URDU METER :
A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK

 

*INTRODUCTION*

*TRANSLITERATION* -- Note: SCRIPT BARS at the bottom of each page will give you viewing choices: you can choose Urdu, Devanagari, or Roman with diacritics.

A WORD OF CAUTION FOR DEVANAGARI READERS-- Many features of the system explained in this book depend on careful use of the letters of the Urdu script. You may find it much harder to use in Devanagari. (I'm not sure, actually; maybe you'll find it only a bit harder.) In any case, if you're serious about the ghazal, time spent in learning the Urdu script will prove to be your best investment.

*ONE == GENERAL RULES*

*1.0 == Why should you learn meter?*

*1.1 == Words, syllables, and letters*

*1.2 == Syllables: two letters or one*

*1.3 == Syllables: start with consonants if possible*

*1.4 == Syllables: follow pronunciation*

*1.5 == Long and short syllables*

*TWO == FLEXIBILITY*

*2.1 == Flexible words: the common monosyllables*

*2.2 == Flexible syllables: word-final vowels*

*2.3 == Flexible syllable divisions within words*

*2.4 == Flexible spellings to indicate scansion*

*THREE == SPECIAL CONSTRUCTIONS*

*3.1 == Word-grafting*

*3.2 == i.zaafat constructions*

*3.3 == o constructions*

*3.4 == al constructions*

*FOUR == IRREGULAR WORDS*

*4.1 == Orthography and pronunciation*

*4.2 == Irregular Persian words*

*4.3 == Irregular Indic words*

*4.4 == Irregular Arabic words*

*FIVE == METRICAL FEET*

*SIX == METERS*

*6.1 == Meter list*

*6.2 == Mir's "Hindi" meter*

*6.3 == The rubaa((ii meters*

*SEVEN == SCANNING AS CODE-BREAKING*

*EIGHT == FROM EYE TO EAR*

*NINE == BIBLIOGRAPHY*

*9.1 == Works in English*

*9.2 == Works in Urdu*

*TEN == EXERCISES*

*Exercises 1-6*

*Exercises 7-12*

*Exercises 13-18*

*Exercises 19-24*

(*Some extra practice with modern meters*-- Qayyum Nazar's Urdu translation of Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" provides metrical information at the end)

*ELEVEN == NOTES TO EXERCISES*

*TWELVE == GLOSSARY*

 

 

 
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