The theory of Sphota originated with Bhartrhari and refers to the underlying meaning or essence of a linguistic utterance. According to Bhartrhari, language can be understood on two levels - the sounds that are uttered and the meaning that is conveyed. He proposes three aspects to language: 1) Vakrta-dhavni which is the sounds that are produced, 2) Prakrta-dhavni which is the abstract phonological structure or pattern of sounds, and 3) Sphota which is the underlying meaning or essence that is grasped by both the speaker and listener. The Sphota theory aims to explain how meaning is communicated through the medium of sound.

1. Theory of Sphota

2. Theory of Sphota
• Theory of Sphota is given by
Bhartrhari.
• Sphota theory originally found in
Sanskrit language.
• This term is used in Sanskrit
grammar (vyakarana).

3. Origin of the term
While the sphoṭa theory proper (sphoṭavāda) originates with
Bhartṛhari, the term has a longer history of use in the
technical vocabulary of Sanskrit grammarians, and Bhartṛhari
may have been building on the ideas of his predecessors,
whose works are partly lost.
Sanskrit sphoṭa is etymologically derived from the root sphuṭ
'to burst'. It is used in its technical linguistic sense by
Patañjali (2nd century BCE), in reference to the "bursting
forth" of meaning or idea on the mind as language is
uttered. Patañjali's sphoṭa is the invariant quality of speech.
The acoustic element (dhvani) can be long or short, loud or
soft, but the sphoṭa remains unaffected by individual
speaker differences (Wikipedia).
.

5. Sphota Theory
Bhartrhari begins the discussion on
the sphota theory with the
observation that words or
sentences can be considered under
two aspects, as sound-patterns or
as meaning-bearing symbols.

6. Sphota theory
• In meaningful language, linguists recognize
two entities, both of which may be called
words.
Meaningful
language
Underlying
cause of the
articulated
sounds.
Words
Attached to
Meaning

7. • The articulated sound pattern which is
the external facet of the language
symbol.
• Other is attached to the meaning, it is
semantic facet which expires the meaning
(Kunjunni).

8. • Bhartrhari’s analysis envisages three aspects
of the language situation.
1. The Vakrta-dhavni
2. The Prakrta-dhavni
3. The Sphota

9. The Vakrta-dhavni

10. The Prakrta-dhavni
• The Prakrta-dhavni, the phonological
structure, the sound-pattern of the norm;
or, from another point of view, the name of
the class of which the various instances are
members. Both the speaker and the
listener are conscious of the normal
phonological pattern alone. The time-
sequence is still present in this. It may be
considered as the acoustic image of the
normal expression, or the expression in the
mind, keeping the time-order with it.

11. The Sphota

12. • Bibliography
• Kunjunni, Raja. "Bhartrhri's
Discussion of the Nature of
the Sphota." Indian
Aesthetics. n.d. 272-281.
• Wikipedia. sphota-Wikipedia.
21 january 2017
<http://www.wikipedia.com>.