Aadi-Shankar Vedic University, Netherlands

Hindi Language

Welcome to Vedic University! Discover the richness of the Hindi language, a member of the Indo-Aryan group within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. As the preferred official language of India, Hindi is spoken as a first language by nearly 425 million people and as a second language by around 120 million more. Significant Hindi-speaking communities can also be found in South Africa, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Yemen, and Uganda.

History and Varieties

Literary Hindi, written in the Devanagari script, has been heavily influenced by Sanskrit. Its standard form is based on the Khari Boli dialect from the north and east of Delhi. Other important dialects include Braj Bhasha, Awadhi, Bagheli, Bhojpuri, Bundeli, Chhattisgarhi, Garhwali, Haryanawi, Kanauji, Kumayuni, Magahi, and Marwari. These dialects, often considered regional languages within the “Hindi belt,” show varying degrees of similarity to standard Hindi.

Maithili, for example, resembles Bengali more than standard Hindi, while Rajasthani shares similarities with Gujarati. Despite these differences, speakers of these regional languages often consider themselves Hindi speakers, a classification reinforced during British rule and perpetuated by the use of standard Hindi in education and media. This standardization has contributed to the status and spread of Hindi as a language of upward social mobility.

 

Evolution and Influences

The history of Hindi is marked by significant Persian influence, which simplified its nominal and verbal inflections. Modern standard Hindi evolved through interactions with Muslim invaders and later British colonizers, enriching the language with Persian, Arabic, and English loanwords.

Many Persian words related to administration, attire, cuisine, and various other domains have been seamlessly integrated into Hindi. Additionally, Hindi has borrowed phonemes and grammatical elements from these languages, further diversifying its lexicon and syntax. English has also contributed numerous words and phrases, leading to the creation of hybrid terms and the prevalence of code-switching in modern usage.

Standardization Efforts

The Central Hindi Directorate works to standardize and modernize Hindi, drawing it closer to Sanskrit. Meanwhile, non-Hindi speakers influence the language by incorporating English terms and simplifying grammatical rules. These efforts aim to make Hindi more accessible and comprehensible to a broader audience.

At Vedic University, we celebrate the dynamic and evolving nature of Hindi. Join us in exploring this vibrant language, its rich history, and its various dialects. Whether you are a beginner or looking to deepen your understanding, our courses offer a comprehensive guide to mastering Hindi and appreciating its cultural significance.

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