Khasa language

Khasa Prakrit
खश, खष, खशीर
Copper Inscription by Baise King of Doti, Raika Mandhata Shahi at Saka Era 1612 (शाके १६१२) (or 1747 Bikram Samvat),(= AD 1690 or 1691) in old Khas language using Devanagari script
Native toKhasa Kingdom
RegionIndian subcontinent
EthnicityKhasas
Language codes
ISO 639-3
GlottologNone

Khasa Prakrit (also known as Khas Prakrit, Sanskrit Khasa, Himalayan Prakrit, Northern Prakrit, Khas Kura) is a Prakrit language of medieval South Asia and a common ancestor language of the Pahari languages, which includes Nepali, Kumaoni, Jaunsari, Mandeali, Kangri and Garhwali languages.[1][2] It was commonly referred to as खश (Khaśa), खष (Khaṣa), and खशीर (khaśīra) in the Sanskrit texts.

Indian linguist Suniti Kumar Chatterji suggests that Nepali language developed from Khasa Prakrit.[3] Khas Prakrit is named after the speakers of language, Khas people, who live in the Himalayas.[4]

History

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Origin and development

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Khasa belongs to the Indo-European family of languages. Like other Indo-Aryan languages, Khasa is a direct descendant of an early form of Vedic Sanskrit, through Shauraseni Prakrit and Śauraseni Apabhraṃśa (from Sanskrit apabhraṃśa "corrupt").[5]

Language comparison

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Language Comparison
  Nepali Kumauni Kashmiri
  Masc Fem Masc Fem Masc Fem
I am chu chu chic chu thus ches
You are chas ches chai chi chukh chekh
He is cha che ch chi chuh cheh

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Pradhan, Kumar (1991). The Gorkha Conquests: The Process and Consequences of the Unification of Nepal, with Particular Reference to Eastern Nepal. Oxford University Press. pp. 30–40. ISBN 978-0-19-562723-7.
  2. ^ Schmidt, Ruth Laila (1993). व्यावहारिक नेपाली-अङ्ग्रेजी शब्दकोश. Ratna Sagar. pp. ix. ISBN 978-81-7070-172-9.
  3. ^ Subba, Tanka Bahadur (2009). Indian Nepalis: Issues and Perspectives. Concept Publishing Company. pp. 325–337. ISBN 978-81-8069-446-2.
  4. ^ Ray, Dinesh Chandra; Chowdhury, Srikanta Roy (2022-12-22). Darjeeling: In Search of People's History of the Hills. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-82880-1.
  5. ^ "नेपाली भाषाको उत्पत्ति र विकास" (PDF). Uttarakhand Open University (in Nepali). Retrieved 19 February 2024.