spoken Sanskrit (and a quick straw poll)

[tccahill]

Indologists,

   Just a quick survey - how many of you would like me to
switch back to my old email program...?  Please reply to me
directly, via the list if you'd like!

   On the topic on contemporary spoken Sanskrit, some might
be interested in a recent book by Janardana Hegde: 
*BhASApAkah*. It's published by the same group founded by
C.M. Krishna Sastri whose name came up recently. Both these
men hold advanced degrees in Sanskrit and are capable in a
high, nearly literary registe. But they rarely do since they
aim to make themselves understood as widely as possible. I
might also add that both married women on the understanding
that their children would be raised with Sanskrit as their
first language. The book brings up many issues relating to
the ways in which aspiring speakers (mis)use the structures
of (esp. South) Indian languages as they attempt to
communicate in Sanskrit.

best,
Tim Cahill