Frequently Asked Questions
Please read this from time to time, and especially if you are new to this blog. Any new entries will show up as the first entries in the blog.
Q: What is this blog about?
Well, long time ago it was for me a way to learn Tibetan myself, slowly slowly. Just now it's a blog where from time to time I will write about just anything related to the Tibetan language, from simple phrases and words, to tools, how to learn Tibetan and much more. Beware, I'm no Tibetan expert, but this is a fun and constructive way to expand the knowledge of the Tibetan language.
Q: I just found this blog, how should I catch up?
Just go back to the archive entries from today and read backwards. There's no rush, at some point you might catch up or not, but it's more important to learn the basics as future entries build on top of old ones. Use a newsreader such as Feedly to track updates.
Q: I've tried to learn Tibetan before, but it takes so long to learn it...
It depends per individual. However, the rule to learn a language, or a craft, or playing the guitar, or painting, is to spend 10-20 minutes every day or more on it. This is far better than a huge vacation effort that is then forgotten later. This constant pattern recognition will create the needed causes for you to learn it. This, and especially helping someone else out with teaching them a language, a craft, and so on. Also, if there's a struggle, its a good sign as that means you are in learning mode.
Also, the best way to learn a language is to put yourself into a situation where you have to speak and listen to the language every day. Many of us can't afford spending long times in Tibetan settlements, monasteries or villages, so we do our best with other means.
Q: How could I ever learn the grammar?
Well, some grammar is good to know, but it's more important to learn the linguistic patterns. The Tibetans took the grammar from Sanskrit, so it's highly confusing to map the grammar rules to us here in the West. There are many brave approaches, but most of them invent new terms and forces us to learn them.
Note that if you just want to read and translate texts, you should be able to see the big picture patterns after a while. Then based on these patterns it's good for you to learn more of the use, so you see more patterns. This is the approach taken here. Personally I understand the need for learning the grammar, but it should not become a burden for learning a language. I grew up with two languages in my family and I never studied the grammar for both.
Q: What about spoken versus written Tibetan?
They do differ! Fortunately classical Tibetan written since 1000 A.D or so is very standard. Still, if you want to really understand the writer, you need to think like a Tibetan. And this is where learning spoken Tibetan helps. Just understand that spoken Tibetan has changed and is still changing based on the new situation the Tibetans are today.
Q: Why no articles on learning how to recognize and write Tibetan letters?
There are many excellent web sites available showing how the Tibetan fonts look like, and how to recognize them. So please use those and support those who make such sites.
This site is mostly focused on a practical pattern approach to see words, grammar and sentences in use so that very soon you get the feeling and understanding how classical Tibetan works.
This site will also try to avoid writing out the Wylie spelling and phonetics if possible for many entries. This means the reader has to put a little bit effort to find out about the Tibetan -- which is good as then you will learn! This is the reason why in especially the newer postings only Tibetan is written -- you could use your favorite Tibetan dictionary to explore the word in depth.
Q: How do I follow this blog?
Check the web site from time to time. Or then use the Subscribe feature on the top page to get emails for updates. Finally if you search for Jigtenmig Tibetan Blog in most RSS services, it should show up and you could subscribe to updates via various RSS readers.
Q: What does jigtenmig mean?
See this blog article. I apologize for the non-Wylie spelling of jig, ('jig), but I wanted an easy word to remember (translator), and also easy to do Internet searches on. Same with mig, it's really pronounced mik.
Q: What is this blog about?
Well, long time ago it was for me a way to learn Tibetan myself, slowly slowly. Just now it's a blog where from time to time I will write about just anything related to the Tibetan language, from simple phrases and words, to tools, how to learn Tibetan and much more. Beware, I'm no Tibetan expert, but this is a fun and constructive way to expand the knowledge of the Tibetan language.
Q: I just found this blog, how should I catch up?
Just go back to the archive entries from today and read backwards. There's no rush, at some point you might catch up or not, but it's more important to learn the basics as future entries build on top of old ones. Use a newsreader such as Feedly to track updates.
Q: I've tried to learn Tibetan before, but it takes so long to learn it...
It depends per individual. However, the rule to learn a language, or a craft, or playing the guitar, or painting, is to spend 10-20 minutes every day or more on it. This is far better than a huge vacation effort that is then forgotten later. This constant pattern recognition will create the needed causes for you to learn it. This, and especially helping someone else out with teaching them a language, a craft, and so on. Also, if there's a struggle, its a good sign as that means you are in learning mode.
Also, the best way to learn a language is to put yourself into a situation where you have to speak and listen to the language every day. Many of us can't afford spending long times in Tibetan settlements, monasteries or villages, so we do our best with other means.
Q: How could I ever learn the grammar?
Well, some grammar is good to know, but it's more important to learn the linguistic patterns. The Tibetans took the grammar from Sanskrit, so it's highly confusing to map the grammar rules to us here in the West. There are many brave approaches, but most of them invent new terms and forces us to learn them.
Note that if you just want to read and translate texts, you should be able to see the big picture patterns after a while. Then based on these patterns it's good for you to learn more of the use, so you see more patterns. This is the approach taken here. Personally I understand the need for learning the grammar, but it should not become a burden for learning a language. I grew up with two languages in my family and I never studied the grammar for both.
Q: What about spoken versus written Tibetan?
They do differ! Fortunately classical Tibetan written since 1000 A.D or so is very standard. Still, if you want to really understand the writer, you need to think like a Tibetan. And this is where learning spoken Tibetan helps. Just understand that spoken Tibetan has changed and is still changing based on the new situation the Tibetans are today.
Q: Why no articles on learning how to recognize and write Tibetan letters?
There are many excellent web sites available showing how the Tibetan fonts look like, and how to recognize them. So please use those and support those who make such sites.
This site is mostly focused on a practical pattern approach to see words, grammar and sentences in use so that very soon you get the feeling and understanding how classical Tibetan works.
This site will also try to avoid writing out the Wylie spelling and phonetics if possible for many entries. This means the reader has to put a little bit effort to find out about the Tibetan -- which is good as then you will learn! This is the reason why in especially the newer postings only Tibetan is written -- you could use your favorite Tibetan dictionary to explore the word in depth.
Q: How do I follow this blog?
Check the web site from time to time. Or then use the Subscribe feature on the top page to get emails for updates. Finally if you search for Jigtenmig Tibetan Blog in most RSS services, it should show up and you could subscribe to updates via various RSS readers.
Q: What does jigtenmig mean?
See this blog article. I apologize for the non-Wylie spelling of jig, ('jig), but I wanted an easy word to remember (translator), and also easy to do Internet searches on. Same with mig, it's really pronounced mik.
Only enlightened beings are infallible, so apologies for any errors and mistakes, and if reported they will be fixed.