Sanskrit Beginners Course

Course aim

This course aims to provide you with an introduction to Sanskrit, using the scholarly transliteration designed specifically for Sanskrit (the IAST) alongside the Devanāgarī script. It is designed to allow you to read and understand simple sentences with confidence. In all three terms, examples of authentic Sanskrit are explored, helping you gradually to make the transition from simplified, abridged Sanskrit to actual Sanskrit texts. As a learner, you would be expected to attend regularly, participate in class and complete homework regularly to ensure that learning objectives are met. This course is delivered by the Language Centre

Method

The below will be achieved through 20 hours of blended learning: this is composed of 15 hours of online structured lessons with the teacher. This is supplemented by a minimum of 5 hours of guided independent learning supported by complementary material. The course objective will be achieved within the 10-week course.

Sanskrit Beginners 1 introduces the learner to Sanskrit as a linguistic system, by putting it in its appropriate linguistic context and looking carefully at how it is structured both in terms of its sound system and its grammar. The course presupposes no knowledge of an Indian language or of Latin or Greek. Sanskrit Beginners 1 first establishes a familiarity with the pronunciation of Sanskrit and the association between sounds, the transliteration system (the IAST) and the Devanāgarī. Grammatical terminology is gradually incorporated, giving the student confidence in identifying parts of speech in Sanskrit before tackling grammar. There is a mid-term session, consolidating the first half, and an end-of-term consolidation session, concentrating on the material covered in the second half of the term. At the end of the term, the student is able to read and understand basic sentences in the present tense (and the active voice), can read Sanskrit script, albeit with some difficulty and with frequent recourse to transliteration, and will have acquired a vocabulary of around 150 words.

Sanskrit Beginners 2 builds directly on Beginners 1, expanding the student’s ability to read and write the Devanāgarī script and to understand basic sentence construction. New declensional types are explored and pronouns (demonstrative and relative) are introduced. There is an emphasis on reading and understanding short, graded texts that are abridged versions of the Hitopadeśa (a collection of fables belonging to the large body of ‘wisdom literature’ in Sanskrit). Two reading passages within the term are abridged versions of fables from the Hitopadeśa. By the end of this term of study, students will have a vocabulary range of around 300 words. As with Sanskrit Beginners 1, there is a mid-way consolidation point, allowing for revision on areas that students have identified as difficult or problematic. There is also a consolidation session at the end of the term taking the form of a quiz concentrating on the material covered in Sanskrit Beginners 1 and 2.

Sanskrit Beginners 3 is a natural continuation of Sanskrit Beginners 1 and 2, devoted to building familiarity with basic Sanskrit constructions. The working vocabulary is extended to around 450 words, allowing access to short texts of greater linguistic sophistication than in previous terms. There is a strong emphasis on developing learning strategies in terms of being able to grasp declensional patterns and also the theoretical bases of conjugation. The reading of texts continues to serve as the means by which vocabulary and grammatical usage are explored. Important and widely used constructions are investigated (such as the locative absolute) and there is, as in Sanskrit Beginners 1 and 2, time factored in for consolidation. Students are given revision tips and reading materials for the summer period, in order to practise what they have learned, and the next level of study (Sanskrit Elementary 1) is discussed.

Material

Beginners 1-3 will be based on the textbook: The Cambridge Introduction to Sanskrit, by A.M. Ruppel

Course materials are not included in the course fee and can be purchased from the SOAS bookshop bookshop@soas.ac.uk
We strongly recommend waiting until your course is confirmed before purchasing the textbook.

Entry requirements and progression route

No knowledge of any language other than English is presupposed. To join Beginners 2 or 3 you should have completed Beginners 1 and 2 respectively at SOAS Language Centre or have an equivalent knowledge of guided learning hours (20 hours blended learning per each sub-level). The progression route from Sanskrit Beginners 1 is to Sanskrit Beginners 2; from Beginners 2 to Beginners 3.

Please note, that each term, classes are subject to quorum requirements.

For course dates and information, please see our timetables