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Jaina Theory of Production of Sound and Evolution ...
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of course the mind, are in action - ginhai ya kāienam,nisarai taha vāieņa jogeņań.
This apparently two phased action of grahana and nissarana, is actually three phased. The initial phase is the identification of the matter to be expressed in language (bhāṣādravya). It is to be followed by its conversion into language (bhāṣātvena parinamana). This is the inner linguistic expression of the matter which is of necessity, interwoven with the process of identification of the matter to be expressed in language. It is a link between grahaņa and nissarana, the final utterance.
Any object of knowledge may become a matter for linguistic expression (bhāṣādravya) provided that (i) it is existant (sthita) before the senses and mind of the speaker; (ii) it is in full contact with the speaker (jīva), in other words the speaker (jīva) is preoccupied with it, and (iii) the speaker is competent to express it in language. Speaker's competence is tested at the listeners end. Five types of delivery have been identified in the scriptures, viz. (i) piece by piece, i.e. specifying and elucidating all the details (khandābheda); (ii) layer after layer, i.e. generic not specific (pratarabheda); (iii) pounded. i.e. mixed up and confused (cūrnikābheda); (iv) marginal or superficial (anutaţika); (v) scattered, i.e. incoherent (utkarikābheda).
The Jaina scriptures do not envisage a time when humans were without language. As the world in their view is a continuous process without any beginning or end, so is the language. There are ups and downs, but the continuation is unbroken. Nevertheless, language is seen to be gradually rising from the inarticulate to the articulate, according to, the increasing number of sense perceptions, viz. two, three, four and five. Even the animals and birds of the last category can develop acquaintance with articulate language on being trained for the purpose. Even among the humans infant's language is inarticulate which gradually becomes articulate under the impact of the incumbent language.
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