印度语言

印度语言非常复杂，大约有几百种^[1]，根据1961年的统计，有1 652种^[2]，根据2001年的统计，有29种语言的使用人口超过一百万，有122种语言的使用人口超过一万人，这些语言主要分属于两大语系：印欧语系的印度-雅利安语支（使用人口约占总人口的70%）和达罗毗荼语系（使用人口约占总人口的22%），此外还有部分语言属于汉藏语系的藏缅语族和南岛语系，以及其他一些孤立语言^[3]。

印度主要官方语言是印地语，第二官方语言为英语^[4]，印度宪法规定“联邦官方语言为使用天城体字母的印地语”^[5]。但没有任何法律规定正式全国通用语言^[6]。

官方认定经典语言

2004年，印度政府宣布符合一定条件的语言，可以确定为“经典语言”^[7]，2004年确定泰米尔语为经典语言，^[8] 2005年确定梵语为经典语言，^[9]2008年确定泰卢固语和埃纳德语为经典语言。^[10]

2005年，梵文被宪法第351条确定为官方语言印地语的原始语言，^[11]后来经由文化部的语言专家委员会推荐也被定为经典语言。^[10]

2006年，文化和旅游部长，在媒体上说明确定经典语言的标准为： ^[12]

“

具有1500-2000年的古代文本，被世代使用者认为是有价值的遗产；有原始的文学传统并不是从其他语言借鉴的；经典的语言和文本与现代有区别，与后来的形式及其分支语言不连续。

”

地区语言

在印度被英国统治时期，行政单位只能使用英语，1947年印度独立后选择一个本土官方语言非常困难，虽然印地语被定为中央政府官方语言，但印度实际以印地语作为母语的人不超过40%，使用其他语言的人，尤其是南方各邦，学习印地语非常困难，所以各邦都确定自己的官方语言。但由于高等教育需要使用统一的语言，造成学生学习的困难，现在各邦正在实行一种渐进的语言教学法。

从2007年开始，印度最著名的15所大学统一入学考试，已经改变了方式，试卷虽然仍然只使用两种语言（印地语和英语）出题，但学生答题允许使用下列语言之一：英语、阿萨姆语、孟加拉语、古吉拉特语、印地语、马拉雅拉姆语、马拉地语、奥里亚语、旁遮普语、信德语、泰米尔语、泰卢固语和乌尔都语。^[13]

语言问题

语言问题在印度造成多次争取语言权利的冲突，最早起源于泰米尔纳德邦，反对将印地语做为唯一官方语言，这次运动导致达罗毗荼进步联盟党占领了几乎整个邦议会席位，^[14] 也有其他几个邦开始效法，挑战中央政府权威，现在马哈拉施特拉邦和卡纳塔克邦政府已经宣布在义务教育阶段使用本邦官方语言。^[15] 印度政府正在试图采取各种措施以缓和语言冲突问题。

书写文字

印地语及其相似的北印几种语言用天城体字母书写，乌尔都语、信德语、克什米尔语等几种语言使用阿拉伯字母书写，其他语言各有自己的书写字母。

注释

^ More than a thousand including major dialects. The 1991 census recognized "1576 rationalized mother tongues" which were further grouped into language categories (Indian Census)
^ http://www.languageinindia.com/aug2002/indianmothertongues1961aug2002.html
^ See: Nihali, Burushaski, Andamanese languages
^ Presidential Order, 1960. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 27 April 1960 [4 February 2010].
^ See: http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/coiason29july08.pdf PART XVII (OFFICIAL LANGUAGE)
^ There's no national language in India: Gujarat High Court
^ India sets up classical languages. BBC. 2004-09-17 [2007-05-01].
^ http://www.hindu.com/2004/09/18/stories/2004091806530100.htm
^ http://www.hindu.com/2005/10/28/stories/2005102809281200.htm
^ ^10.0 ^10.1 Declaration of Telugu and Kannada as classical languages. Press Information Bureau. Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India. [2008-10-31].
^ Constitution of India, Part XVII.—Official Language.—Art. 351. Page 217 Quote: "It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language, to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India and to secure its enrichment by assimilating without interfering with its genius, the forms, style and expressions used in Hindustani and in the other languages of India specified in the Eighth Schedule, and by drawing, wherever necessary or desirable, for its vocabulary, primarily on Sanskrit and secondarily on other languages."
^ CLASSICAL LANGUAGE STATUS TO KANNADA. Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2006-08-08 [2008-11-06].
^ Indian Institute of Technology, IIT, IIT-JEE, Joint Entrance Examination, IITJEE, IIT JEE, IIT Delhi, Chennai, Guwahati, Mumbai, Kanapur, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Screening Test, Main Examination
^ http://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/01/16/stories/2005011600260300.htm
^ http://www.ibnlive.com/news/marathi-a-must-in-maharashtra-schools/28502-3.html

外部链接

[1] More than a thousand including major dialects. The 1991 census recognized "1576 rationalized mother tongues" which were further grouped into language categories (Indian Census)

[2] ttp://www.languageinindia.com/aug2002/indianmothertongues1961aug2002.html

[3] See: Nihali, Burushaski, Andamanese languages

[4] Presidential Order, 1960. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 27 April 1960 [4 February 2010].

[5] See: http://lawmin.nic.in/coi/coiason29july08.pdf PART XVII (OFFICIAL LANGUAGE)

[6] There's no national language in India: Gujarat High Court

[bbcclassical-7] India sets up classical languages. BBC. 2004-09-17 [2007-05-01].

[8] ttp://www.hindu.com/2004/09/18/stories/2004091806530100.htm

[9] ttp://www.hindu.com/2005/10/28/stories/2005102809281200.htm

[antiquity-10] 10.0 ^10.1 Declaration of Telugu and Kannada as classical languages. Press Information Bureau. Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India. [2008-10-31].

[11] Constitution of India, Part XVII.—Official Language.—Art. 351. Page 217 Quote: "It shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language, to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India and to secure its enrichment by assimilating without interfering with its genius, the forms, style and expressions used in Hindustani and in the other languages of India specified in the Eighth Schedule, and by drawing, wherever necessary or desirable, for its vocabulary, primarily on Sanskrit and secondarily on other languages."

[offshoots-12] CLASSICAL LANGUAGE STATUS TO KANNADA. Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2006-08-08 [2008-11-06].

[13] Indian Institute of Technology, IIT, IIT-JEE, Joint Entrance Examination, IITJEE, IIT JEE, IIT Delhi, Chennai, Guwahati, Mumbai, Kanapur, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Screening Test, Main Examination

[14] ttp://www.hindu.com/mag/2005/01/16/stories/2005011600260300.htm

[15] ttp://www.ibnlive.com/news/marathi-a-must-in-maharashtra-schools/28502-3.html

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