Ashokan Prakrit | |
---|---|
Region | South Asia |
Era | 268—232 BCE |
Indo-European
| |
Early forms | |
Brahmi, Kharoshthi | |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | – |
Ashokan Prakrit (or Aśokan Prākṛta) is the Middle Indo-Aryan dialect continuum used in the Edicts of Ashoka, attributed to Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire who reigned 268 BCE to 232 BCE. [1] The Edicts are inscriptions on monumental pillars and rocks throughout the Indian subcontinent that cover Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism and espouse Buddhist principles (e.g. upholding dhamma and ahimsa).
The Ashokan Prakrit dialects reflected local forms of the Early Middle-Indo-Aryan language. Three dialect areas are represented: Northwestern, Western, and Eastern. The Central dialect of Indo-Aryan is exceptionally not represented; instead, inscriptions of that area use the Eastern forms. [2]: 50 [1] Ashokan Prakrit is descended from an Old Indo-Aryan dialect closely related to Vedic Sanskrit, on occasion diverging by preserving archaisms from Proto-Indo-Aryan.
Ashokan Prakrit is attested in the Dhammalipi and the Kharoshthi script (only in the Northwest).
Masica classifies Ashokan Prakrit as an Early Middle-Indo-Aryan language, representing the earliest stage after Old Indo-Aryan in the historical development of Indo-Aryan. [2]: 52
There are three dialect groups attested in the Ashokan Edicts, based on phonological and grammatical idiosyncrasies which correspond with developments in later Middle Indo-Aryan languages: [3] [4] [5]
The following is the first sentence of the Major Rock Edict 1, inscribed c. 257 BCE in many locations. [9]
iy[aṃ]
this
dhaṃma-lipī
morality-rescript
Devānaṃpriyena
Devānāṁpriya. INS
Priyadasinā
Priyadarśin. INS
rāña
king. INS
lekhāpitā
write. CAUS. PTC
'This rescript on morality has been caused to be written by king Devānāṁpriya Priyadarśin.'
iyaṃ
this
dhaṃma-lipi
morality-rescript
Devānaṃpiyena
Devānāṁpriya. INS
Piyadas[i]nā
Priyadarśin. INS
[lekhit]ā
write. PTC
[aya]
this
dhrama-dipi
morality-rescript
Devanapriasa
Devānāṁpriya. GEN
raño
king. GEN
likhapitu
write. CAUS. PTC
ayi
this
dhra[ma]dip[i]
morality-rescript
Devanaṃ[priye]na
Devānāṁpriya. INS
Priya[draśina
Priyadarśin. INS
rajina
king. INS
li]khapita
write. CAUS. PTC
...
...
[si
LOC
pava]tasi
mountain. LOC
[D]e[v]ā[na]ṃp[iy]
Devānāṁpriya. INS
...
...
[nā
INS
lājina
king. INS
l]i[kha]
write. PTC
...
...
iyaṃ
this
dhaṃma-lipi
morality-rescript
Khepi[ṃ]galasi
Khepiṅgala. LOC
pavatasi
mountain. LOC
Devānaṃpiyena
Devānāṁpriya. INS
Piyadasinā
Priyadarśin. INS
lājinā
king. INS
likhāpitā
write. CAUS. PTC
The dialect groups and their differences are apparent: the Northwest retains clusters but does metathesis on liquids (dhrama vs. other dhaṃma) and retains an earlier form dipi "writing" borrowed from Iranian. [10] Meanwhile, the l ~ r distinctions are apparent in the word for "king" (Girnar rāña but Jaugada lājinā).
Ashokan Prakrit | |
---|---|
Region | South Asia |
Era | 268—232 BCE |
Indo-European
| |
Early forms | |
Brahmi, Kharoshthi | |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | – |
Ashokan Prakrit (or Aśokan Prākṛta) is the Middle Indo-Aryan dialect continuum used in the Edicts of Ashoka, attributed to Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire who reigned 268 BCE to 232 BCE. [1] The Edicts are inscriptions on monumental pillars and rocks throughout the Indian subcontinent that cover Ashoka's conversion to Buddhism and espouse Buddhist principles (e.g. upholding dhamma and ahimsa).
The Ashokan Prakrit dialects reflected local forms of the Early Middle-Indo-Aryan language. Three dialect areas are represented: Northwestern, Western, and Eastern. The Central dialect of Indo-Aryan is exceptionally not represented; instead, inscriptions of that area use the Eastern forms. [2]: 50 [1] Ashokan Prakrit is descended from an Old Indo-Aryan dialect closely related to Vedic Sanskrit, on occasion diverging by preserving archaisms from Proto-Indo-Aryan.
Ashokan Prakrit is attested in the Dhammalipi and the Kharoshthi script (only in the Northwest).
Masica classifies Ashokan Prakrit as an Early Middle-Indo-Aryan language, representing the earliest stage after Old Indo-Aryan in the historical development of Indo-Aryan. [2]: 52
There are three dialect groups attested in the Ashokan Edicts, based on phonological and grammatical idiosyncrasies which correspond with developments in later Middle Indo-Aryan languages: [3] [4] [5]
The following is the first sentence of the Major Rock Edict 1, inscribed c. 257 BCE in many locations. [9]
iy[aṃ]
this
dhaṃma-lipī
morality-rescript
Devānaṃpriyena
Devānāṁpriya. INS
Priyadasinā
Priyadarśin. INS
rāña
king. INS
lekhāpitā
write. CAUS. PTC
'This rescript on morality has been caused to be written by king Devānāṁpriya Priyadarśin.'
iyaṃ
this
dhaṃma-lipi
morality-rescript
Devānaṃpiyena
Devānāṁpriya. INS
Piyadas[i]nā
Priyadarśin. INS
[lekhit]ā
write. PTC
[aya]
this
dhrama-dipi
morality-rescript
Devanapriasa
Devānāṁpriya. GEN
raño
king. GEN
likhapitu
write. CAUS. PTC
ayi
this
dhra[ma]dip[i]
morality-rescript
Devanaṃ[priye]na
Devānāṁpriya. INS
Priya[draśina
Priyadarśin. INS
rajina
king. INS
li]khapita
write. CAUS. PTC
...
...
[si
LOC
pava]tasi
mountain. LOC
[D]e[v]ā[na]ṃp[iy]
Devānāṁpriya. INS
...
...
[nā
INS
lājina
king. INS
l]i[kha]
write. PTC
...
...
iyaṃ
this
dhaṃma-lipi
morality-rescript
Khepi[ṃ]galasi
Khepiṅgala. LOC
pavatasi
mountain. LOC
Devānaṃpiyena
Devānāṁpriya. INS
Piyadasinā
Priyadarśin. INS
lājinā
king. INS
likhāpitā
write. CAUS. PTC
The dialect groups and their differences are apparent: the Northwest retains clusters but does metathesis on liquids (dhrama vs. other dhaṃma) and retains an earlier form dipi "writing" borrowed from Iranian. [10] Meanwhile, the l ~ r distinctions are apparent in the word for "king" (Girnar rāña but Jaugada lājinā).