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Ancient Indo-Aryan dialect continuum From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ashokan Prakrit, also known as Asokan Prakrit or Aśokan Prakrit (IAST: Aśoka 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.[2] 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).
Ashokan Prakrit | |
---|---|
![]() Ashokan Prakrit inscribed in the Brahmi script at Sarnath. | |
Region | South Asia |
Era | 268—232 BCE[1] |
Indo-European
| |
Early forms | |
Brahmi, Kharoshthi | |
Language codes | |
ISO 639-3 | – |
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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. [3]: 50 [2] 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 Brahmi script, as well as the Kharoshthi script in the north-west.[clarification needed]
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.[3]: 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:[4][5][6]
The following is the first sentence of the Major Rock Edict 1, inscribed c. 257 BCE in many locations.[10]
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.[11] Meanwhile, the l ~ r distinctions are apparent in the word for "king" (Girnar rāña but Jaugada lājinā).[citation needed]
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