6 Questions
What script is used for writing Marathi?
Devanagari script
How many genders are there in Marathi grammar?
Three genders: masculine, feminine, and common
In Marathi, how many tenses are there?
Seven tenses
Which of the following is NOT a Marathi mood?
Optative
What is used for enumeration in Marathi punctuation?
Arabic numerals
Which technique was historically used for speed writing in Marathi?
ITSA (India Type Services Association)
Study Notes
Structural Elements of the Marathi Language
As a rich and vibrant regional language of India, Marathi boasts a complex yet accessible structure reflected in daily communication, literature, and journalism alike. Key elements of the Marathi language include:
- Script: Devanagari, a modified Brahmi script derived from ancient North Indian scripts
- Orthography: Consistent application of vowel diacritic symbols called virama and consonant clusters indicating nasality (añ root) and aspiration (ksha root)
- Punctuation: Employs Arabic numerals for enumeration and the English semicolon for clause division
- Vocabulary: Draws primarily from Sanskrit roots with significant influence from local dialects and Persian borrowings during the medieval period
- Word order: Typically follows the Subject–Verb–Object scheme
- Grammatical gender: Three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter
- Case system: Distinct forms denoting possession, location, instrument, agent, ablative, dative, genitive, vocative, accusative, and nominating function
- Number: Two numbers: singular and plural
- Mood: Five moods: indicative, imperative, conditional, desiderative, interrogative
- Tense: Seven tenses: four past tenses (simple, perfect continuous, perfect, remote past), three present tenses (present simple, present progressive, present perfect), one future tense
- Negatives: Both independent negatives (na/ni, "nu") and dependent negatives (nahida/nahe, "_nakho”)
- Sentence structure: Generally free word order within clauses; coherent sentences typically consist of a declarative statement followed by elaboratory subclauses
- Speed writing: Historical adoption of shorthand techniques, such as ITSA (India Type Services Association) and Ati Varteñlihanya (Very Speedy Writing), facilitated rapid note-taking in the age of printed media
Despite these structural nuances, Marathi remains approachable, expressive, and popular among speakers throughout western and central India. Its dynamic literary tradition continues to thrive, underscored by contemporary achievements and the growing popularity of Marathi blogs.
Test your knowledge on the key elements that constitute the rich structure of the Marathi language, including script, orthography, punctuation, vocabulary, word order, grammar, tense, and more. Explore the intricacies that make Marathi both complex and accessible as a regional language.
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