An Introduction to the Sacred Language of the Sikhs

This is a self-contained introductory course for anyone wishing to gain a knowledge of the original language of the Sikh scriptures. It does not assume any previous knowledge of the Gurmukhi script or of modern Punjabi.;The course if divided into three parts. The first part is comprised of a brief introduction to the Gurmukhi script, with the aid of a simple system of Roman transliteration. The aim is to teach the antique conventions of 17th-century Gurmukhi spelling, which differs in some respects from modern Punjabi orthography.;The bulk of the course consists of the 24 lessons found in Part II. These are designed to introduce the grammar of the language of the Sikh scriptures in a graded sequence. Each lesson concludes with a vocabulary of newly introduced words, followed by two exercises. All the verses provided for translation throughout the text have been taken directly from the compositions of Guru Nanak, and brief notes supplied where the original text might appear ambiguous.;Part III of the course has been designed as a short introductory reader to the main varieties of early Sikh religious literature, with extracts provided from the works of Guru Nanak, Bhai Gurdas and their successors.