pronunciation of Sanskrit

[Dick Oliver]

>What disturbs me a bit in this discussion is that some people are writing about
>Sanskrit as a "dead" or "read-only" language. Why are there daily news
>broadcasts in Sanskrit on national Indian radio? Are they intended not to be
>understood? How is it that I hear panditas from different parts of India
>converse with each other in Sanskrit? 

It's really too bad in my opinion that Sanskrit hasn't much of a chance for
adoption as a national language in India. English seems almost certain to
continue playing that role (with certain parts of the academic and religious
community excepted). It's interesting to fantasize, though, about how the
"politicization of history" that has been discussed on this list from time
to time would be effected if a larger portion of the population at large
were able to speak and read Sanskrit.

--Dick Oliver ----------
  Cedar Science Center
  Wolcott, Vermont USA