A Konkani Grammar

This grammar was at first intended for private circulation among the Missionaries of this Vicariate. Hence there are many things which will probably be unintelligible to the general reader. This book in the main has been composed, on account of urgent necessity, within a few months, without any other assistance than what could be derived from a study of the spoken language in its many varieties, choosing the forms which seemed to be more exact and forming some general rules by way of induction, and this, after a year and half’s acquaintance with English and Konkani. Hence the reader cannot expect either a perfectly English style or a masterly arrangement of the various parts of the Grammar, or a thorough accuracy in the formation of rules, or faultless purity in the Konkani language itself. After careful consideration the author has deviated from the common way in writing Konkani with Kanarese characters, and this for the reasons touched upon in the Parergon. This work is, it is offered first to the Missionaries, in the hope of its promoting God’s glory, to whose help is due whatever good there is in this Grammar, and secondly to the Konkani public, in the hope of its stimulating the further study of their long neglected language.