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CHAPTER FIVE
OTHER PHONETIC CHANGES
117 A conjunct occurs because two consonants come together without a vowel between them. Naturally a conjunct can be avoided by inserting a vowel between the two members of a conjunct. Thus in the word 'a jewel' the conjunct made of a and can be got rid of by inserting between them. Then we get the form and by applying the rules of single consonants we arrive at the form This process is called ANAPTYXIS . The vowel thus inserted is usually but and also occur. Other vowels are exceptional. Anaptyxis is found when one member of the conjunct is a semi-vowel viz. a, a,, or a nasal.
उ
While assimilation is the rule with the treatment of conjuncts. in Middle Indian, there are cases where it is inapplicable. Particularly when a fricative and an occlusive come into contact, anaptyxis takes place. The sonants can act as both vowels or consonants and this gives them a peculiar position in the soundsystem of a language. When they are of the nature of continuants they naturally lack contact and could not be easily assimilated either before or after another sound. In an attempt to preserve both the sounds a part of voice of the sonant gets freed from the sonant and develops into a vowel of indistinct nature which may further, assume the form of any one of the short vowels. Thus with the two semi-vowels -y- and -w- the Vedic language preserves the voice in the form of an additional syllable (j(i) ya, Gr. biós; d(u) vā Gr. dúo). The same is true
