In this episode, I am once again joined by David Curtis, a Lama in the Shangpa-Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism and founder of the Tibetan Language Institute.

In this interview, David shares his passion for the Tibetan language and insights gained from his 27 year career teaching Tibetan to thousands of students.

We learn about David’s unique approach to language learning, the unique characteristics of the Tibetan language that David loves, and how different approaches to grammar can open up meaning at different points in a student’s journey.

David also reveals how to approach language learning as a spiritual practice, and shares stories of his interactions with prominent gurus and translators.

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Video version: https://www.guruviking.com/ep104-lama-david-curtis-teaching-the-tibetan-language/

Also available on Youtube, iTunes, & Spotify – search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.

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Topics include:

00:00 - Intro

00:45 - Tibetan Language Institute

02:26 - Developing language learning materials over 27 years of teaching

07:45 - Early dictionaries assumed a knowledge of Greek and Latin

08:43 - David’s approach to teaching the Tibetan language

11:44 - The connection between enlightened nature and language

14:07 - The integration of Sino-Tibetan and Indo-European elements in the Tibetan literary language

22:18 - Chomsky and how to teach grammar

29:08 - Language learning as a spiritual practice

33:04 - The three aspects of language, and advice for the intermediate language learner

39:01 - Resources from Joe B Wilson and John Rockwell

40:39 - How David sees his role as a language teacher

41:39 - Benefits of learning Tibetan and some student success stories

44:33 - The profile of an ideal student

Previous interviews with Lama David Curtis:

- https://www.guruviking.com/ep84-lama-david-curtis-hitchhiking-in-samsara/

- https://www.guruviking.com/ep99-lama-david-curtis-2-making-of-a-tantric-lama/

To find out more about Lama David Curtis, visit:

- http://www.bigskymindmontana.org/

- http://www.tibetanlanguage.org/

For more interviews, videos, and more visit:

- www.guruviking.com

Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James