Sanskritisation (language)

Sanskritisation is the process of introducing features from Sanskrit, such as vocabulary and grammar, into other languages. It is sometimes associated with the "Hindu-isation" of a linguistic community, or less commonly, with introducing a more upper-caste status into a community. Many languages throughout South Asia and Southeast Asia were greatly influenced by Sanskrit (or its descendant languages, the Prakrits and modern-day Indo-Aryan languages) historically.

For the sociological process in which lower-caste people imitate upper-caste customs, see Sanskritisation (sociology).

Sanskritisation often stands in opposition to the Persianisation or Englishisation of a language within South Asia, as occurs with the Hindustani language, which in its Sanskritised, Persianised, and English-influenced registers becomes Hindi, Urdu, and Hinglish respectively. Support for Sanskritisation in South Asia runs highest among Brahmins and Hindu nationalists.

Sanskritization of the names of people and places is also commonplace in India, except in some areas like Tamil Nadu.

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