Middle Indo-Aryan

Categories: Indo-European language stubs

Middle Indo-Aryan refers to a stage (c. 600 BC - 1000 AD) in the development of the Indo-Aryan languages, between the Old Indo-Aryan of Sanskrit and the Modern Indo-Aryan of Hindi and other languages of the Indian subcontinent. Since it covers such a large period, it is often divided into three or four major subdivisions. The early stage is represented by the inscriptions of Asoka (c. 250 BC) and by Pali. The middle stage is represented by the various literary Prakrits, such as Maharashtri. (The term "prakrit" is sometimes used in a general sense to refer to all Middle Indo-Aryan dialects.) The late stage is represented by the Apabhramsa dialects of the sixth century AD and later.