Role of China and India in Asia
China and India’s Role in Asia and the Rest of the World
SOC 335
Throughout history there have been many nations who have had great influence on modern society, although none have been as impactful as China and India. From ancient to contemporary times the effect the two nations have over not only Asia but the entire world is acutely impressive by historical standards. In this essay the spread of language, religion, and economic growth created by China and India throughout history will be discussed along with the long-term effect of such development.
The Spread of Language According to Backlund and Ivy (2008), “A language is a system of symbols (words or vocabulary) governed by rules (grammar) and patterns (syntax) common to a community of people” (p. 144). The usage of language in order to communicate began millions of years ago and evolved alongside the early hominids. China and India, two of the world’s oldest and most prosperous nations have had tremendous effects on neighboring countries for millions of years, which include the use of both verbal and written language. The 1961 Census revealed that 1,652 languages are used in India alone, with 18 of them being considered major languages of the world. The official language of the government and well-educated individuals is Hindi, although the numerous State Governments within India are free to select any of the many Indian languages as their official language. Sanskrit, the original and sacred language of India has greatly affected South Asia, specifically the Arabic language, which is essentially a derivative of Sanskrit. Mandarin Chinese, the official and most prevalent language of China, has over 873 million fluent speakers as of 2005. However, the effect China’s language has had on its neighboring countries throughout history has been even more remarkable than the sheer number of speakers the language houses. In 111 BCE the Han Empire held control over Vietnam for close to a
SOC 335
Throughout history there have been many nations who have had great influence on modern society, although none have been as impactful as China and India. From ancient to contemporary times the effect the two nations have over not only Asia but the entire world is acutely impressive by historical standards. In this essay the spread of language, religion, and economic growth created by China and India throughout history will be discussed along with the long-term effect of such development.
The Spread of Language According to Backlund and Ivy (2008), “A language is a system of symbols (words or vocabulary) governed by rules (grammar) and patterns (syntax) common to a community of people” (p. 144). The usage of language in order to communicate began millions of years ago and evolved alongside the early hominids. China and India, two of the world’s oldest and most prosperous nations have had tremendous effects on neighboring countries for millions of years, which include the use of both verbal and written language. The 1961 Census revealed that 1,652 languages are used in India alone, with 18 of them being considered major languages of the world. The official language of the government and well-educated individuals is Hindi, although the numerous State Governments within India are free to select any of the many Indian languages as their official language. Sanskrit, the original and sacred language of India has greatly affected South Asia, specifically the Arabic language, which is essentially a derivative of Sanskrit. Mandarin Chinese, the official and most prevalent language of China, has over 873 million fluent speakers as of 2005. However, the effect China’s language has had on its neighboring countries throughout history has been even more remarkable than the sheer number of speakers the language houses. In 111 BCE the Han Empire held control over Vietnam for close to a