Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c18.168

Language: English

c18.168

28. *Mlechchhita-vikalpa*, the knowledge of languages other than Sanskrit. The *Samavāya-sūtra* uses the term *Jana-vācham* for a knowledge of the vernaculars; *Māgadhīyam*, proficiency in Māgadhi Prākṛit; and also *Paure-vācham*, urban, refined speech. This is equivalent to the term *Vachanaṁ Udāram* used by Yaśodhara, a sort of courtly speech. *Kādambarī* has the term *Sarva-deśa-bhāshāḥ*. All these terms show the specialized study in those days of Sanskrit and the Prākṛits, the literary and spoken tongues, and also non-Aryan (Mlechchha) languages.

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