Sanskrit Spelling

[Shrikant Bahulkar]

I do not know how old is the Tibetan method of pronouncing the spellings
aloud, but it is very interesting to learn that in the classroom. Such a
method similar to the Tibetan one exists in Marathi. The children are
taught how to pronounce ka, kaa, ki, kii, ku, kuu, ke, kai, ko, kau, ka.m
and ka.h. They are also taught  the words for the vowels i, ii, etc. and
then their combinations with the consonants. Similar is in Japanese : kaa,
kii, kuu, ke,  ko etc. based on the Indian var.namaalaa, although I have
not heard of the way of pronouncing the spellings in Japanese. We never
used any method for Sanskrit spellings. Probably because Indian students
already knew it and because  it was never taught to foreigners in old
days.

Shrikant Bahulkar

Stephen Hodge wrote:

> I womder if anybody knows about Sanskrit "spelling".  What I mean is,
> how would Sanskrit words traditionally be spelt out aloud.  Perhaps
> such exists but it is never mentioned in any of the standard Western
> grammars of Sanskrit.   Some subscribers may know of the Tibetan
> method where each element is spelt out and pronounced cumulatively.  I
> am wondering if this was a native Tibetan innovation or had Indian
> antecedents.
>
> Best wishes,
> Stephen Hodge