A
General Survey of Sanskrit Words in English Language
I have made an attempt to explore derivation of
Sanskrit words into English and their assimilation in dictionaries namely Oxford
Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English, 7Th edition, the
new International Webster’s Comprehensive Dictionary of the English Language.
English
is a dynamic lively language. Because of its dynamism and ability to encompass changes
of time and needs of its language community, it has become the richest language
and literature in the world. The expansion of British Empire to South East Asia
brought English rulers and scholars in close contact with Indian culture,
language and literature, philosophy and religion. During the imperialism the
scholars and linguists of English language have derived the native words,
language and literature of Sanskrit. With regard to the antiquity of Sanskrit
language Bough in his book A History of the English Language writes: The
oldest liberty texts preserved in any Indo- European language are the Vedas or
scared book of India. These fall into four groups, the earliest of which, the
Rig Veda. The language in which they are written is known as Sanskrit, or to
distinguish it from a later form of the language, Vedic Sanskrit. From the
above quotation it is reasonable to say that Sanskrit is regarded to be the
most ancient language of the highly civilized people known as Aryan. It is also
the parent language of most of the languages of the world. So naturally like
other various languages of the world English language has also directly and
indirectly derived abundant words and expressions from Sanskrit in the course
of its development. I was pondering over this issue since few months to explore
the derivation of Sanskrit and to analyze why and how they are derived and
assimilated to English.
There are some words which today we hardly consider as being of Sanskrit origin. It is obvious that Sanskrit being the most ancient language of the world, many other languages have derived Sanskrit words. Some
of them are presented below:
Aryan
Origin:
Sanskrit ārya noble, belonging to an ancient
people of northern India speaking an Indo-European dialect. First use: 1839
Atman
Origin:
Sanskrit ātman,
literally, breathe soul; akin to old English ǣthm breath. First use: 1785
Avatar
Origin:
Sanskrit avatāraḥ descent, from avatarati he
descends, from ava-away + tarati he crosses over- more at ukase, through. First
use: 1784
Ayurveda
Origin:
Sanskrit āyurvedaḥ, from āyuḥ
life, vital power +vedaḥ knowledge. First use: 1788
Bhagavad
Gita
Origin: Sanskrit Bhagavadgītā, literally, song of blessed one
(Krishna). First use: circa 1785
Brahma: Origin
Sanskrit Brahman. First use: 1960
Brahman
Origin: Middle English Bragman
inhabitant of India, from Latin Bracmanus, from Greek Brachman, from Sanskrit brāhmaṇa of the Bhraman caste, from Brahman
Brahman. First use: 15th century
Buddha
Origin:
Sanskrit, enlightened; akin to Sanskrit bodhi enlightenment- more at
bid. First use: 1861
Devanagari
Origin:
Sanskrit devanāgarī,
from deva divine + nāgarī
(writing) of the city- more at deity. First use: 1781
Dharma
Origin:
Sanskrit; akin to Latin firmus firm. First use: 1796
Guru
Origin:
Ultimately from Sanskrit guru, from guru, adjective, heavy,
venerable- more at grieve. First use: 1613
Hare
Krishna
Origin: from Hare Krishna, phrase
in a chant, from Hindi hare kṛṣṇa O Krishna!. First use:
1969
Jungle
Origin: Sanskrit from jaṅgala
desert region. First use: 1776
Kali
Origin: Sanskrit Kālī. First use:
1798
Karma
Origin: Sanskrit karma fate,
work. First use 1827
Kshatriya
Origin: Sankrit Kṣatriya,
from kṣatra dominon- more at check. First use: 1794
Mahatma
Origin: Sanskrit mahātman, from mahātman great-souled, from mahat+ ātman
soul. First use: 1923
Maharaja
Origin:
Sanskrit, from mahat great +rājan raja; akin to Latin rex king. First use: 1968
Maharani
Origin:
Sanskrit, from mahā great+ rānī rani. First use: circle 1855
Maharishi
Origin: Sanskrit maharṣi, from
mahat + ṛṣị, sage and poet. First
use: 1785
Mahayana
Origin: Sanskrit mahāyāna, literally,
great vehicle. First use: 1855
Prakrit
Origin: Sanskrit prākṛta, from prākṛta natural,
vulgar. First: 1766
Purana
Origin: Sanskrit purāṇa, from purāṇa ancient, from
purā formerly; akin
to Sanskrit pura before, Greek para beside, pro before. First use: 1696
Raja
Origin: Sanskrit
rājan king. First use: 1555
Rama
Origin: Sanskrit
Rāma. First use: 1819
Shakti
Origin: Sanskrit Śakti.
First use: 1810
Sanskrit
Origin: Sankrit saṁskṛta, literally,
perfected, from sam together +karoti he makes. First use: 1696
Shiva
Origin: Sanskrit Śiva. First
use: 1788
Stupa
Origin: Sanskrit stūpa. First
use: 1876
Sutra
Origin: Sanskrit sūtra percept,
literally, thread; akin to Latin suere to sew. First use: 1801
Swami
Origin: Hindi svāmī, from
Sanskrit svāmin owner,
lord, from sva one’s own. First use: 1895
Upanishad
Origin: Sanskrit
upaniṣad.
First use: 1805
Varuna
Origin: Sanskrit Varuṇa.
Veda
Origin: Sanskrit, literally,
knowledge; akin to Greek eidenai to know. First use: 1734
Vedanta
Origin: Sanskrit Vedānta, literally, end of the Veda,
from Veda +anta end; akin to old English ende end. First use: 1788
Vedic
Origin:
Sanskrit, of relating to the Vedas, the language in which they are written, or
Hindu history and culture between 1500B.C. and 500B.C. First use: 1848
Vishnu
Origin: Sanskrit
Viṣṇu.
First
use: 1638
Yoga
Origin: Sanskrit, literally,
yoking, from yunakti he yokes; akin to Latin jungere to join.
First use: 1820
Yogi
Origin: Sanskrit yogin, from
yoga. First use: 1619
Yuga
Origin: Sanskrit, yoke, age.
First use: 1784
Words related to
Animals and Birds
Root Sanskrit words Latin/ German Old English/ Dutch/French English
Gau Couz (north
G) Kuo (OE) Cow (182)
Uhika Eule (G) Uil (D) Owl
(172)
Shukar Sus (L), Sau (G)
-
Swine (162)
Gibri Giraffa
(Italian) Giraff (F) Giraffe (247)
Kukuta Cocus (L) kok (OE) Cock (230)
Kukuta Cocus (L) kok (OE) Cock (230)
Markata Mono
(Spanish) Monno (Old
Italian) Monkey (40)
Kapi Afe (G) Apa (OE) Ape (41)
Musha Mus (L), Maus
(G) Muis (D) Mouse (73)
Sanskrit
language is at the base of every language and other languages are like the superstructures.
The base is in the depth, very solid but invisible from outside. Its function
is so valuable that it supports the huge visible superstructure. The existence
of Sanskrit language is so divergent and manifold that it simultaneously exists
in various languages of the five continents. The relationship between Sanskrit
language and English language is like that of a mother and a child. English
language should not forget this fact and it should show its due gratefulness to
ancient Sanskrit language which has contributed a lot to enriching its
vocabulary and embellishing the language.
In this way the English language of today reflects many centuries of development. All the political and social events that happened in course of English history have profoundly affected and contributed to make English language what it is today.
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