Classical language: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 01:26, 23 June 2025

Revision as of 07:56, 24 June 2025

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{{short description|Old language with established literature or use}}

{{For|classical languages in India|Classical languages of India}}{{Short lead|date=September 2024}}

According to the definition by [[George L. Hart]], aA '''classical language''' is any [[language]] with an independent literary tradition and a large body of ancient written [[literature]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hart|first1=George|title=Statement on the status of Tamil as a Classical Language|url=https://southasia.berkeley.edu/statement-status-tamil-classical-language|publisher=Institute for South Asia Studies, UC Berkeley|access-date=18 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812034850/https://southasia.berkeley.edu/statement-status-tamil-classical-language|archive-date=12 August 2021}}</ref>

Classical languages are usually [[Extinct language|extinct languages]]. Those that are still in use today tend to show highly [[Diglossia|diglossic]] characteristics in areas where they are used, as the difference between spoken and written language has widened over time.