First Steps Towards Sanskrit: Language, Linguistics and Culture is an
accessible first introduction to this ancient Indian language.
Complete beginners are introduced to the language from scratch. Key
terms are explained clearly and there is an extensive glossary to assist the
reader who is unfamiliar with the terminology of language learning. By the
end of the book, learners will have grasped the basics of the language and be
prepared to engage readily in an introductory college or university course
or through private study. The addition of cultural, linguistic and historical
notes will appeal to learners with diverse interests, ranging from religious
studies and philosophy to yoga and comparative or historical linguistics.
The book includes references to classical and modern European
languages. Parallels are also drawn with Indic languages where these are
relevant, particularly as concerns the writing system. No knowledge of any
language other than English is, however, presupposed. This book is ideal
for both self-study and in-class use as a primer or core text for pre-sessional
courses.
Anil K. Biltoo is an Honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Linguists
and has taught Sanskrit for many years at the University of London. He is
currently teaching at King’s College London.
Author(s): Anil K. Biltoo
Edition: 1
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2002
Language: English
Pages: 193
City: London / New York
Tags: sanskrit
Cover
Half Title
Title
Copyright
Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Introductory remarks
How to use this book
1 The Sanskrit language
1.1 Linguistic background
1.2 The ‘discovery’ of Sanskrit
1.3 Cognates
1.4 The origin of Sanskrit
1.5 Indus Valley connections
1.6 Myths and realities
2 The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration
2.1 Preliminaries
2.2 Analysis of a word in the IAST
2.3 Additional remarks
3 The sound system
3.1 Vowels and diphthongs
3.1.1 Preliminaries
3.1.2 Pronunciation
3.1.3 Overview
3.2 Consonants
3.2.1 Preliminaries
3.2.2 Pronunciation
3.2.2.1 Velars
3.2.2.2 Palatals
3.2.2.3 Cerebrals
3.2.2.4 Dentals
3.2.2.5 Labials
3.2.3 Overview
3.3 Semivowels
3.3.1 Preliminaries
3.3.2 Pronunciation
3.3.3 Overview
3.4 Sibilants
3.4.1 Preliminaries
3.4.2 Pronunciation
3.4.3 Overview
3.5 Additional sounds
3.5.1 Anusvāra
3.5.2 Visarga
3.5.3 The inherent vowel
3.5.4 Virāma
3.6 Exercise: true or false?
4 The writing system
4.1 Origin of the Devanāgarī
4.2 The Devanāgarī investigated
4.2.1 Preliminaries
4.2.2 Vowels
4.2.3 Consonants
4.2.4 Semivowels and sibilants
4.3 Conjuncts and conjunct formation
4.3.1 Preliminaries
4.3.2 Removal of the vertical stroke
4.3.3 Stacking
4.3.4 Conjuncts involving r
4.3.5 Unique forms
4.3.6 Multiple conjuncts
4.4 Variant forms
4.4.1 Orthographic variants
4.4.2 Font variation
4.4.3 Sample text in various fonts
4.4.4 Other writing systems
4.5 Writing the Devanāgarī
4.6 Exercises
4.6.1 Identify the consonant
4.6.2 Transliteration
5 The Sanskrit word
5.1 Preliminaries
5.2 Analysis of words
5.3 Approaching Sanskrit grammar
6 The Sanskrit noun: Declension
6.1 Preliminaries
6.2 Cases and case functions
6.3 Sample paradigms: short a stems
6.4 More paradigms: long ā and long ī stems
6.5 The demonstrative pronoun tat
6.6 Personal pronouns
6.7 Exercises
6.7.1 Questions on declension
6.7.2 Sentences for translation
7 The Sanskrit verb: Conjugation
7.1 Preliminaries
7.2 Root, stem and vowel mutation
7.3 Thematic verbs
7.4 The imperfect
7.5 The infinitive
7.6 The gerund
7.7 Exercise: sentences for translation
8 Sound changes: Sandhi
8.1 Preliminaries
8.2 Visarga sandhi
8.3 Consonant sandhi
8.4 Vowel sandhi
8.5 Cerebralization
8.6 Writing conventions
8.7 Exercise: reading a mantra
9 From sentence to text
9.1 Preliminaries
9.2 Reading Sanskrit
9.3 Selected readings
9.3.1 Reading One
9.3.2 Reading Two
9.3.3 Reading Three
9.3.4 Reading Four
10 Texts for the study of Sanskrit
Glossary
Index and list of verb roots
