Chapter I: Preface

The present new edition of Mr. Jäschke’s Tibetan Grammar scarcely needs a word of apology. As the first edition which was lithographed at Kyelaṅ in 1865 in a limited number of copies has long been out of print, Dr. Rost urged the author to revise his grammar for the purpose of bringing it out in an improved form. The latter, prevented by ill-health from undertaking the task, placed the matter in my hands, and had the goodness to make over to me his own manuscript notes and additions to the original work. Without his personal cooperation, however, I was unable to make any but a very sparing use of these, adding only a few remarks from Gyalrabs and Milaraspa, with some further remarks on the local vernacular of Western Tibet. Indeed, special attention has been paid throughout to this dialect; it is the one with which the author during his long residence at Kyelaṅ had become most familiar, and with which the English in India are most likely to be brought into direct contact.

Besides the above mentioned additions, I have taken a number of examples from the Dzaṅlun, to make clearer some of the rules, and, with the same view, I have altered, here and there, the wording of the lithographed edition. The order of the paragraphs has been retained throughout, and only one (23.) has been added for completeness’ sake.

The system of transliteration is nearly the same as in the Dictionary, only for ny, ñ is used, and instead of e̱, ä (respectively ā̤) has been thought to be a clearer representation of the sound intended. For the niceties of pronunciation the reader is referred to the Dictionary, as in this Grammar only the general rules have been given.

Finally I must express my warmest thanks to Dr. Rost, to whose exertions not only the printing of this Grammar is solely due, but who also rendered me much help in the correcting of the work.

Mayence, May 1883.

H. Wenzel.

ABBREVIATIONS.

act. = active.
C or CT = Central Tibet, especially the provinces of Ü and Tsaṅ.
cf. = confer, compare.
Dzl. = Dzaṅlun.
e.g. = exempli gratia, for instance.
ET = East Tibet.
fut. = future.
imp. = imperative.
inf. = infinitive.
i.o. = instead of.
Köpp. = Köppen.
Kun. = Kunawur, province under English protection.
Ld. = Ladak, province.
Mil. = Milaraspa.
neutr. = neuter verb.
perf. or pf. = perfect.
pres. = present.
s. = see.
term. = terminative case.
Thgy. = Thar-gyan, scientific treatises.
v. = vide, see.
vulg. = vulgar expression.
W or WT = Western Tibet.

CONTENTS.

I. Phonology.
Page
1. Alphabet 1
2. Remarks 3
3. Vowels 3
4. Syllables 4
5. Final Consonants 5
6. Diphthongs 6
7. Compound Consonants 7
8. Prefixed Letters 11
9. Word; Accent; Quantity 12
10. Punctuation 14

II. Etymology.

I. Article.

11. Peculiarities of the Tibetan Article 17
12. Difference of the Articles 18
13. The Indefinite Article 19

II. Substantive.

14. Number 20
15. Declension 21

III. Adjective.

16. Relation to the Substantive 25
17. Comparison 26

IV. Numerals.

18. Cardinal numerals 28
19. Ordinal numerals 31
20. Remarks 31
21. Distributive numerals 33
22. Adverbial numerals 33
23. Fractional numerals 33

V. Pronouns.

24. Personal pronouns 34
25. Possessive pronouns 36
26. Reflective pronouns 37
27. Demonstrative pronouns 37
28. Interrogative pronouns 38
29. Relative pronouns 38

VI. Verb.

30. Introduction 40
31. Inflection 41
32. Infinitive 42
33. Participle 43
34. Finite Verb 45
35. Present 46
36. Preterit 47
37. Future 48
38. Imperative 49
39. Intensive 50
40. Substantive Verbs 51
41. Gerunds and Supines 54
42. VII. Adverb 65
43. VIII. Postposition 67
44. IX. Conjunction 74
45. X. Interjection 76
XI. Derivation:
46. Derivation of Substantives 77
47. Derivation of Adjectives 78

III. Syntax.

48. Arrangement of Words 80
49. Use of the Cases 81
50. Simple Sentences 82
51. Compound Sentences 83

Appendix.

Phrases 86
Reading Exercise 92
Verbs 99