Classical language
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| - | {{Template}}A '''classical language''', is a language with a [[literature]] that is "classical"—ie, "it should be ancient, it should be an independent tradition that arose mostly on its own, not as an offshoot of another tradition, and it must have a large and extremely rich body of ancient literature." ([[George L. Hart]] of [[UC Berkeley]]) | + | {{Template}} |
| + | A '''classical language''' tends to be either [[dead language]]s, or show a high degree of [[diglossia]], as the spoken varieties of the language diverge further and further away from the classical written language over centuries. | ||
| + | == See also == | ||
| + | *[[Aureation]], an aspect of the influence of a classical language on a later language | ||
| + | *[[Classical languages of India]] | ||
| + | *[[Classics]] | ||
| + | *[[Classicism]] | ||
| + | *[[Golden age (metaphor)]] | ||
| + | *[[Lingua franca]] | ||
| + | *[[List of lingua francas]] | ||
| + | *[[Literary language]] | ||
| + | *[[Sacred language]] | ||
| + | *[[Official language]] | ||
| + | *[[Standard language]] | ||
| + | *[[World language]] | ||
| + | *[[List of languages by first written accounts]] | ||
| - | In another sense of the word, an important criterion is that a language should have a broad influence over an extended period of time, even after it is no longer a colloquial mother tongue in its original form. If one language uses roots from another language to coin words (in the way that many European languages use Greek and Latin roots to devise new words such as "telephone" etc.), this is an indication that the second language is a classical language. Also, the writing system of such a classical languages will often have spread to be used by other languages. | ||
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| - | Thus classical languages tend to be either [[dead language]]s, or show a high degree of [[diglossia]], as the spoken varieties of the language diverge further and further away from the classical written language over centuries. | ||
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| - | Note that the judgment as to whether a language is "classical" is made on the basis of external factors, and not the nature of the language itself. | ||
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A classical language tends to be either dead languages, or show a high degree of diglossia, as the spoken varieties of the language diverge further and further away from the classical written language over centuries.
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See also
- Aureation, an aspect of the influence of a classical language on a later language
- Classical languages of India
- Classics
- Classicism
- Golden age (metaphor)
- Lingua franca
- List of lingua francas
- Literary language
- Sacred language
- Official language
- Standard language
- World language
- List of languages by first written accounts
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Classical language" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
