* Dynamic Language: Languages are constantly evolving. New words are coined, old words fall out of use, and meanings shift. This means a fixed number would be outdated quickly.
* No Official Dictionary: Unlike some languages, Marathi doesn't have one definitive, comprehensive dictionary that lists every possible word.
* Regional Variations: Marathi, like many languages, has regional dialects. Different regions might have unique words or variations in usage.
Instead of a number, here's a better way to understand the size of Marathi vocabulary:
* Rich and Expressive: Marathi is a rich language with a large vocabulary that can express a wide range of concepts and nuances.
* Borrowing: Like many languages, Marathi borrows words from other languages (e.g., Sanskrit, English, Arabic) to expand its vocabulary.
To find a sense of the scale, you could look at:
* Major dictionaries: Marathi dictionaries, while not complete, can give you a good idea of the vocabulary used in common usage.
* Corpus linguistics: This field studies large collections of texts to analyze word frequency and usage patterns, offering insights into vocabulary size.
Remember, the true richness of a language lies not just in the number of words but also in the flexibility and creativity with which those words are used.