Introduction:
This language is spoken in India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Malaysia. World’s oldest language is Sanskrit. The Sanskrit language has been spoken since 5,000 years before Christ. Sanskrit is still the official language of India.
Sanskrit is one of the oldest known languages over thousands of years. It is also called “Dev Vani” the language of gods as it is said that Brahma introduced this language to the Sages of celestial bodies. It is believed that the Sanskrit language came from the Indo-European language family of the Indian subcontinent.
Sanskrit is the sacred language of Hinduism, the language of classical Hindu philosophy, and of historical texts of Buddhism and Jainism. It was a link language in ancient and medieval South Asia, and upon transmission of Hindu and Buddhist culture to Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Central Asia in the early medieval era, it became a language of religion and high culture, and of the political elites in some of these regions. As a result, Sanskrit had a lasting impact on the languages of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, especially in their formal and learned vocabularies.
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Is it useful to learn Sanskrit?
Apart from the fun, learning Sanskrit can also help you understand the etymology of a lot of words in Indian and non-Indian languages. Sanskrit is also a very systematic and syntactic language and the grammar of the language servers as a master template for most Indian and a few European languages.
Unfortunately or fortunately Sanskrit is a very complex language and, as such, generally quite difficult to study and acquire.
it’s quite a complex language, so it won’t be feasible for you to learn Sanskrit through books. You’ll need some kind of tutor or a push from someone to learn Sanskrit. If you would like to learn Sanskrit on your own, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be successful as long as you go about learning in a way that works for you.
What will help you learning Sanskrit on your own
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Start watching Sanskrit films and TV series
As Sanskrit cinema plays such an important cultural role in India, it shouldn’t be difficult for you to find something that takes your fancy or suits your own personal interests. Films are a great way of listening to how Sanskrit speakers pronounce their words and articulate sentences, without the added pressure of actually having to converse with a native speaker. If you already have some familiarity with the language, then try watching with Sanskrit subtitles. This way you can read what you hear and increase your chances of retaining new vocabulary.
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Reading online articles on the topics of your interest
To practice reading comprehension skills and to learn new vocabulary, try reading Sanskrit journalism. Not only will this help to develop your language competency, but it will help you to gain a new perspective on what’s going on in India. Start off with shorter articles via online newspapers first.
Remember it’s a lot more effort than when you are training under someone!
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Reading newspaper
We all know that knowledge is power, well, this way you will be able to understand the attitudes towards work, politics, and society of Sanskrit speaking people.
Reading the news in the Sanskrit language is hard, so bear in mind that there’s no need to understand all of it. Hence, the first time you read the news in Sanskrit, just try to see how many words you do understand, then, the second time, try to figure out the general idea of what it’s been said. If you don’t put too much pressure on yourself, you’ll get there.
Certainly, we all want to be fluent and be able to speak about interesting topics, but we also know that our vocabulary is limited. By reading newspapers on a daily basis we’ll learn specific vocabulary on up to the minute information about the state of the country.
Don’t just make time for Sanskrit, make your time Sanskrit!
If you’re inclined to go to a movie, watch a Sanskrit film instead. If you listen to the radio while you’re working, listen to a Sanskrit station. Even traditional forms of study, like reviewing flashcards, can be combined with something you enjoy. Go to a park, a cafe or someplace you can relax. Listen to lessons or podcasts while you’re working out.
No one said it is impossible but you should be a highly self-motivated learner to try this all alone!
Spend time in the Sanskrit speaking environment.
Another great strategy is to transform your home into a Sanskrit learning hotspot! In fact, to learn Sanskrit, one of the ultimate strategies is to change your environment into a place that promotes Sanskrit learning and education. And the best part? This can be achieved whether you live in a Sanskrit-speaking country or not!
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Using Language exchange App
Sanskrit apps because they really are workhorses for vocabulary building. Also, they’re mobile and convenient, offering tiny bites of learning whenever you have a free moment.
A good way to put your grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension skills into practice in an authentic way is to practice with a native or fluent Sanskrit speaker. Many Sanskrit people are very keen to learn Hindi too, so a language exchange could be an ideal way to benefit both partners. The good thing about doing an organized exchange is that you don’t need to worry about the other person becoming impatient when you make mistakes as they are in exactly the same position. Searching online and via social media is the easiest way to find a language exchange partner.
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Immerse yourself in Sanskrit language culture
One of the best, easiest, and most enjoyable ways to learn Sanskrit is to totally immerse yourself in Sanskrit music, movies, and children’s books (and, when you progress further, novels or other, more difficult, types of reading material). This type of immersion, while not as intensive and beneficial for your language learning as staying in a Sanskrit speaking region for a considerable amount of time, is still essential for maintaining and improving your fluency. Consistent immersion of this type will habituate your brain to the sounds of the language and its particular turns of phrase; one recommendation is to make a note of at least one new word or phrase every day that you hear in a song or a film or read in a book, look it up later and try to remember its meaning with the use of flashcards or some type of mnemonic device, whatever works for you.
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Practice shlokas.
This helps you get better at your pronunciations and makes you read faster.
Get a Sanskrit dictionary. Get one that translates Sanskrit to your convenient language. Translating on the internet may be easier, but this will make you more interested.
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Conclusion
In the end, I just want to remind you that talk to yourself might sound weird or strange but speaking aloud can really help you with general fluency as when we talk to ourselves we are not worried about making mistakes and sounding stupid.
