Punjabi and Sanskrit

An article by Om Parkash Kahol
Late Prof. Om Parkash Kahol was one of the very few Hindu scholars, who believed that the Hindus of Punjab who had, all of a sudden, started disowning their mother tongue, were committing an ‘unpardonable sin’ against the motherland. For him, the Punjabi language was the ‘most precious gem in the treasure called the Hindu heritage’. Himself a staunch Hindu, Kahol believed that Punjabi was more akin to Sanskrit than any other language of India. (Professor Kahol was Dr. S.S. Sodhi’s professor of physics in S.D. College, Ambala Cantt (1948-1950.)
The Philological survey of Punjabi written by late Prof. Kahol in the fifties, is reproduced here for the benefit of our readers. The vicus expressed by the late Prof. Kahol will falsify many misconceptions, deliberately created by the vested interests.
==PUNJABI AND EUROPEAN LANGUAGES==
The structural peculiarities of a language cannot be surveyed in a short note. Comparative philology is a science almost as exact as mathematics and its laws are very similar to those of statistics. In the limited space available to us, we can only touch the outer-most fringes of this vast subject, so as to arouse popular interest in it.
Punjabi is not a dialect
There has been a good deal of discussion, of late, whether Punjabi is a full-fledged language or a mere dialect. 
The question has been discussed more often by political propagandists than by scholars and the objectivity of the problem has been completely masked by the heaps of vile propaganda, indulged in by the supporters as well as opponents of Punjabi.
Philological importance of Punjabi
Punjabi is a language and not a dialect of any other language. It leads an independent life, like other well-known languages - Hindi, Bengali, English or German. The study of this language is important, not only because it is one of the most widely spoken languages of India, but also because Punjabi has preserved some of the rarest phonological and structural peculiarities of the ancient Aryan speech, from which have sprung up the majority of Indian and European languages of today. No student of Aryan philology can, therefore, afford to ignore Punjabi.
Teutonic and Romance Languages
The evolution of Punjabi from the original Aryan speech, of which Sanskrit is the best representative extant, has followed exactly the same rules of transformation, as governed the evolution of modern Teutonic and Roman languages from the parent speech. The main Teutonic languages are German, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and English and owe their birth to a common source. The family of Romance languages includes French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Romanian. They are more or less direct descendants of Latin. Both old Teutonic and Latin, along with Slavonic, Armenian and Sanskrit, are believed to have originated from a common parent speech, called by German scholars, the Ursprache.
Process of Evolution
The transformation of the parent language into its derivatives follows certain general physical trends, or speech habits, of the speakers, and as a rule, similar geographical or ethnological factors produce similar changes in the language. Our business today is to show that transformation of Sanskrit into Punjabi has followed the same lines, more or less, as the transformation of Latin into its modern offshoots, principally Italian. The change from the classical to the modern language has taken place in accordance with certain rules, which have, of course, a number of exceptions. Let us now examine some of these rules.#
==Some Philological Rules exemplified==
===Rule I===
The conjunct ‘ct’ or ‘kt’ in the classical language changes into ‘it’ in the modern language.
Rule I. 	The conjunct ‘ct’ or ‘kt’ in the classical language changes into ‘it’ in the modern language.	The conjunct ‘ct’ or ‘kt’ in the classical language changes into ‘it’ in the modern language.
(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES 	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES
Latin 	Italian 	Meaning
Victoria 	Vittoria 	Victoria
Octo 	Otto 	Eight
Noctis 	Nitte 	Night
October 	Ottobre 	October
Lactis 	Latte 	Milk
(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES
Sanskrit 	Punjabi 	Meaning
Bhukta 	Bhatta 	Allowance (Rice)
Saktu 	Sattu 	Barley flour
Rakta 	Ratta 	Blood (Red)
Tikta 	Titta (or Teet) 	Bitter (Sour)
===Rule II===
The conjunct ‘pt’ in the classical language changes into ‘tt’ in the modern language. This rule, as well as the one exemplified above, can be combined into one generalization, viz. simplification of the conjuncts and reduplication of the succeeding consonants.
Rule II. 	The conjunct ‘pt’ in the classical language changes into ‘tt’ in the modern language. 	The conjunct ‘pt’ in the classical language changes into ‘tt’ in the modern language.
(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES 	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES 	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES
Latin 	Italian 	Meaning
Optimus 	Ottimo 	Best (Sanskrit: ttama)
Septem 	Setto 	Seven
Scriptum 	Scritto 	Written
September 	Settembre 	September
Sceptre 	Scettro 	Sceptre
(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES
Sanskrit 	Punjabi 	Meaning
Sapta 	Satt-a 	Seven
Supta 	Sutta 	Asleep
Tapta 	Tatta 	Hot
Dugdha 	Duddha 	Milk
Gupta (concealed), Lupta (vanished) and Tripta (satisfied) are important exceptions. These words have come from Sanskrit, without undergoing any modification.	Gupta (concealed), Lupta (vanished) and Tripta (satisfied) are important exceptions. These words have come from Sanskrit, without undergoing any modification.	Gupta (concealed), Lupta (vanished) and Tripta (satisfied) are important exceptions. These words have come from Sanskrit, without undergoing any modification.
===Rule III===
The conjunct ‘x’ or ‘ksh’ in the classical language into ‘cc’ (pronounced as ‘ch’ in ‘church’), ‘ss’ or ‘chh’ in the modern language.
Rule III. 	The conjunct ‘x’ or ‘ksh’ in the classical language into ‘cc’ (pronounced as ‘ch’ in ‘church’), ‘ss’ or ‘chh’ in the modern language	The conjunct ‘x’ or ‘ksh’ in the classical language into ‘cc’ (pronounced as ‘ch’ in ‘church’), ‘ss’ or ‘chh’ in the modern language
(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES 	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES
Latin 	Italian 	Meaning
Excellentia 	Eccellenza 	Excellence (-y)
Exception (em) 	Eccezione 	Exception
Proximo 	Prossimo 	Proximo (next)
Exactement (French) 	Esettaemte 	Exactly
(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES
Sanskrit 	Punjabi 	Meaning
Lakshmi (Laxmi) 	Lacchhmi 	Goddess of wealth
Kaksha 	Kacchhi-a 	Armpit
Pakshi (Paxi) 	Panchhi 	Bird
Riksha 	Ricchh-a 	Bear
Vritsha 	Bircchh-a 	Tree
Lakshana 	Lacchhan-a 	Symptoms
Punjabi is a language and not a dialect of any other language. It leads an independent life, life other well-known languages - Hindi, Bengali, English or German. The study of this language is important, not only because it is one of the most widely spoken languages of India, but also because Punjabi has preserved some of the rarest philological and structural peculiarities of the ancient Aryan speech, from which have sprung up the majority of Indian and European languages of today. No student of Aryan philology can, therefore, afford to ignore Punjabi.
===Rule IV===
The hard consonants in the classical language tend to soften in the modern language. This is a modification of the well-known Grimm's law in Indo-European philology. For purposes of this law, hard consonants mean the first and second rows of the Nagri consonants and soft mean the third and fourth rows.
Rule IV. 	The hard consonants in the classical language tend to soften in the modern language.	The hard consonants in the classical language tend to soften in the modern language.
(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES 	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES
Latin 	Italian 	Meaning
Catta 	Gatto (Spanish: Gato) 	Cat
Aqua 	Agua (Spanish) 	Water
Aequalis 	Eguale 	Equal
Sabatum 	Sabado (Spanish) 	Sabbath
Aprilis 	Abril (Spanish) 	April
(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES
Sanskrit 	Punjabi 	Meaning
Loka 	Log-a 	People
Shoka 	Sog-a 	Grief
Pancha 	Panja 	Five
Kanta 	Kanda 	Thorn
Danta 	Dand-a 	Tooth
Api 	Bi (or vi) 	Also
===Rule V===
The sound of ‘p’ in classical language tends to change into that of ‘v’ in modern language. The best example of it in European languages is the change of Latin ‘Aprilis’ into French ‘Avril’ (English ‘April’). Among Indian languages, the examples of this transformation are numerous.
Examples.
Rule V. 	The hard consonants in the classical language tend to soften in the modern language.	The hard consonants in the classical language tend to soften in the modern language.
(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES
Sanskrit 	Punjabi 	Meaning
Dipa 	Diva 	Lamp
Dipawali 	Divavali 	A festival (-Diwali)
Kotapala 	Kotval 	A police officer
Gopala 	Govala 	Cowherd
Kacchhapa 	Kachhuva 	Tortoise
Mandapa 	Manduva 	Stage
Api 	Vi 	Also
===Rule VI===
The sound of ‘sh’ in the classical language is very often changed into ‘kh’ in the modern language.
The rule immediately reminds one of the two ways of pronouncing ‘ch’ in different parts of Germany, the first pronunciation approximating to that of ‘sh’ and the second, to that of ‘kh’. The following examples from German will make the point clearer.
Rule VI. 	The sound of ‘sh’ in the classical language is very often changed into ‘kh’ in the modern language. 	The sound of ‘sh’ in the classical language is very often changed into ‘kh’ in the modern language.
(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES 	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES 	(a) EUROPEAN LANGUAGES
German 	Pronunciation 	Meaning
Ich 	ish or ikh 	Nichi
Misht or Nikht 	Not Mich, Mish or Mikh 	Me
Richt 	Risht or Rikht 	Right
The following examples of interchangeability of ‘sh’ and ‘kh’ sounds in the Iranian group are striking.	The following examples of interchangeability of ‘sh’ and ‘kh’ sounds in the Iranian group are striking.	The following examples of interchangeability of ‘sh’ and ‘kh’ sounds in the Iranian group are striking.
First Form 	Second 	Meaning
Pushta 	Pukhta 	Strong
Pushto 	Pukhto 	A language
Pashtoon 	Pakhtoon 	A pathan
The examples of change of ‘sh’ into ‘kh’ in the study of Punjabi are almost numberless. 	The examples of change of ‘sh’ into ‘kh’ in the study of Punjabi are almost numberless. 	The examples of change of ‘sh’ into ‘kh’ in the study of Punjabi are almost numberless.
Sanskrit 	Punjabi 	Meaning
Lak-sha 	Lak-kh-a 	Lac
Pak-sha 	Pak-kh-a 	Side (or Fan)
Tik-sha (na) 	Tik-kha 	Sharp
Mrak-shana 	Mal-khan-a 	Butter
Ak-shi 	Ak-khi 	Eye
Drak-sha 	Dakh-a 	Grapes
Parik-sha 	Parikhya 	Examination
Bhik-sha 	Bhik-kh-a 	Alms
==Some isolated Words of Interest==
The following words furnish an extremely interesting study as they bring out certain rare features of similarity between Indian and European languages.
Some isolated Words of Interest	Some isolated Words of Interest	Some isolated Words of Interest	Some isolated Words of Interest	Some isolated Words of Interest
Meaning 	Sanskrit 	Punjabi 	Latin 	Italian
Today 	Adya. 	Ajj-a 	Hodie 	Oggi
Youth 	Yovan 	Javan 	Juvenis 	Giovane
Widow 	Vidhava 	Vidhava 	Viduus 	Vedova
Eye 	Akshi 	Akkhi 	Oculus 	Occhio
==An Important rule reversed==
A very important rule of transformation from Sanskrit to Punjabi is the complete suppression of ‘r’ in a conjunct and reduplication of the second component of the conjunct.
An Important rule reversed.	An Important rule reversed.	An Important rule reversed.
(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES
Sanskrit 	Punjabi 	Meaning
Karna 	Kann-a 	Ear
Nakra 	Nakka-a 	Nose
Chakra 	Chakka 	Wheel
Parna 	Panna 	Leaf
Karma 	Kamm-a 	Work (action)
Charma 	Chamm-a 	Leather
Karpura 	Kapur-a 	Camphor
But in the following cases, ‘r’ has been imported into Punjabi, when it was absent in the original Sanskrit; in these cases, it simply fills the gap before an accented syllable.
Rule not reversed here - The ‘r’ has been imported into Punjabi, when it was absent in the original Sanskrit.	Rule not reversed here - The ‘r’ has been imported into Punjabi, when it was absent in the original Sanskrit.	Rule not reversed here - The ‘r’ has been imported into Punjabi, when it was absent in the original Sanskrit.
(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES 	(b) INDIAN LANGUAGES
Sanskrit 	Punjabi 	Meaning
Sam-bandha 	Sar-bandh-a 	Relation
Vi-lapa 	Vir-lap-a 	Wailing
Tik-shana 	Tir-khan-a 	Carpenter
Shapa 	Shrap-a 	Curse
The evolution of Punjabi verbs and case-endings forms a very interesting study, and our survey of it will be incomplete without comparing it with its Indian relatives, principally Hindi and Sanskrit.
Category:Language
Category:Bani