Context

• The interplay between language and power has always been central to India's social and political landscape and during the colonial era.
• This policy led to a horizontal fragmentation, dividing Indian society along cultural, geographic, and social lines, however, post-colonial India has seen a resurgence of division, but with a different approach.
• Therefore, it is crucial to explore the implications of this shift, particularly through the lens of the classification of classical languages in India, and its impact on social unity and cultural recognition.

The Colonial and Post-Colonial Divide

• The British manipulated India's existing social diversity to their advantage, deepening divisions, and alienations among various communities.
• This horizontal fragmentation, which segregated communities based on region and culture, weakened the fabric of a unified Indian identity.
• Post-independence, however, India turned to an age-old tradition of vertical societal division—originally exemplified through the Varna and caste systems.
• This division has continued but with new bases such as religion, language, and political considerations.
• The recent decision by the Union Cabinet to classify languages like Bangla, Assamiya, and Marathi as classical is a manifestation of this trend.
• It highlights how the politics of recognition can lead to further divisions within society.

The Concept of Classical Languages and the Historical Context

• The Concept of Classical Languages
  • The classification of a language as classical carries with it significant cultural, historical, and even political weight.
  • It is not merely a linguistic categorisation based on structural or grammatical features, but rather a recognition that encompasses the broader influence, heritage, and contributions of a language over centuries.
• Historical Context of the Term Classical
  • The term classical first emerged in European discourse during the 16th century, at a time when scholars sought to reconnect with the literary and philosophical traditions of ancient Greece and Rome.
  • These traditions were seen as exemplars of human thought and achievement, worthy of emulation and study.
  • In this context, the term classical was used to refer to Latin and Greek, whose literature, philosophy, and cultural practices were considered benchmarks of excellence.
  • The 1668 essay “Essay on Dramatic Poesy” by John Dryden further solidified this distinction by contrasting the refined literary achievements of the ancients with the emerging modern traditions.
  • This conceptualisation of classical highlighted the temporal and cultural distance between past and present, situating the ancient as a model of refinement and permanence.
• A Symbol of Culture and Political Connotations
  • By designating certain languages as classical, European scholars effectively set them apart from other contemporary languages that they viewed as less sophisticated or more vernacular.
  • Latin, for example, was classified as a classical language, while the languages spoken by various groups within the Roman Empire were labelled as barbaric or uncivilized.
  • This distinction between classical and vernacular language was not only a matter of linguistic features but also reflected a social hierarchy where classical languages were perceived as carrying a higher cultural status.
  • This social dimension became evident as European powers expanded globally, using classical culture as a justification for colonising and civilizing other nations.
  • Thus, from its inception, the term classical was not just about linguistic attributes but also carried cultural and political connotations.

Linguistic Criteria, the Role of Cultural Transmission and the Social Hierarchy 

• The Linguistic Criteria
  • From a linguistic perspective, a classical language is typically characterized by its historical depth, literary heritage, and influence on subsequent linguistic developments.
  • Languages like Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Arabic, and Chinese are considered classical partly because they served as sources of root words, affixes, and structures for newer languages.
  • These ancient languages are often associated with the origin of terminologies and concepts that remain relevant in modern times, such as the Latin-derived er suffix in the word computer or the concept of “intelligentia,” which underpins terms like "artificial intelligence."
  • This ability to influence the vocabulary and grammar of modern languages is one of the key attributes of a classical language.
• The Role of Cultural Transmission
  • The designation of a language is equally about the cultural transmission of ideas, values, and knowledge through literary and philosophical texts.
  • Classical languages are often the repositories of ancient knowledge systems, philosophies, and religious scriptures that have shaped the intellectual and spiritual development of societies over millennia.
  • Sanskrit, for instance, is not only valued for its structural precision but also for its rich corpus of Vedic literature, epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, and a diverse range of philosophical texts that have influenced Indian thought for centuries.
  • Similarly, Greek and Latin preserved the philosophical, scientific, and literary achievements of ancient Greece and Rome, forming the intellectual bedrock of Western civilisation.

The Social Hierarchy of Language Designation: European and Indian Contexts

• The European Context
  • A significant aspect of labelling a language as classical is its role as a social class marker, subtly creating a hierarchy among languages and their speakers.
  • In the European context, Latin was elevated to the status of a classical language, while the native tongues of different regions within the Roman Empire were deemed inferior.
  • This hierarchy implied that those who spoke or wrote in a classical language had access to higher cultural capital, intellectual prestige, and often political power.
  • The distinction between classical and non-classical thus contributed to the stratification of society along linguistic lines.
• Indian Context
  • In post-colonial contexts like India, this hierarchy persists, but in a different form.
  • The official recognition of languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, and more recently, Bangla, Assamiya, and Marathi as classical, underscores their elevated status within the cultural and political discourse of the nation.
  • This designation bestows a sense of prestige and historical legitimacy on these languages, often translating into tangible benefits such as government support for research, educational programs, and preservation initiatives.
  • However, it also implicitly relegates other languages, which may have rich oral traditions and historical significance, to a lower status, contributing to a sense of marginalization among their speakers.

The Political Implications of Classical Status

• The process of declaring certain languages as classical is not just a cultural exercise but also a deeply political one.
• In India, the decision to recognise languages like Bangla, Assamiya, and Marathi as classical has been shaped by political considerations, including regional pride and electoral dynamics.
• By granting classical status, the state acknowledges the historical and literary significance of these languages, thus appealing to the cultural pride of their speakers.
• This move can have far-reaching political consequences, as it fosters a sense of validation and recognition among regional communities, potentially translating into electoral support.
• However, the political use of language classification has its drawbacks.
• While it may serve to validate the cultural identity of certain groups, it risks alienating those whose languages are not given similar recognition.

Conclusion

• The concept of classical languages is deeply intertwined with cultural heritage, social status, and political considerations.
• While the term has historical roots in the European classification of languages, it has been adopted in India with a new set of complexities.
• Understanding the designation of classical languages requires a nuanced view of how linguistic prestige is constructed and how it impacts the social fabric.