Intermediate Level Hindi - A Textbook

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This book organizes an intermediate level course for non-native learners of Hindi (or Urdu, for that matter, in aspects of grammar and idiomatic expressions). It does so by identifying the subtler aspects of phrasal and sentential constructions that are usually pushed aside as 'usage' and not provided for systematically. In that sense, this book can also be a useful tool for students studying Hindi (or Urdu) for research in linguistics. However, it seeks to accomplish this more effectively in terms of a wide variety of language materials which span the range from the task oriented practical colloquial at one end to the literary at the other.

The scheme of presentation in the book as providing for a complete course is to give a background introduction to each lesson followed by the lesson itself and the glossary, and thereafter the grammar and exercises relevant to that lesson. The aspect of post-elementary grammar and usage of Hindi are identified clearly with page numbers listed against them as they are being covered contextually and more meaningfully.

Sheela Verma is a Lecturer Emerita at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. Her research areas include pedagogical grammars of Hindi, linguistic structure of Magahi, and Magahi folklore. Her publications include A Course in Advanced Hindi (1997), The Structure of the Magahi Verb (1985), Magahi Bhasha Kii Kriya Sanrachnaa Kaa Bhashavaigyanik Adhyayan (1985)

This volume is designed to be a comprehensive textbook for Intermediate level Hindi. The idea is to organize a proper course essentially for language teaching but one that is not devoid of meaningful and cultural contexts. Learning of language structures is not complete at the end of the first year course as many might presume, even though the basics of the grammar are introduced at that stage.

A proper Intermediate level course needs to identify and teach the subtler aspects of phrasal and sentential constructions as well as what is usually pushed aside as 'usage' and not provided for systematically. However, this can be done most effectively in terms of a wide variety of language materials which span the range from the task-oriented practical colloquial at the one end to the literary at the other. This volume attempts to accomplish this to a large extent. Even the literary part has to provide for exposure to the different genres such as short stories, plays, poetry, expository prose, etc., of appropriate complexity. This volume has incorporated this kind of literary variety. In addition, it has also provided for such practical things as letter writing, descriptive prose and dialogues incorporating natural conversational strategies, as well as audio visual materials in the form of movie sequences of some intrinsic cultural and linguistic interest.

The scheme of presentation in this book is to give a background introduction to each lesson followed by the lesson itself, and then the glossary, and there after the grammar and exercises relevant to that lesson. Most of the post-elementary grammar and usage of Hindi is sought to be covered through this strategy. Page numbers are provided in the list of contents for the grammar and usage points discussed; page numbers are not given separately for the exercises, which as a rule relevantly follow the grammar and usage discussions.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my sense of appreciation to the Department of South Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison for facilitating this project in many ways. I have consulted with many colleagues during the preparation of this book. I am thankful to all of them. I would particularly like to acknowledge the benefit of the insightful discussions I have had with my husband Manindra Verma in this regard. I would like to thank my dear student and friend Hiroko Oikawa who undertook the formidable task of preparing the first manuscript in the Devanagari or the Macintosh with all its attendant problems. I am deeply appreciative of her help and assistance. I would be failing in my duty if I did not make a very special mention of a very special contribution made by Mr. K.P. Singh who in the midst of his scholarly responsibilities .at the University subsequently volunteered to undertake the reformatting and re typing of the manuscript to make the final product more consistent and aesthetically pleasing.