Sanskrit linguist Madhav Deshpande says that when the term "Sanskrit" arose it was not thought of as a specific language set apart from other languages, but rather as a particularly refined or perfected manner of speaking. Knowledge of Sanskrit was a marker of social class and educational attainment in ancient India, and the language was taught mainly to members of the higher castes through the close analysis of Vyākaraṇins such as Pāṇini and Patanjali, who exhorted proper Sanskrit at all times, especially during ritual. Sanskrit, as the learned language of Ancient India, thus existed alongside the vernacular Prakrits, which were Middle Indo-Aryan languages. However, linguistic change led to an eventual loss of mutual intelligibility. COUNT 10
QSN1 In Ancient India, which vernacular languages existed alongside Sanskrit? ANS1 Prakrits QSN2 The works of which two scholars were used to teach Sanskrit to the higher castes of India? ANS2 Pāṇini and Patanjali QSN3 The use of Sanskrit was considered to be a marker of what in Ancient India? ANS3 social class and educational attainment QSN4 What type of language were Prakrits? ANS4 Middle Indo-Aryan QSN5 Which Sanskrit linguist describes Sanskrit as a "particularly refined or perfected manner of speaking?" ANS5 Madhav Deshpande QSN6 What style of speech did linguist Madhav Deshpande say Sanskrit started out as? ANS6 perfected manner QSN7 Of what was Sanskrit once thought to be a divider? ANS7 social class QSN8 How was Sanskrit originally used? ANS8 ritual QSN9 Where was Sanskrit a learned language of the high classes? ANS9 Ancient India QSN10 With what did Sanskrit exist beside? ANS10 vernacular Prakrits