ABSTRACT
Common languages had formerly existed in Greece, and especially in the colonies. After its extension along the shores of Asia Minoi, Ionic became the standard language, and known to us through its illustrious representative Herodotus. At the base of every standard or common language there is some other language. This has been adopted by individuals of different speech. Historical influences explain the predominance of the language taken as the base and also provide the reason for its having spread over the areas of local speech. Political circumstances did not permit the standard Ionic speech to attain the same importance as was achieved later by the Attic speech. As compared with French and Spanish, the Standard English speech shows traces of considerable influence exercised by the various dialects, from the very beginning of its history. In ancient India, Sanskrit, which was originally a religious language, became a standard literary tongue the moment a foreign dynasty sanctioned its employment for profane purposes.
