A Cambridge University student has solved a 2,500-year-old grammatical puzzle

Rishi Rajpuppat solved a Sanskrit grammar problem that has puzzled many scholars since the 5th century BC.

Researchers have been pulling their hair since the fifth century BC. A grammar problem in Sanskrit, a very ancient Indo-European language, has been solved by a 27-year-old PhD student at the University of Cambridge, according to a report. BBC and review Study discovers.

The riddle was left by the Indian grammarian Panini, master of this ancient language, about 2,500 years ago. Today, Sanskrit is spoken by only about 25,000 people in India. However, it remains the sacred language of Hinduism and has been used in science, philosophy, and other Indian literature over the centuries.

New reading

However, multiple Panini rules can apply simultaneously, which often leads to incorrect grammar. And Rishi Rajpupat comes to this conclusion: The ‘Mettarol’ panini has been misinterpreted from the start.

So I suggest a new read. For the rules applicable to the left side and the right side of a word, he proposes a new reading, which is to choose the right side rule exclusively.

The result: the words are now grammatically correct, with almost no exceptions.

Of course, not everything was easy. in communication Reported by the University of Cambridge, Rishi Rajpupat said he wanted to stop everything after nine months.

Sanskrit soon on computers?

“I closed the books for a month (…) Then, reluctantly, I went back to work and within minutes as I turned the pages, these patterns started to emerge and everything started to feel good,” said the young man. Then his work took two and a half years.

For the University of Cambridge, Rishi Rajpuppat’s discovery could now make it possible to teach Sanskrit grammar to computers.