I just realised that I have only rarely ever heard Pali spoken “normally” (it was in Sri Lanka)! Even during Patimokkha recitation, it is often being recited at super speed and the task is usually given to the one capable of reciting from memory or who can read fluently and quickly!
I’d love to listen to Pali spoken normally by someone who doesn’t have to struggle with the (dh, bh, ph, ñ, ņ, etc.). And it would be great to have the suttas, narrated, rather than chanted. Any resources/links?
Hello, I am not sure if his pronunciation is correct, or if he struggles with the sounds you mention, but Bhikkhu Yuttadhammo has a series of talks where he is reading the Dhammapada, he reads the Pali version and then translates it.
I would like to just speak Pali with someone, but it will be a while before I can get to that.
I have a vague plan to bail up our local Sri Lankan Bhikkhu and record him saying the phrases/words in either Pali prime or A.K.Warder’s book. He will often give teachings to us where he quotes passages from suttas and painfully tries to fix our pronounciation. Unfortunately he’s a very busy monk, so my plan may never come to fruition.
Thanks @felipe … I don’t think Pali is pronounceable normally unless one’s mother tongue is Hindi or Sinhalese, and even in those cases there will probably still be few phonemes that are hard to get out naturally or fluently. So yeah, friend @Pasanna, it can only be done in Sri Lanka I guess. I dream of an audio library of the Suttapitaka narrated normally or at least chanted gently by a single chanteuse. I support your vague plan!
Isn’t that what http://www.audtip.org is Bhante? I’m just randomly listening to AN11.1 and it sounds very clear and only slightly melodic, with a Sri Lankan accent.