Punjabi Language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken predominantly in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, deriving its name from "Punjab," which translates to "the land of five rivers." This rich language has a historical presence dating back to the early second millennium and encompasses a diverse array of dialects, estimated to be between twelve and twenty-eight. Punjabi is notable for its dual script usage: the Gurmukhi script is primarily employed by Sikhs and in Indian Punjab, while the Urdu script is favored among Punjabi speakers in Pakistan.
As a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the larger Indo-European language family, Punjabi has evolved through three main stages: Old Punjabi, Medieval Punjabi, and Modern Punjabi. Its literary roots began in the eleventh century, with significant contributions from Sikh religious texts. Despite facing challenges during British colonial rule, Punjabi flourished in literature and education in the 20th century, becoming the sole official language of the Indian state of Punjab.
With an estimated 50 to 120 million speakers globally, Punjabi extends beyond South Asia, with communities in regions like the United Kingdom, Canada, and parts of Africa. The language reflects a tapestry of cultural identities and is often written in different scripts based on religious affiliations, showcasing its rich and diverse heritage.
Punjabi Language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language that has been in existence since early in the second millennium. The word Punjabi is derived from the word Punjab (also Panjab), which means "the land of five rivers" for the Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers of the Punjab region, where Punjabi is spoken. Scholars estimate that twelve to twenty-eight dialects of Punjabi exist.
Punjabi is a written and spoken language. It can be written in different scripts. Sikhs who use Punjabi write it in the Gurmukhi script, the sacred script of the Sikhs. The Gurmukhi script, which was developed from the Brahmi script, is written from left to right. Pakistanis who speak Punjabi primarily use the Arabic-style Urdu script. In the Indian state of Punjab, Punjabi (written in Gurmukhi) is the official language. Punjabi also is used by other parts of the Indian government.
History and Classification
Punjabi is in the large family of Indo-European languages. Indo-Iranian languages are a subfamily of languages within the Indo-European family. The Indo-Iranian languages are broken down into three branches: Iranian, Indo-Aryan (or Indic), and Dardic. Punjabi is part of the Indo-Aryan branch. Other Indo-Aryan languages include Hindi, Urdu, Kashmiri, and Sindhi.
The Indo-Aryan branch is broken into different categories: Old Indic, Middle Indic, and Modern Indic. Punjabi is among the Modern Indic languages, which have undergone many changes over the centuries. Although the Indo-Aryan languages are based primarily on Sanskrit, they also have been influenced by Arabic and Persian. Punjabi is further classified as a Northwest Indic language, which indicates where it was formed.
Punjabi has transformed over time. The language has had three specific stages of development. The first stage is called Old Punjabi, and this stage lasted from the tenth century to the sixteenth century. The second stage, the Medieval Punjabi period, lasted from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century. The Modern Punjabi phase has lasted from the nineteenth century through the twenty-first century.
Punjabi first became a literary language in the eleventh century. The oldest known examples of Punjabi writing are devotional compositions. In the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, more works were transcribed in Punjabi. The Sikh religion was founded around the same time, and it used Punjabi in some of its writings. In 1605, a Sikh religious leader transcribed a poem collection called "Adi Granth" or "Guru Granth" into Punjabi.
Between the 1700s and 1800s, Punjabi further developed into a literary language as original romances, poems, and other works were written in the language. Some historical accounts also were written during this time using Punjabi. From the 1800s to the mid-1900s, the Hindi language greatly influenced Punjabi.
In 1848, the British took control of the Indian state of Punjab. During this time, Urdu and Hindi saw an increase in usage, but Punjabi did not see the same type of resurgence. When the British left India in the 1940s, the Punjab region was divided in two, with one section designated part of India and the other section part of Pakistan. Many Punjab Muslims inhabited Pakistan, while many Punjab Hindus and Sikhs chose to live in India. This division caused an even greater linguistic division within the Punjabi language.
During the twentieth century, Punjabi continued to flourish in Punjab and other parts of India and Pakistan. Writers continued to write poems, plays, and novels in Punjabi. In the 1950s, Punjabi became a course of study at the University of Punjab and other universities. During the following decade, the government of the state of Punjab made Punjabi the state's only official language. (Previously, both Punjabi and Hindi were official languages in the area.) The official script of Punjabi in the state was Gurmukhi.
Geographic Distribution and Modern Usage
As of 2015, it was estimated that nearly 50 million people speak Punjabi around the world. (Some reports claim that up to 120 million people speak the language.) This language is primarily spoken in India and Pakistan and considered one of the official Indian languages. Punjabi also is spoken by some people in regions such as the United Arab Emirates, east Africa, the United Kingdom, Fiji, Indonesia, and Canada.
The Punjabi language is related to several other languages that developed nearby, including Hindi and Urdu. The way Punjabi is spoken and written varies greatly in different parts of the world. Punjabi first broke up into three different scripts (Perso-Arabic, Gurmukhi, and Nagari) in the seventeenth century.
Different religious groups, including Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs, use Punjabi in different ways. Hindus and Sikhs often write Punjabi in Gurmukhi script, although some Hindus write the language in Devanagari script. Muslims often use the Perso-Arabic script to write Punjabi. The Gurmukhi script eventually became the most popular because of its use by scholars and government.
Bibliography
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Dalby, Andrew. Dictionary of Languages: The Definitive Reference to More than 400 Languages. New York: Columbia University Press, 2004. Print.
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Kloss, Heinz, and Grant D. McConnell. The Written Languages of the World: A Survey of the Degree and Modes of Use: India: Book 1 Constitutional Languages. Canada: Laval University Press, 1989. Print.
"Punjabi." International Encyclopedia of Linguistics, 2nd ed. Ed. William J. Frawley. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Print.
Tiwana, Ravneet Kaur. "Punjabi Heritage Language Schools in the United States." Center for Applied Linguistics. Center for Applied Linguistics. June 2013. Web. 2 Sept. 2015. http://www.cal.org/heritage/pdfs/briefs/punjabi-heritage-language-schools-in-the-united-states.pdf