This course is a follow-up to “(Audio!) Devanāgarī Alphabet (No Typing)”—link in Forum. The course starts with an introduction to typing in Hindi—more specifically, typing with the InScript Devanagari layout. Then goes through a variety of grammar and vocabulary items. Grammar and vocabulary levels are available in both “typing” and “no typing.” So far, all words come with audio. I will add words sporadically.
I was wondering if the entry थोड़ा has the best translation…
http://www.cfilt.iitb.ac.in/~hdict/webinterface_user/dict_search_user.php
http://hindi-english.org/index.php?input=थोड़ा&direction=SE&link=yes
I’m not sure. Some seems to fit in the entry further down: थोड़ा पानी चाहिए। = . want some water. Should more translations be added or is one of the translations wrong?
add maybe more? thanks!
I added “a bit/a tad/any/” So the translation now reads “little/some/a bit/a tad/any.” Let me know if that leaves something to be desired.
Thanks for putting this useful course together.
Some things I do not completely understand. For example, in Level 1 all de answers are the same as the question! I suppose there is a good reason for it. What is it?
Also in level 3, often the pronunciation of a character is given (see pic).
This doesn’t really help in testing whether I can remember the pronunciation of the character… Perhaps I take the wrong approach. How should I do it?
Yes, there is indeed a good reason for it. Level 1 through 4 is for practicing the keyboard layout. I see now that Memrise actually gives you the ability to select with the mouse, and on the app you probably can’t use a keyboard or see my explanations, which would make this clear. That is not how these levels are supposed to work. You are supposed to locate the correct key on the keyboard and practice typing InScript efficiently. I have pictures with my own custom made keyboard that shows the position of the keys and the linguistic logic behind their placement. What I love about the InScript layout is that the letters are positioned logically based on the IPA categories they fit into. I think these levels require that you use a PC and would only really be useful if you have the InScrip keyboard layout installed. You can get overlays online that shows you where the keys are or you could simply remember the location based on the pictures I have included with each letter. Given the logic, I learned the positions by heart pretty fast. I have forgotten now of course, but after a few rounds of testing level one it comes back quickly so I wouldn’t even need to see the keys. I explained how to use this course in great detail in the forum that was in the course itself, but sadly Memrise decided to just delete all that, so all my thorough explanations were just deleted. I may make them again but it took A LOT of work so that may take some time.
To answer a little more succinctly: To use level 1 through 4 properly, use a PC and install a Hindi Devanagari Inscript keyboard layout. I’m pretty sure it comes with Windows 10 and you simply have to add that language in your “language preferences.” The levels are most useful once they are fully learned so you can simply run through all the characters in typing test over and over without other tests interrupting and practice finding the character on the keyboard quicker. Ideally you would eventually be able to use the touch method and type as you would English. How proficient you want to get is obviously up to you. You could just practice enough so you find the characters without too much looking or just use the typing as a way to remember them better. Even if you don’t plan on writing with the layout, I think it can be pretty useful since the keyboard positions help to reinforce what type of sound the character makes.