Halheader A Grammar Of The Bengal Phire Dekha (Bengali Version)

Book Details

• Author: Nandini Bandopadhyay De
• Publisher: Bangiya Sahitya Samsad
• Language: Bengali
• ISBN: 9789385131189

About the Book

Halheader A Grammar Of The Bengal Phire Dekha (Bengali Version) is a scholarly reappraisal of Nathaniel Brassey Halhed's landmark work A Grammar of the Bengal Language (1778), one of the most significant milestones in the history of the Bengali language and early printing. Authored by Nandini Bandopadhyay De, the book revisits this pioneering grammatical text, examining its historical importance, linguistic contributions, and lasting influence on the study of Bengali.

Although Nathaniel Brassey Halhed (1751–1830) is relatively unfamiliar to many modern readers, his A Grammar of the Bengal Language occupies a foundational place in the development of Bengali grammar. Originally written to assist British administrators and scholars in learning Bengali, the work also became an invaluable resource for Bengali speakers themselves, helping to establish a systematic approach to the study of the language.

The book explores Halhed's remarkable linguistic scholarship, highlighting his knowledge of multiple languages and his pioneering efforts to analyze Bengali grammar with academic rigor. It also discusses the historical significance of the volume as the first book printed in Bengali type in Bengal, an achievement that marked the beginning of a new era in Bengali printing, publishing, and language standardization. This milestone not only transformed the dissemination of knowledge but also laid the groundwork for the subsequent growth of Bengali literature and education.

Moving beyond historical documentation, the author reinterprets Halhed's work from a contemporary perspective. By reassessing its linguistic theories, historical context, and cultural impact, the book bridges more than two centuries of language scholarship and demonstrates the continuing relevance of this eighteenth-century grammar in understanding the evolution of modern Bengali.

Written in a lucid, research-oriented, and engaging style, Halheader A Grammar Of The Bengal Phire Dekha (Bengali Version) is an invaluable resource for students, researchers, teachers, linguists, and readers interested in Bengali language studies, grammar, printing history, colonial scholarship, and the intellectual history of Bengal. It offers both a historical overview and a critical appreciation of a foundational text that continues to occupy a distinguished place in the history of the Bengali language.