Preface

Learning a new language is difficult but it can it can be exciting and rewarding later. Often boring at the beginning, it becomes more interesting as you cross the first stage. One feels like an early explorer no knowing what to expect around the next mountain or the next village. You keep discovering new things day after day. It is more like a journey with all excitements involved in making a real one but without any dangers. As the intricacies of a language are slowly understood and the learner able to communicate, the mysteries surrounding a people and its culture are unraveled giving a valuable insight to whoever is passionate about them. It is an absolute must for anyone studying the history, culture, politics, arts, religion etc., of any country to learn the spoken language of that people.

Learning a language is also important for someone who intends to visit any foreign country. It makes his experience complete. By knowing the language of a place, even if not perfect, brings the visitor closer to the locals. It makes him/her less vulnerable to overcharging and unfortunate incidents. In a larger sense, it makes the world a closer and a friendlier place to live in.

For a long time, I felt the need to write a book for learning colloquial Tibetan; one that was sensitive to the needs of learners who are complete strangers to the language. A book that is at once easy to understand and also interesting to the language. A book that is at once easy to understand and also interesting at the same time. I have tried that in this book and in a way it has somewhat succeeded judging from the Favourable response to the first edition of this book. It even received an offer to be translated into German.

This revised edition has some significant additions, the most important of which is the underlining of letters that have to be pronounced in a high tone with low aspiration. Such differences can have a major effect on whether a word is pronounced correctly or not. I have also added footnotes at the end of some pages to help learners with some tricky Tibetan words. I hope this book helps bridge the communication gap between Tibetans and the outside world.

I am indebted to Susan Marfield, USA for making this book possible I would like to thank Ngawang Yeshe. Chemi Tenzin, Norbu Wangchuk, Phurbu Tsering and all my friends for their support and encouragement.

About the Book

Speak Tibetan like a Tibetan provides the student with an opportunity to learn and speak the Tibetan language as it is spoken today. Not only has the author provided the student with simple and practical examples of its usage in the present day but he has also very carefully explained the pronunciation and idiosyncrasies found within the language.

This revised and enlarged edition of Colloquial Tibetan is the ideal book for anyone interested in learning modern spoken Tibetan. The engaging dialogues cover every situation a learner is likely to face-from getting a haircut to mailing a parcel in the post office. Underlines and appropriate Footnotes indicating subtle changes in the sound of a letter coupled with the three chapters at the beginning on pronunciation are a key feature of this book. This book will prove itself a boon to both scholar and layman and will provide an opening to the greater world of Tibetan literature and learning.

About the Author

Dhondup Tsering is presently the assistant editor of Tibet Journal, a quarterly publication on Tibetan and Himalayan Studies. He is a regular contributor on Tibetan history, culture and politics to various journals and magazines and was formerly a freelance translator based in Dharamsala.