Re: Num : orientation

Dear Num (Amara, see below),

>Hi all,
>
>Just like to ask for some orientation of how to start studying pali.  Where
>and how to?  I downloaded "a Practical Grammar of the Pali Language," by
>Charles Duroiselle, which is in http://www.metta.lk/pali-utils/ , as posted
>in the bookmark of the site.         Any guideline?   I just would like to
>know some directions so I can plan and prioritize my time and schedule.

I think you already know a bit about the Pali language. I have been putting
some focus on the study of the sound system of Pali according to Aggava.msa
and so far the lessons on only 7 of the 23 suttas have been posted. For now
Pali phonology is the main theme until we have reached sutta 23 which gives
many details on the places, instruments, and manner of articulation. I have
been recommending that everyone should memorize the 41 Pali sounds in the
traditional order. It is also good to know the dictionary order of letters
as used in modern Pali-English dictionaries where the '.m' comes between 'o'
& 'k' and the '.l' comes after 'l'. You can also study the treatment of the
Pali sounds in whatever book you have access to including Duroiselle's &
Narada's. The best treatment I know of apart from Aggava.msa's is found in
Warder's Introduction to Pali.

As Amara pointed out the pace is rather slow around here. I guess that's
partly because I'm no fast-paced city-slicker myself -- just a slow-moving
middle-aged guy puttering around in the backwoods. This group has only just
started and it'll take time before it gets its feet on the ground. After we
get through the material on the Pali sounds, I thought we could start
working on a randomly picked paragraph-sized sutta from SN or AN. During
the meantime you are free to study on your own and post questions on
anything relating to Pali. It's pretty much a free-wheeling group willing to
go anywhere as long as it's to do with the Pali language and its texts.

To Amara: I found that on re-reading your response to Num that it doesn't
sound all that bad. Anyway, you're completely forgiven.

Best wishes,
Jim