SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The purpose of the thesis is to evaluate the three grammars of Bengali of Halhed, Carey and Haughton. Chapter I outlines the history of grammars of Sanskrit and Bengali written both in Sanskrit and European languages, up to 1821, with general observations on trends discernible throughout the period. Chapter II gives the life of Halhed. Chapter III attempts, with the help of his private papers and manuscripts preserved in the British Museum, to reconstruct Halhed's steps in learning Bengali and preparing his grammar, and traces the materials he used and the contribution to his Grammar of his two Bengali informants. The purpose of Chapter IV is to ascertain Halhed's competence in Bengali and Sanskrit. Chapter V shows how Halhed modelled his grammar on the Persian grammar of William Jones. Chapter VI assesses Halhed's grammar comparing it with an earlier Bengali grammar, the Vocabulario, and shows how he was biassed in favour of Sanskritic Bengali. Chapter VII considers Halhed's two aims in writing the grammar, assesses its usefulness and also shows how Halhed established the relationship between Sanskrit and Bengali, the first step towards Sanskritisation. Chapter VIII, with the help of letters mostly found in Baptist Mission Society London and Baptist Chapel, Northampton, traces Carey's activities, his method of learning Bengali, and the role of his informant- teachers up to 1801. Chapter IX analyses the influence of Halhed's grammar on the 1st edition of Carey's Bengali grammar and the impact of Halhed's Sanskritisation on him. The second part of the chapter demonstrates further Sanskritisation in Carey's revised 2nd edition, which was modelled on his Sanskrit grammar. Chapter X and XI attempts to reconstruct Carey's method of compiling grammars and to determine the authorship of Carey's 2nd edition. Chapter XII describes Haughton's life and, in assessing his grammar, shows how most of the materials in it were taken from Halhed and Carey, thus precipitating further Sanskritisation. The conclusion states the significance of Sanskritisation.