AW: Sanskrit primer recommendation?

[Guest guest]

Dr. Aktor,

 

One of the most popular primers in Canada and the U.S. is:

 

 

Goldman, Robert P. and Sally J. Sutherland. Devavaan.iipraves'ikaa: An

Introduction

 

 

to the Sanskrit Language. 3rd

Ed. Berkeley: Center for South and Southeast Asia

 

 

Studies,

University of California, 1999. (I would imagine roughly 50-60 Euros)

 

This primer does not make reference to Greek and Latin, and is very much a

stand-alone text that can be used on its own without other references such as

dictionaries or the Whitney roots (it has its own dictionary in the back). Once

the students have been introduced to the script through romanization, naagari is

used, so transliteration is not an issue.

 

Another English-based option, far more thoroughgoing and exhaustive is:

 

Aklujkar, Ashok. Sanskrit: an Easy Introduction to an Enchanting Language.

Richmond:

Svadhyaya Publications, 1992.

 

This is a package set of four volumes and audio cassettes (perhaps now CDs); the

four volumes consist of a lesson book, a pure grammar book, a book of tests and

exercises, and a small Sanskrit-English dictionary. These materials are used in

conjunction with audio exercises which are incredibly helpful in developing the

student's ear for the language, pronunciation, and naturalization to sam.dhi. I

don't think anyone knows more about Sanskrit primers than Dr. Aklujkar

(University of British Columbia, Canada).

 

 

Chris Austin

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

 

 

 

 

----- Ursprüngliche Mail ----

Von: Mikael Aktor <aktor

An: INDOLOGY <INDOLOGY >

Gesendet: Sonntag, den 4. März 2007, 03:53:15 Uhr

Betreff: [Y-Indology] Sanskrit primer recommendation?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear list members,

 

 

 

I am planning to start a course in Sanskrit for beginners at my department

(Religious Studies). It is many years since I learned Sanskrit myself, and I

guess - I hope - that there has been produced better teaching material since

then. We used Perry's Primer in combination with Stenzler's grammar. The

grammar, I think, is excellent and very useful because it is brief and

systematic, but it is difficult for beginners with its short and precise rules

in German. However, if the primer has a more pedagogical introduction to the

grammar, this is OK.

 

 

 

Perry's primer is confusing for several reasons. The transliteration scheme is

outdated (it has c-cedil for palatal s, n-macron for the guttural nasal,

m-overdot for anusvaara, a-macron+i for ai, a-macron+u for au), and it has a

confusing underdot marking of vocal sandhis. But the idea of having translation

exercises (both ways) with every chapter is very good I think.

 

 

 

Another more general problem with the old primers is that they presuppose a

knowledge of Latin and Greek grammar which is not at all possible with our

students.

 

 

 

What are your suggestions for a modern primer? What material do you use?

 

 

 

Best,

 

mikael

 

 

 

------------ --------- --------

 

Mikael Aktor, Fixed-term lecturer, PhD

 

Department of Philosophy, Education and Study of Religions

 

University of Southern Denmark

 

Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark

 

Phone: +45 6550 3318 (work) / +45 3696 9054 (home) / +45 2830 7394 (mobile)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Professor Ashok Aklujkar is currently in Trinidad where he participated in a

Lecture Series organized by the University of Trinidad & Tobago. He is also

speaking at a Hindu Students Council seminar this weekend. If his lecture is an

indication of his knowledge in Sanskrit, then one can only conclude his Sanskrit

books are quite good.

 

Sanskrit: an Easy Introduction to an Enchanting Language.

Richmond:

Svadhyaya Publications, 1992

 

Regards,

 

Deosaran