So I just got the Rosetta Stone for Hindi, since it shares the same alphabet as Sanskrit, and holy hell is it hard to learn a whole different alphabet, especially when that alphabet has 58 characters in it (then again it's only been 30 minutes, and I didn't learn the english alphabet in a day either lol). The reason I'm taking on this task is that out of all the Sanskrit spiritual texts, only maybe 1/100th of them are translated into english, and I'd really like to read them. Plus learning Hindi would make it a bit easier if I ever get to visit India in the future. Anyone else on the pursuit of learning sanskrit? I guess I'll have to find a tutor somewhere eventually, or perhaps some college offers a course on it I could take, anyone have any details?
I actually intend to do actually the same thing you are doing in the future, you should update us on your progress i image it is a difficult language
Learning the alphabet can be difficult but phonetically it's not all that tough. Sanskrit is an eastern Indo-European language so it's along the same lines as learning Koine Greek, Avestan (Old Persian), or Armenian. I'm Indian myself but my family speaks a Dravidian language which is totally unrelated to Indo-Aryan languages (but have been influenced by them.)
The hardest part about Chinese is just remembering to speak with the correct tones in my opinion. The grammar is pretty straight forward.
Lol why would you learn an alphabet from a country you'll never go to, and the books are all translated into english.
Yes and no. If your learning from any hindu text then sure. But some of the words in any sanskirt text is so diff from english you wouldn't b able to translate it anyway. Like "Germulich" in german it has no literal english translation, because the meaning is actually an experience. The best way to translate it is; the spirit of being together, community, kinship, celebrating, greeving, the feeling going around the room. The same really goes for most of the words in sandskrit, since your not a native, you're gonna have to have to look words up constantly anyway, you might as well get it in engish.
That's kind of my point. Languages have nuances that are best understood by actually learning the language instead of relying on translations.
Yea but thats my point your gonna have to figure out translations that have no literal english translation. Wheather you learn sanskirt or not make it easier on your self to get a book whare some one has already gone through the trouble.
Do you think someone would have a better understanding of "Germulich" if they were to read someone's description about it or if they were fluent in German?
Not really. Because it means alot of things in different situations. Asian and middle eastern regins are completely diffrent from english. I always said that's why chrstians have so many problems understanding there own faith.
Isn't the definition dependent of the translation? Now I'm confused. edit: Or was that your emphasis? That one might not have obtained the right translation thus the definition is inaccurate.
even if sanskrit and hindi share the same alphabet, im sure the grammar and syntax isnt the same. reading letters does nothing if you cant understand the words haha maybe im wrong?
Learning the alphabet will be the hardest part, unlike our alphabet where a letter can make 6 different sounds or no sound at all, they have a "letter" for every specific sound and the words are put together that way, so if you can read the letters, you can pronounce the word, but then it's a matter of learning the sanskrit language. Also, to the guy who thinks that sanskrit texts are all translated, you're poorly mistaken. Only the essential religious texts are translated, but that's only a hundredth of the spiritual texts that have never been translated that aren't religious, but Yoga texts, mystical texts, etc. You're forgetting that sanskrit is an ancient language. Most Indians don't even know sanskrit, so don't expect it to be a modern easily translated language, especially since those who can read sanskrit can do so for a reason and wouldn't profane their truly sacred texts.
Very interesting. I've always wanted to learn an eastern language in case I wanted to travel there in the future, but the task always seemed so daunting. I wonder why I never thought of Rosetta stone sooner... *doh* ( ) Thanks for the idea. I'm going to get started on Chinese. From what I've heard its a bitch, but I also think it'd be really cool to read all of those ancient texts as they truly are (or as well as I can understand them) rather than lousy or half-ass translations. It's definitely something constructive to occupy the mind with, thats for sure. And learning a language always gives you that sense of accomplishment when you can finally speak to someone outside of your native tongue. Cool shit
I learned Hebrew in the past for my Spiritual beliefs. I enjoyed it a lot, and still think of Hebrew related stuff regularly. It would be nice to learn an Eastern language in the context of the spiritual texts, given that my way of thinking is more Eastern now, and my interest in those traditions. So yea, I think I may like to learn Sanskrit. I'm just not sure how to go about it. There's nowhere near the push to learn Sanskrit as there was to Hebrew, lol, and therefore not at all the same type of resources.