Saraiki vs Punjabi: Which Language is Older?

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Language debates have always been fascinating, especially when it comes to the rich linguistic traditions of Punjab and South Punjab. One common question people ask is: Which is older – Saraiki or Punjabi? Let’s explore the history, origins, and evolution of both languages.



🕰️ Historical Roots

Saraiki

Saraiki belongs to the Lahnda group of Indo-Aryan languages.

  • Origins: Traced back to Siraiki Apabhraṃśa (a Prakrit language spoken around the 7th–10th century CE).
  • Region: Southern Punjab – Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan.
  • Influences: Strongly shaped by Sindhi, Balochi, and Multani dialects.
  • Literary Tradition: Rich oral and Sufi heritage. Famous poets include Khawaja Ghulam Farid and earlier saints of Multan.
  • Scripts: Historically written in Multani script (a variety of Landa), later replaced by Shahmukhi (Arabic-derived).

Punjabi

Punjabi is one of the world’s major languages and is spoken across Central and Eastern Punjab.

  • Origins: Developed from Shauraseni Apabhraṃśa (another Prakrit) around the same time, 7th–10th century CE.
  • Region: Central and Eastern Punjab.
  • Influences: Closely linked to Hindi, Urdu, and other North Indian languages.
  • Literary Tradition: Deep and well-documented, starting from Baba Farid, Guru Nanak, and later Waris Shah.
  • Scripts: Initially written in Śāradā and Landa. Standardized later into Gurmukhi (in India) and Shahmukhi (in Pakistan).

📜 Which Language is Older?

  • Spoken Roots: Both Saraiki and Punjabi go back over 1000 years, evolving side by side from ancient Prakrit languages.
  • Saraiki preserves more archaic features, making it linguistically closer to older forms of Prakrit.
  • Punjabi has an earlier written record, with Śāradā inscriptions from around the 9th century CE.

✅ Conclusion

The debate over whether Saraiki or Punjabi is older does not have a simple answer:

  • Age-wise (spoken origins): Both are equally old, over a millennium in history.
  • Documentation: Punjabi has earlier written evidence.
  • Preservation: Saraiki retains more ancient linguistic features.

In short, Saraiki and Punjabi are sister languages, deeply rooted in the cultural and historical fabric of South Asia. Both continue to thrive, carrying forward centuries of oral tradition, poetry, and identity.

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