Page Type: languageSanskrit | Ethnologue

SAN ISO 639-3

Sanskrit

संस्कृतम्‎ (Saṃskṛtam) Autonym

A language of India

ISO 639
san
Autonym
संस्कृतम्‎ (Saṃskṛtam)
Population
5,024,800 in India, all users. L1 users: 24,800 in India (2011 census). L2 users: 5,000,000 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 5,027,800 (as L1: 24,800; as L2: 5,003,000).
Location:
Uttar Pradesh state: Allahabad, Jaunpur, Kaushambi, and Pratagarh districts; Delhi and other urban areas; revival efforts in villages.
Language Status
4 (Educational). Statutory language of national identity (1950, Constitution, Schedule VIII).
Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan
Typology
SOV; both prepositions and postpositions; noun head final; 3 genders; content q-word in situ; up to 3 prefixes, up to 5 suffixes; clause constituents indicated by case-marking; verbal affixation marks person, number and genders of subject and object; dual number; non-ergative; tense and aspect; passives and voice; comparatives; non-tonal; 34 consonant, 8 vowels, 2 diphthongs.
Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 60%–100%. Literacy rate in L2: 15%–25%. Literature. Newspapers. Periodicals. Radio. Dictionary. Grammar. Texts. Bible: 1822.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Sanskrit
Writing
Devanagari script [Deva]. Grantha script [Gran]. Myanmar (Burmese) script [Mymr]. Newa script [Newa]. Sharada script [Shrd]. Siddham script [Sidd], no longer in use. Sinhala script [Sinh].
Other Comments
Classical language of learning and liturgical language.

Also Spoken in

Language Name
Sanskrit
User Population
3,000 in Nepal, all users. L1 users: No known L1 speakers in Nepal. L2 users: 3,000 (2011 census). Ethnic population: No ethnic community.
Language Status
9 (Second language only)
Other Comments
Non-indigenous. Hindu, Buddhist.
View other languages of Nepal

Map

Location: Uttar Pradesh state: Allahabad, Jaunpur, Kaushambi, and Pratagarh districts; Delhi and other urban areas; revival efforts in villages.