First, we’ll take a quick tour through the Tibetan alphabet, learning a bit about its unique sounds and the way it’s organized.

Then we’ll explore how those characters come together to make words, and how those words are structured in sentences, all the while learning some basic Tibetan Buddhist vocabulary.

Finally we’ll examine the unique challenges of phoneticizing Tibetan for non-Tibetan readers, and some ways in which our English translations can be imperfect conveyers of meaning.

Anyone is welcome to attend, and there is no homework or out-of-class study required.

Participants will gain a small but useful understanding of the differences between written Tibetan and English, and perhaps be inspired to explore more deeply.