Ardhamagadhi Prakrit

Ardhamagadhi Prakrit was a Middle [Indo-Aryan language] and a Dramatic Prakrit thought to have been spoken in modern-day Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and used in some early Buddhist and Jain dramas. It was likely a Central Indo-Aryan language, related to Pali and the later Shauraseni Prakrit. The Eastern Hindi languages evolved from Ardhamagadhi Prakrit.

Relationship with Pali

Theravada Buddhist tradition has long held that Pali was synonymous with Magadhi and there are many analogies between it and , literally 'half-Magadhi'. was prominently used by Jain scholars and is preserved in the Jain Agamas. Both Gautama Buddha and the Tirthankara Mahavira preached in the region of Magadha.
Ardhamāgadhī differs from later Magadhi Prakrit on similar points as Pāli. For example, Ardhamāgadhī preserves historical, unlike later Magadhi, where changed into . Additionally, in the noun inflection, Ardhamagadhi shows the ending instead of Magadhi Prakrit in many metrical places.
Pali: Dhammapada 103:
Ardhamagadhi: Saman Suttam 125: