sanskritization

/ˌsɑːn.skɹɪ.tɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/

Etymology

From Sanskritize + -ation.

Why this word is great

SANSKRITIZATION — [Noun] The process by which non-dominant groups adopt the linguistic, ritual, and social practices of Sanskrit-associated elites to elevate their status. From Sanskritize (to make similar to Sanskrit) + -ation (a suffix forming nouns of action). Unlike "Prakritization" (the vernacular dilution of classical forms) or "Anglicization" (the imposition of English cultural norms), Sanskritization is a deliberate self-transformation through the assimilation of prestige markers. It is the Sudra landlord commissioning Vedic fire rites, the folk ballad recast in classical meter, the leatherworker's son chanting Upanishads—each act a calculated step in the alchemy of caste, where tradition becomes both ladder and cage.

noun

  1. The introduction of Sanskrit vocabulary into another language or dialect.
  2. The modification of a word's structure to render its appearance to that of a Sanskrit word.
  3. A form of social change in India and Nepal, in which members of lower castes seek upward mobility by emulating the rituals and practices of the upper or dominant castes.