Re: Kaccaayana: introductory verses (2)

Dear George,

> Akkhara: 'letter' or 'sound'?

In the first month of the inception of this group in 2001, I alluded to this
issue while we were going through the beginning suttas of the Sandhikappa of
the Saddaniti (message #20):

"I thought that it would help to think of Pali more as a spoken language
than a written one. The two terms 'va.n.na' and 'akkhara' can both be
translated as 'sound' or 'letter' but the Saddaniti makes it quite clear
that the terms are referring to sounds."

Now I did a bit of searching through the beginning suttas of Kacc and its
Nyaasa and it appears that neither the term "sadda" (sound) --- unlike in Sd
2 (Sadd III 604) --- nor a term for the written character is used in
defining "akkhara". I think akkhara or letter could include both the phonic
and graphic substance. When we read written letters and words, don't we
normally have to transform (consciously or subconsciously) these into
audible or imaginary sounds in order for us to comprehend or relate to them?

Best wishes,
Jim