About – Amarahāsa

If you want to read Sanskrit as easily as you are reading this sentence, all you have to do is keep reading or listening to Sanskrit that you enjoy and understand.

This advice sounds too good to be true — too naïve, too casual, or perhaps just too fun — but it is the consensus conclusion of decades of research into how we acquire language.

For those who are curious or skeptical, we want to show you the principles and evidence behind this simple piece of advice and how these principles inform every aspect of our Sanskrit library.

Two ways of knowing Sanskrit
The difference between learning a language and acquiring it. The case for communicative Sanskrit. Common objections and some responses.
Second language acquisition theory In progress
A simple introduction to second language acquisition research, including the critical role of compelling and comprehensible input.
The case for extensive reading In progress
Extensive and intensive input, and the unique advantages of extensive reading for rapid language acquisition.
Making input comprehensible In progress
Establishing meaning and the role of grammar in communicative language teaching.
Making input compelling In progress
The limits of textbooks, the power of learner choice, and the case for a Sanskrit library.
Designing our Sanskrit library In progress
Design and technical details about our library and how we provide compelling, comprehensible, and convenient input.
Our strategy
Our long-term goals and medium-term milestones.