IKS Language and Linguistics

Introduction to Indian Knowledge Systems
Pāṇini’s Contribution to Linguistics - Language and Linguistics
Prof. Pavankumar Satuluri
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences

[email protected]
February 12, 2024

Language
q What is Language?
Lingua → Langage → Language
2 / 25
Language
q Conveying thoughts.
q Concepts and their relations.
q Speaker encodes the information of concepts and relations into words
q Listener has to decode the information encoded by the speaker to get
the knowledge of the thoughts.
3 / 25
Introduction
1. Language
2. Language, Grammar and Computers
4 / 25
Language
1. Humans
2. Animals
3. Machine
5 / 25
Human Language
1. Humans: Produce many different kinds of sounds

2. Make interesting sequences
3. Association between meaning and sound sequences
4. Effectively communicate ideas, emotions feelings etc. This mental
faculty is language.
6 / 25
Animal Language
1. Produce many different kinds of sounds

2. Show/communicate basic emotions through sounds
3. Can communicate with each other in other forms
4. Very limited number of sound patterns compared to humans
7 / 25
Machine Language
1. Store and process complex symbol structures

2. Can communicate with each other by using some well-defined
notations
3. Limited number of languages
4. Humans can communicate with machines
8 / 25
Natural Language
Natural Language: Communicating with sounds/sound patterns is the

natural form of language. Therefore, this is called Natural language.
9 / 25
Language, Grammar and Computers
q Languages will differ based on their grammar

q Through language we can express our feelings, and others will
understand the meaning.
q Computers can store and process language.
q Grammar maps the syntax to the meaning. The systematic relation
between syntax and meaning is called Grammar.
10 / 25
About Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of the language. It studies the

rules, systems and principles of languages.
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Purpose of Linguistics
Linguistics studies the nature of language, tries to establish a theory of

language and describes languages in the light of the theory established.
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Core Branches of Linguistics
q Phonetics: It is the scientific study of speech sounds. It studies with

how speech sounds are articulated,transmitted and received.
q Phonology: It is the study of how sounds are used in a language to
convey meaning.
q Morphology: This deals with the formation of words.
q Syntax: It deals with the structure of the sentences.
q Semantics: It is a branch of linguistics which is concerned with the
study of meaning in all its formal aspects.
q Pragmatics: Language in context.
13 / 25
Pāṇini
Circa 500 B.C.E.

Aṣṭādhyāyī - A famous treatise Extant Grammar of the then prevalent
Sanskrit Language
Around 4000 sutras(aphorisms)
8 chapters 4 sections each
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Pāṇini
Aṣṭādhyāyī consists of around 4000 aphorisms with some ancillary texts.

q Śivasūtras (special order of the phonemes)
q Dhātupāṭha(list of verbal roots)
q Gaṇapāṭha (various sets of nouns)
q Liṅgānuśāsanam (system for deciding the gender)
q Uṇādi sūtras (special rules)
15 / 25
Pāṇini and his contribution to Linguistics
q Standardization of Sanskrit
q Generative Approach
q Morphological Generation and Analysis
q Concept of Kāraka
q Synchronic Approach
q Influence of Aṣṭādhyāyī on other languages
16 / 25
Contributions of Nyāyaśāstra to Linguistics
q Analysis of various components of Language

q Relation between Word and Meaning
q Logical Analysis of a Language
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Word Meaning
q Primary Meaning (Abhidā): The primary, direct, explicit reference to

an object or concept. Non-figurative sense of a word.
q Secondary Meaning/Implication (Lakśaṇā) : Referent who is different
from its primary sense but is related to it.
q Suggestive Meaning (Vyañjanā) : Different from Primary and
Secondary Meanings of a word.
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Primary Meaning (Abhidā)
q Rudha (Conventional): It is a convention that a word is being used in

a sense. Ex. Ghata(pot)
q Yaugika (Etymological): The meaning of a derived word is
compositional.Ex. Pacaka(Cook)
q Yogarudha : Etymological meaning is restricted by convention. Ex.:
Pankaja(Lotus)
q Yougikarudha : Words express meaning etymologically and
conventionally. Ex: Asvagandha(Smell of a horse/Medicinal Plant)
19 / 25
Secondary Meaning (Lakśaṇā)
1. India won the Match.

2. The wind whispered through the trees.
3. Kick the bucket
4. Time flies like an arrow.
20 / 25
Suggestive Meaning (Vyañjanā)
vāgarthāviva sampṛktau vāgartha pratipattaye |

jagataḥ pitarau vande pārvatīparameśvarau ||
- Raghuvamśa (1.1) (kālidāsa)
21 / 25
Necessary Conditions for Verbal Cognition
q Expectancy (ākāṃkṣā): desire to know the other words in a sentence

needed for complete understanding.
q Compatibility (yogyatā): Absence of obstruction in meaning. Ex. He
sprinkles with Water, and He sprinkles with fire.
q Proximity (sannidhi): The nearness of words leads to verbal cognition
without any interventions.
22 / 25
Contributions of Mīmāmsāśāstra to Linguistics
There are two main branches of Mimamsa: Purva Mimamsa and Uttara
Mimamsa (later Mimamsa), also known as Vedanta.
Main concepts of Purva Mimamsa
q Karmakanda
q Smriti and Vedas
q Concept of Dharma
Main concepts of Uttara Mimamsa
q Brahman
q Atman
q Maya
q Moksha
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Maxims(Nyaya) from Mīmāmsāśāstra
q Kapiñjala nyāya: Bring Kapinjala birds for sacrifice

q Sāmānyaviśeṣa nyāya: A boy and a child.
q Yogāt rūḍhiḥ nyāya: gau, ghata etc.
q Nyaya Meaning of Negative particle: non-Indian
24 / 25
Thank You.

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Introduction to Indian Knowledge Systems

Pāṇini’s Contribution to Linguistics - Language and Linguistics

Prof. Pavankumar Satuluri

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences

February 12, 2024

2. Language, Grammar and Computers

1. Humans: Produce many different kinds of sounds

1. Produce many different kinds of sounds

1. Store and process complex symbol structures

Natural Language: Communicating with sounds/sound patterns is the

q Languages will differ based on their grammar

Linguistics is the scientific study of the language. It studies the

Linguistics studies the nature of language, tries to establish a theory of

q Phonetics: It is the scientific study of speech sounds. It studies with

Circa 500 B.C.E.

Aṣṭādhyāyī consists of around 4000 aphorisms with some ancillary texts.

q Analysis of various components of Language

q Primary Meaning (Abhidā): The primary, direct, explicit reference to

q Rudha (Conventional): It is a convention that a word is being used in

1. India won the Match.

vāgarthāviva sampṛktau vāgartha pratipattaye |

q Expectancy (ākāṃkṣā): desire to know the other words in a sentence

q Kapiñjala nyāya: Bring Kapinjala birds for sacrifice

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