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LANGUAGE
45
found in three guises: kerisa 637, taṇaya 372, MPCH 491, 557, santiya 349, 892, 1238, MPCH 287, 519.
On vowel quantity it may be said that the length of all vowels in a final position is optional. This is particularly evident in the inst. sing. masc. and in the gen. plural and loc. plural where the writing of the anusvāra usually indicates in the MS that the syllable is to be read as long nasality is no doubt in any case present. Even final long -ã may be shortened where the metre requires visuiya 390, punnima 611, mottiya 1171, sariya 1202, Piyadamsana MPCH 373.
A notable feature of the MPC is the extensive use of proverbs; the following examples are characteristic:
avii anno vi paï kijjai 175 jānei sappanim sappo 747 deva a-moha-darisi 421, 527, 528 para-vasayā devānam sayalasuha-hariņi 156
ekko bhañjae ḍālam 1202 dukkham sa-sanka-ghara-vaso
960
thaviyana muttiyānam ko jāņae aggham 1048 samjoga vippayog'-anta 68, 243
