An overview of Old Tibetan synchronic phonology

Despite the importance of Old Tibetan in the Tibeto-Burman language family, little research has treated Old Tibetan synchronic phonology. This article gives a complete overview of the Old Tibetan phonemic system by associating sound values with the letters of the Tibetan alphabet and exploring the distribution of these sounds in syllable structure

The Mythical Thread : A Mytho-Poetical Analysis of The Man-Eater of Mlagudi and The Painter of Signs

This thesis investigates one of the distinctive features in R. K. Narayan s writing, namely, his extensive use of Indian mythology. As the title for this work suggests, the mythological design exercises an important influence on the overall reading and understanding of the selected novels. Accordingly, to approach the narratives from a mythological point of view has a high degree of relevance, opening up for interesting dimensions in Narayan s fictional universe. Although most of Narayan s novels could be analyzed in this way, the research carried out for this dissertation has been based on two of them: The Painter of Signs (1977) and The Man-Eater of Malgudi (1961), both of which can be considered as modern re-enactments of their respective underlying myths. The Painter of Signs is based upon a section from The Mahabharata, the Ganga-Santhanu myth, and The Man-Eater of Malgudi recreates an old demon myth - the story of the ash-demon Bhasmasura and Shiva - which is to be found in The Skanda Purana. The overall aim, here, has been to unearth the close connections between the myths and the use Narayan makes of them in his novels. Interestingly, as the analysis points out, the modern narratives are saturated with allusions to their underlying myths. According to theory, myths can be seen as consisting of three layers, comprising a human, divine and cosmic dimension (see 1.5). These three aspects of the mythical material are also discernible in the two novels in question. With regard to the human dimension, Narayan s characters could be seen as contemporary versions of underlying mythological prototypes. Their archetypal constitution has been a matter of investigation for previous criticism. However, a close scrutiny of the texts reveals that the bonds between the ancient prototypes and the contemporary fictional figures are more profound than hitherto recognized. The novels are replete with allusions that contribute to a mythical colouring of Narayan s literary characters. The contemporary figures personalities, reactions, predicaments, concerns etc. emphasize their timeless constitution. Also, the context in which the characters are placed foregrounds their archetypal characteristics. Particular scenes, situations and the imagery in the novels relate to the characters in ways that mythologize them. Moreover, once the re-creation of the human level has been discerned, it is possible to catch sight of more profound and subtle mytho-poetical motifs in the narratives; that is to say, there is ample evidence that also the divine and cosmic dimensions of the mythical material have seeped into the narratives. Remnants of existential, philosophical and religious underpinnings of the ancient myths are definitely to be found in the The Man-Eater of Malgudi and to some extent in The Painter of Signs. Narayan s observance of the mythical material is also to be spotted in the ambiance of the narratives. In terms of tone and atmosphere, there are bonds between the two novels and their respective core myths. The last part of the analysis deals with the comic vein in his writing and moreover compares Narayan s mythical scheme with the typical Western mytho-poetical novel. With regard to the gentle comedy of the works, it forms a natural part of the theme of this thesis, as Narayan made use of myths partly for comic effect. However, in view of previous criticism, it seems clear enough that Narayan s talent for comedy has sometimes worked against him and eclipsed the underlying serious intention of his writing. Also for this reason, it has been imperative to discuss this particular issue. Seeing Narayan s contemporary characters as perfect contrasts to their underlying prototypes, as so many critics have done, is in my view not justified. A close scrutiny of the fictional types in view of their archetypal models ultimately leads to one fundamental question: how far does the mytho-poetical satire go? Further, when considering Narayan s comedy within the mythical paradigm, there is also much evidence to suggest that the entertainment has a deeper thematic purpose. Finally, Narayan s mythical scheme is considered in light of the typical Western mytho-poetical novel. This is a useful contextualization because it draws attention to the distinctive character of Narayan s mythological project. Measured against more familiar landmarks drawn from Western literature, the contours of Narayan s specific design appear with greater clarity. Some might dismiss the project of unearthing mythical features as a tiresome and irrelevant academic exercise. Hopefully, this thesis will prove such a stance wrong. It is my conviction that a higher awareness of the mythological structures is important, because it opens up for a more profound understanding of the novels. The theoretical underpinnings for this thesis - Hindu mythology and myth-theory - make one aware, as indicated, of essential thematic aspects in Narayan s rich and multi-layered narrative universe. The mytho-poetical approach is, thus, rewarding, because it shows that Narayan is more than the simple and entertaining storyteller some critics have taken him to be. By seeking to unravel the intricate mythical design, new dimensions in the text gradually appear and, by implication, enrich the pleasure of reading Narayan s novels. One of the aims of this thesis has been to substantiate this assertion