by pointing out as they speak.

An interesting fact is that a child who is deaf will also be dumb. He cant hear , so he cant mimic. Hence cant speak.



Scientific reasonings behind Samskrit are mind boggling. More we try to study the language, more things emerge. How it originated, and why only in one part of the world while so many others remained in darkness is mystry.

sjakhars
March 26th, 2006, 06:06 AM
Rightly said Deswal sir and Deepak bhai again accurate and precise as always.
Language sanskrit is one of the best in whole world. Although this is not connected with main subject of the thread( how languages created) but still relevant.
I read somewhere that all the modern languages are derrived from sanskrit.That was a report of some research.words like 'Mother' for example are about same and we can find similarity in different languages.
Sanskrit-matr
English-Mother
Hindi-Mata, ma
Urdu-amma/ammi
and in other languages too.
we can see same with word 'father' too.
Sanskrit is most powerful language to express yourself. Although I did not study sanskrit after my school days but still I try to read some literature in it.whenever I read some thing in sanskrit I feel more energetic and positive towards everything. It gives me a confidence.


The facts quoted by Deepak Choudhry about Sanskrit language are most accurate and defined scientifically. I write here my own experience with this language. Not only the languages in the Indian Sub-continent, European languages too have some connection with sanskrit

vikasduhan
March 26th, 2006, 07:48 AM
I was surprised to find that Korean word for mother is AMMA. I believe the words for mother are almost similar in all the languages, but why??? :confused: Can somebody tell?

sampuran
March 27th, 2006, 02:06 AM
I was surprised to find that Korean word for mother is AMMA. I believe the words for mother are almost similar in all the languages, but why??? :confused: Can somebody tell?


The first sound (apart from crying for milk) that a child tries to speak is Ma. Perhaps thats the reason.

sjakhars
March 27th, 2006, 03:48 AM
In arabic language mother is called 'mama', one more similar word.

vinodks
March 28th, 2006, 11:25 PM
You should read the "The Code Book" by Simon Singh

-vinod


Hi All,

Here is another thing I wonder :).

We all know that different languages are spoken in different parts of world which were originated over a period of time from various base languages. Now every language has its own words, alphabets, grammar, rules, etc.

Now the questions are :

1) How would have the first ever language and then subsequent languages viz. Sanskrit, Hindi, Kantonese, english been created? On what basis were the alphabets, words denoting everything found on earth created and who did that?

2) How did the man communicate before a proper language was developed? I know you will say using sign languages. But without a proper language, do u think man would have been using some strange sounds just like animals? Its quite interesting to visualize how they would have started creating a proper language to denote objects.

3) As we know, for a Hindi speaking person, Chinese or french is totally junk as we dont understand anything. When a child is born, he doesnt know any language. He learns it from his parents, environments and then relates everything in the world with the words of his language.
I guess animals also teach their siblings using their own language though it doesnt makes sense to us just like russian or chinese. So, a hypothitical questions for research is, if a human child is left since his birth with maybe dogs and they take care of him as one of their own, will that child grow with barking like dogs which may have its own syllables, grammar which makes sense to dogs :confused:

We may not have answers to everything but lets try to figure out with every superior intelligence :cool:

sampuran
April 5th, 2006, 04:38 PM
There is a Sanskrit aphorism, "prithivyam trini ratnani / jalam annam subhashitam" (there are three precious treasures on earth: water, foodgrains, and apt quotations). To these three riches can be added the fourth known as Sanskrit: the vast ocean of wisdom and knowledge.
Sanskrit is the symbol and heart of India. It is the most precious possession of India. As per Sir Monier Monier-Williams (1819-1899), famous for his Sanskrit English dictionary, "India's national character is cast in a Sanskrit mould and in Sanskrit language. Its literature is a key to its vast religious system. Sanskrit is one medium of approach to the hearts of Indians."
Till a few centuries ago, glorious Hindu religion, culture and philosophy used to stretch from Gandhar (modern day Afghanistan) to Indonesia. And Sanskrit language was the instrument for this prominence. But repeated Muslim invasions of Indian subcontinent brought destruction of many prestigious centres of learning leading to decline of Sanskrit.
Sublime thoughts in sublime language Sanskrit contains sublime thoughts in sublime words. All the Vedas, Upanishads, Aadi Kavi Maharishi Valamiki's Aadi kavyam Ramayana with 24,000 stanzas, Mahabharata, the longest poem in the world with over 1,00,000 stanzas, eighteen Puranas and several other holy books are all written in Sanskrit. Mahabharata also contains Bhagavad Gita. A verse of Mahabharata proclaims that what is found in Mahabharata may appear elsewhere but what is not in Mahabharata would be found nowhere.
To understand and appreciate beauty of Vedas, Sanskrit provides six Vedangs: Shikhsha (phonetics), Vyakarna (grammar), Chhanda (metre), Nirukta (etymology), Kalpa (religious practice) and Jyotish (astronomy).
Mention is made here of a few Vedic gems.
Mata bhumih putro aham prithivyaha (earth is our mother and we are its children); kevalagho kevalaadi (one who eats alone, eats sin); apritito jayati sama dhanani (only the forward march achieves success); tasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhati (His radiance pervades entire universe); satyam vad dharmam char (speak the truth, be righteous); sarve janah sukhino bhavantu (may every one be happy). And the list is endless.
Immortal Sanskrit literature Sanskrit has the oldest and richest literature in the world.
First Mantra of Rig Veda (1.1.1) is the first known poem in the world. English language prides having just one Shakespeare. Sanskrit has got thousands of Shakespeares. It is pitiable that the educated Indian knows nothing about them or about Sanskrit.
Sanskrit contains both sacred and temporal writings. After Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana and Mahabharata, Sanskrit magnificence continued through Bhasa, Kalidas, Bharavi, Magh, Bana, Kalhana, Adi Shankracharya, Chanakya and many others like Bhartirihari and his famous Shatkas. Bharat's Natyashastra and timeless Sanskrit dramas also adorn Sanskrit firmament. Vishnu Prabhakar's didactic fable Panch Tantra guides humans to this day. Panini's Ashtadhyayi is a timeless treatise of Sanskrit Grammar.
Sanskrit contains vast knowledge also about astronomy, astrology and mathematics. And Aryabhatt's Aryabhattiyam can be cited in this regard. Sanskrit also has Ayurveda (medical science) and Dhanur Veda.
And philosophy begins with the hymns of Rig Veda. Sanskrit explains all the six traditional systems of philosophy viz. Nyayah, Vaisheshikam, Sankhyam, Yogah, Mimansa and Vedant. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are still acting as the lodestar for many travellers of life. These Yoga Sutras describe eight steps to achieve victory of mind over matter. And they are: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayam, Pratyahar, Dharana, Dhyan and Samadhi.
Sanskrit also describes modern scientific tools discovered by Indian scholars thousands of years ago. Concept of shoonya (zero), concept of earth revolving around the sun, concepts of gravity, gyaamiti (geometry), triknomiti (trignometry), infinity, concept of time ranging from Krati (one 34,000th of a second) to kalpa (1000 maha yugas i.e. billions of years), decimal system: All this knowledge, and much more, is written in Sanskrit.
An impeccable language Sanskrit is a scientific and systematic language with a perfect grammar. It is computer compatible.
As per Sir William Jones (1746-1794), Sanskrit is "more perfect than Greek, more copious than Latin, and more exquisitely refined than either". Sanskrit is independent, and is not derived from any other language. Sanskrit easily explains complex thoughts in a simple manner. The single theme of 'sublime' permeates Sanskrit literature.
Besides being rich in words (for instance, Sanskrit has got over a hundred synonyms for the word 'water'), Sanskrit is the language of the heart. It has got exact words to describe various human emotions. As per NASA, Sanskrit is "the only unambiguous language on earth". Even translated Sanskrit works have won admiration of scholars all over the world.
Sanskrit will revive Bharat's glory Macaulayan education has banished Sanskrit from schools and colleges dubbing it as a dead language. But death of Sanskrit means death of Hindu religion, Hindu Sanskriti (culture), Hindu heritage and Hindu identity.
The language which has all along sustained us cannot be allowed to fade away. Sanskrit must be revived and taught in schools and colleges since its survival is a must for survival of Hinduism and for rediscovery of hidden treasures of Bharat Varsha.
As per eminent historian Will Durant (1885-1981), "Civilization is not something inborn or imperishable; it must be acquired anew by every generation, and any serious interruption in its financing or its transmission may bring it to an end."
Courtsey : Sh JG Arora, The writer is retd commissioner of Income Tax
http://www.centralchronicle.com/20060303/0303302.htm