Classical vs. Modern

[Bh.Krishnamurti]

You know as much English as I do. Please look up a dictionary. Why are
French, Spanish, Italian not called Classsical languges? But Latin is.
Classical Greek and Modern Greek are different languages. Only the Classical
Greek is a Classical language, just like Classical Arabic.   Such
distinction is not maintenable in the case of Tamil. For all written and
formal spoken purposes (for modern communication and in media) it is the
literary Tamil that is used because of diglossia. Arabic also has diglossia
but when we refer to Arabic in the Indian context, we mean only the
Classical Arabic.

The information that the UGC gives more funding for the Classica languages
as opposed to modern lgs. is false. I have been in the field of higher
education for over four decades and I know it is false. I want the purport
of my statements to be taken in spirit not in letter. They were well meaning
to improve the image of India and Indology. You have seen how monopolizing
of the list by a few to talk about inane things is  looked upon by more
serious scholars.

Bh.K.




At 06:54 15/01/99 PST, you wrote:
>In a message dated 1/13/99 12:29:12 PM Central Standard Time, I wrote:
>
>> In a message dated 1/13/99 7:24:45 AM Central Standard Time,
>>  bhk at HD1.VSNL.NET.IN writes:
>>
>>  > The pathetic appeal of one list member to place
>>  >  Tamil on the same footing as the Classical languages
>>  >-- Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic in India-- sounds ridiculous.
>>  >Tamil is a modern language and not a
>>  >  classical language. Classical lgs are not the mother tongues
>>  > of any segment of natives in India. In the western world,
>>  > only Latin and Greek qualify as classical languages.
>>
>>Can Bh. Krishnamurti explain or define what a Classical language is?
>>Thanks.
>
>I am still waiting for Bh. Krishnamurti to explain or define what
> a  Classical language is.
>
>Chris
>
>
>
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Bhadriraju Krishnamurti
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