This introduction brings to life the main themes in Indian philosophy of language by using an accessible translation of an Indian classical text to provide an entry into the world of Indian linguistic theories.Malcolm Keating draws on Mukula's Fundamentals of the Communicative Function to show the ability of language to convey a wide range of meanings and introduce ideas about testimony, pragmatics, and religious implications. Along with a complete translation of this foundational text, Keating also provides: Clear explanations of themes such as reference, figuration and sentence meaning Commentary illuminating connections between Mukula and contemporary philosophy Romanized text of the Sanskrit A glossary of terms and annotated bibliography A chronology of important figures and datesBy complementing a historically-informed introduction with a focused study of an influential primary text, Keating responds to the need for a reliable guide to better understand theories of language and related issues in Indian philosophy.

Includes the original sanskrit together with an analytic commentary on the text

List of FiguresList of TablesForeword, Larry McCreaHow to Use This BookPart I: IntroductionWhy did Mukula Bhatta write the Fundamentals?Indication and Resolving Incongruity: Mukula's ResponseUnderstanding Mukula's ContextFurther Reading by Topic Locating Linguistic Philosophy Theories of Word Meaning Theories of Sentence Meaning Poetics and Linguistics After MukulaPart II: English Translation of "The Fundamentals of the Communicative Function"About This TranslationIntroductionVerses 1-15Appendix 1: Outline of the Fundamentals of the Communicative FunctionAppendix 2: Linguistic Examples used by MukulaPart III: Commentary on "The Fundamentals of the Communicative Function"About This CommentaryIntroductionVerses 1-15Part IV: Sanskrit Text of the AbhidhavrttamatrkaTransliteration ConventionIntroductionVerses 1-15Part V: Mukula and Contemporary Linguistic PhilosophyMukula Bhatta on Sentence Meaning and the Semantics-Pragmatics DistinctionMukula Bhatta on Primary and Secondary MeaningA Contemporary Approach to What is Said: François RecanatiWhat is Said, What is ExpressedLessons and Future InquiryPart VI: Study ResourcesGlossarySanskrit PronunciationChronology of Important Figures and DatesBibliographyPrimary SourcesSecondary SourcesSubject and Name Index