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IKS Language and Linguistics

The document provides an introduction to Indian knowledge systems and Pāṇini’s contribution to linguistics. It discusses Pāṇini's Sanskrit grammar treatise, the Aṣṭādhyāyī, and its influence. It also examines word meaning and semantics in Indian philosophical schools of Nyaya and Mimamsa, including primary, secondary and suggestive meanings.

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158 views

IKS Language and Linguistics

The document provides an introduction to Indian knowledge systems and Pāṇini’s contribution to linguistics. It discusses Pāṇini's Sanskrit grammar treatise, the Aṣṭādhyāyī, and its influence. It also examines word meaning and semantics in Indian philosophical schools of Nyaya and Mimamsa, including primary, secondary and suggestive meanings.

Uploaded by

mamunbhabtamsd77
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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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


[email protected]

February 12, 2024


Language

q What is Language?
Lingua → Langage → Language

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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.

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Introduction

1. Language

2. Language, Grammar and Computers

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Language

1. Humans
2. Animals
3. Machine

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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.

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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

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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

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Natural Language

Natural Language: Communicating with sounds/sound patterns is the


natural form of language. Therefore, this is called Natural language.

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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.

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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.

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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)

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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

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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)

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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.

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Suggestive Meaning (Vyañjanā)

vāgarthāviva sampṛktau vāgartha pratipattaye |


jagataḥ pitarau vande pārvatīparameśvarau ||
- Raghuvamśa (1.1) (kālidāsa)

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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.

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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

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Thank You.

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