Question

UPSC Prelims 2015 Question:

Which one of the following was given classical language status recently?

1. Odia
2. Konkani
3. Bhojpuri
4. Assamese

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 1: Odia

Detailed Solution

Explanation:

- Currently, six languages enjoy the ‘Classical’ status:
  - Tamil (declared in 2004)
  - Sanskrit (2005)
  - Kannada (2008)
  - Telugu (2008)
  - Malayalam (2013)

Odia (2014)

The criteria for declaring a language as classical mandates
- high antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1,500-2,000 years,
- a body of ancient literature/texts which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers and a literary tradition that is original and not borrowed from another speech community.
- Since the classical language and literature is distinct from the modern, there can also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.

Therefore, option (1) is the correct answer.

Subject: History | Indian Literature

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