Elementary

Elementary Sanskrit 

Elementary Sanskrit is the second of four levels, comprised of three courses.  Elementary Sanskrit 1 picks up where Beginners 3 leaves off, so knowledge of Beginners-level Sanskrit is presupposed. Elementary Sanskrit 1 extends the learner’s knowledge of Sanskrit by presenting passages in the Devanāgarī only, although the IAST continues to be used to explain grammatical points. More complex linguistic features are studied, such as further declension and sandhi, and there is an emphasis, in the second half, on the analysis of compounds in Sanskrit – a feature which is a hallmark of the language across all literary genres.

Elementary Sanskrit 2 builds on the learner’s understanding of compounds whilst thoroughly consolidating grammar from the previous course. Text passages become lengthier and more authentic, incorporating fresh conjugation (the optative mood) and more complex declension (the consonant stem). Elementary Sanskrit 3 expands on the consonant stem (the changeable variant), whilst also introducing the future tense and the full set of personal pronouns. The Story of the Churning of the Ocean, a text which occupies a central position in Hindu mythology, extends the learner’s vocabulary considerably.

Elementary Sanskrit 1

Textbook:

Maurer, W. H. (2009) The Sanskrit Language.

Weekly topics:

1.       Review of Beginners 3

2.       The middle voice

3.       Stems in -i and -u

4.       The locative absolute

5.       Further sandhi

6.       Midterm summary

7.       Introduction to compounds

8.       More on compounds

9.       Reading and vocab practice

10.     Overview and consolidation

Elementary Sanskrit 2

Textbook:

Maurer, W. H. (2009) The Sanskrit Language.

Weekly topics:

1.       Review of Elementary 1

2.       Compounds revisited

3.       Reading and translation

4.       The relative pronoun

5.       The optative mood

6.       Midterm summary

7.       Detailed grammatical analysis

8.       The consonant stem: marut

9.       The consonant stem: -as, -is, -us

10.     Overview and consolidation

Elementary Sanskrit 3

Textbook:

Maurer, W. H. (2009) The Sanskrit Language.

Weekly topics:

1.       Review of Elementary 2

2.       The changeable stem: -mat; -vat

3.       The present active participle

4.       More about the changeable stem

5.       The future tense

6.       Midterm summary

7.       Detailed grammatical analysis

8.       The dual number

9.       First and second person pronouns

10.    Overview and consolidation