1. Early Roots:
* Prakrit languages: Hindi descends from the Apabhramsha dialects of Middle Indo-Aryan languages, specifically from the Sauraseni Prakrit. These were spoken in the region of present-day Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in ancient India.
* Sanskrit: Sanskrit, the sacred language of Hinduism, heavily influenced the vocabulary and grammar of Prakrit, and thus Hindi.
2. Development of Khariboli:
* Medieval Period: During the medieval period, a dialect called Khariboli emerged as the dominant language in the Delhi region. It drew influence from various Prakrit dialects and was heavily influenced by Persian and Arabic due to the rule of the Delhi Sultanate.
* Literary Development: The Bhakti movement, a religious movement emphasizing devotion, played a significant role in shaping the language. Poets like Kabir and Surdas used Khariboli extensively, creating a literary tradition.
3. Standardization and Modern Hindi:
* British Influence: During British colonial rule, the need for a standardized language for administration led to the adoption of Hindustani, a blend of Khariboli and Urdu.
* Hindi vs Urdu: After India's independence, a debate arose over which script and vocabulary to adopt. This led to the official standardization of Hindi with a Devanagari script and a vocabulary heavily influenced by Sanskrit.
* Modern Hindi: While Hindi continues to evolve, the standardization process led to the emergence of Modern Standard Hindi, the official language of India.
Key Points:
* Evolution, not creation: Hindi evolved organically over centuries, absorbing influences from various languages and cultural movements.
* Multiple influences: The development of Hindi is marked by the interplay of ancient Prakrit languages, Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, and British influences.
* Ongoing evolution: Modern Hindi continues to evolve with the influence of English and other regional languages.
Therefore, it's more accurate to say that Hindi evolved from a combination of existing languages and cultural forces rather than being created.