1. Sanskrit: The most significant influence comes from Sanskrit, the ancient language of India. This influence reached the Philippines through trade and cultural exchange with Southeast Asian kingdoms that were themselves influenced by Indian culture.
* Vocabulary: Many Filipino words, particularly in areas like religion, government, and literature, have Sanskrit roots. Examples include "hari" (king), "dewa" (god), and "dharma" (righteousness).
* Grammar: The influence of Sanskrit on Filipino grammar is less direct but still evident in some grammatical structures and concepts.
2. Malay/Indonesian: This language is part of the Austronesian family, which Filipino also belongs to. While Malay itself has significant Sanskrit influence, it also borrowed words from other Indian languages like Tamil and Hindi.
* Vocabulary: Filipino has borrowed words like "raja" (king), "mata" (eye), and "tangan" (hand) from Malay, which in turn are derived from Indian languages.
3. Arabic: This language has also had an influence on Filipino through the spread of Islam in the southern Philippines. While Arabic is not directly linked to Indian languages, it is part of the larger Indo-European language family, sharing some common origins.
* Vocabulary: Words related to Islamic beliefs, rituals, and culture are often borrowed from Arabic.
Key Points:
* The influence of Indian languages on Filipino is indirect and mostly through vocabulary.
* Sanskrit has the most significant impact on the Filipino lexicon.
* Malay/Indonesian played a role in introducing Indian loanwords through its own linguistic history.
* Arabic also influenced the language, though its roots are not directly linked to Indian languages.
Remember that languages are constantly evolving and absorbing influences from other cultures. While the influence of Indian languages on Filipino is significant, it's just one aspect of the language's complex history.