As with the first volume, in this innovative course book, you do not need to re-learn English grammar to study a foreign language. Instead, you will continue to study the language by further deepening your understanding of the way Tibetans think and express themselves. Relying on your knowledge from Volume 1 about the special features of the Tibetan language, such as the all-pervasive system of self and other, volitional and non-volitional verbs, evidence, and so on, this second Volume introduces you to the fascinating world of intermediate Tibetan grammar and conversation.
When studying this textbook, you will explore and learn many indispensable and interesting intermediate-level grammar tools, read and listen to authentic dialogues, learn relevant vocabulary, enjoy curious cultural information, laugh at Tibetan jokes, as well as enjoy hearing award-winning Tibetan songs in every lesson. At the end of each lesson, a set of rubrics supports your evaluation of the process of learning and enhances your meta-cognitive skills. Franziska Oertle’s novel approach introduces you to the indigenous notions, logic, and categorizations used by the Tibetans, combined with a student-centered, contemporary-learning methodology. This highly effective methodology helps learners gain a deep understanding of the Tibetan mindset. As you learn the basics of how to communicate in colloquial Tibetan, The Heart of Tibetan language may even change how you view yourself and the world
Upon her first encounter with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama in 2005,
Franziska Oertle dreamed of understanding his teachings in Tibetan. She left her teaching job in Switzerland and moved to Kathmandu, Nepal. There, Franziska began teaching colloquial Tibetan, while studying Buddhist Philosophy and Himalayan Languages at Rangjung Yeshe Institute.
While co-teaching with a Tibetan native-speaking colleague, her passion developed for the Tibetan way of explaining the language. She wrote her M.A. thesis on indigenous Tibetan grammar, and decided to write a 4-volume language textbook using that insider approach.
Over the past thirteen years, she has been teaching and developing Tibetan language curricula and programs at institutions throughout Nepal and India, as well as at the University of Virginia. She is currently designing and teaching Tibetan language courses both online and in person at The Sarnath International Nyingma Institute.