What is the importance of using vernacular?

Question

What is the importance of using vernacular?

Answer 1

The importance of using the vernacular is so that all people (regardless of their education) can understand what is being said.  For example, vernacular refers to the native language of a country or a locality as opposed to "official" languages.  In Western Europe up until the 17th century, most scholarly work had been written in Latin, which meant regular folks couldn't read the work.  Works written in the native language of the people were said to be in the vernacular. Another example is that, until the 1960s, Roman Catholics masses were said in Latin rather than in local vernacular language, which meant that the "masses" of people (excuse the pun) could not understand what was being said.  The reforms of the Second Vatican Council permitted the use of vernacular liturgies in Roman Catholicism which allowed the regular folks to understand what was being said.  Another example:   in Hindu culture, traditionally religious or scholarly works were written in Sanskrit long after its use as a spoken language. From the 1100s onwards, religious works started being written in the many, many other Indian languages throughout the different regions of India. The Ramayana, one of Hinduism's sacred epics in Sanskrit had vernacular versions so the work was available to more people.