SV: Pali Grammatica (for a change)

Dear Eisel Mazard,

   <I have been enjoying the PhD Thesis on _The Syntax of the Pali Cases..._
enormously (this book was cited in full by Nyanatusita on this list some
time ago).  It is indeed the best work of its kind that I have seen, and
includes comparative references to Kacc., Mogg. & Panini where appropriate.>

I agree! However, there is still room for improvement on the description of
the evidence, for instance, on the uses of the locative. O. von Hinüber
published a "Kasussyntax" in 1968, I believe. We still need a comprehensive
Pali syntax that includes verbal syntax etc. J. Fahs attempted one: Beiträge
zur Syntax de Palisprache. PhD 1963. I am presently working on one. God only
knows when I shall be able to finalise it.

  < I am sorry to report that the BPS re-printing(s) of the Hewaviratine
edition(s) (of the commentaries, etc.) is of poor an inconstant quality.
This is to say both that the quality is poor, and that from one chapter to
the next the poverty of the print (and colour of the paper, etc.) will vary
within any given volume.  There are other annoyances, such as "descreening
errors" that were made in photoduplication of the originals (although the
text is rarely illegible --it would often enough be tiring or annoying to
read).
This is rather sad, given that the original (first edition) was of very good
quality, and there are no real technical barriers to reproducing it at an
equal (or greater) quality in our times (i.e., when printing technology has
supposedly improved!).  If one has recourse to the first edition, I would
advise you to Xerox from it judiciously, rather than order the reprints
--all of which are made by a miscellany of Sinhalese print houses (some
better than others), but, for the most part, at a quality that would be
demoralizing for a western scholar to work with.>

Thank you for this information. I was considering ordering a set for my
library. I have given up the idea.


OP