Collected Articles Of LA Schwarzschild On Indo Aryan 1953 1979

Author(s): Royce Wiles
Publisher: Australian National University

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SCHWAR SCHILD: Initial Retroflex Consonants in MIA
VARIANT FORMS OF THE LOCATIVE IN
MIDDLE INDO-ARYAN
L. A. Schwarzschild
nunciation: the use of the graphy os tiot 2
in Intervalle position, but it remains indicate initial retroflexion, but it does reflect a allophonie Variant in initial position, the loss of the allophonic distinction between
northwestem dialectal feature gradually in and it is highly probable that this loss of fencing Vedle and Sanskrit). distinction was linked with an alveolar articulation . The allophonie distinction initial medial of nas found in most modern Hindi dialects.
is established, northwestern Alolan inscrip The tradition of writing for this alveolar sound tont, Ardhamgadhl and early Jain Maremained inked with Apabhiramin and is found
rastel texts recording to paper manuscripts. even in very late texts such as the Pro
and the Gadhari Dharmapada) paign while the modern l writen. The following stages in the development of
4. The allophonie distinction is lost throughout
the central area and the east except for Oriya y thus be recognized in Indo-Aryan:
and parts of Bihar (note the retention of 1. and are separate phonenses, but only
in the Old Kosall of the Unhaktiprakarang) occurs initially, (Vediend Sanskrit
5. Only one r ally alveolar) remains, and V. B. Arun, C rew Phanty of Mind and written as in all positions Jain texts Panjo Luna, 1961) pp. 79-80. For more detailed written on palm-lea, Jain Saurassenland
de M. P. Jawwal. Lingute Study Apabrania).
del xid, 1963). For comments on the devant 6. This generally alveolar, is written as distinctive features A. N. T anjan and Collo The retroflex nint is absent except in bor M . "Toward Theological Typology of the th r owed words, modern Hindi dialects). din L ustic Area in Current Trade in Lingui, % Aphonemle distinction between andre Vol. List in South A . (The Hago, 1969) mains in Old Kasalt, in Oriya, Panjabi, Sindhi, 562
Gujarati, Rajasthani and Marathi Aditional Note: The present paper was completed shartly before the appearance of T. Burrow's artide
This evident from this table that the pronun "Spoleous Case in Sanskrit," SAS 1991 ciation (ol never occur initially at any stage. pp. 35-550, empent study gives further and The als thus illustrate even more clearly than previously unrecognd amples of the change of media the plosives that Indo-Aryan was generally re -1- to Sankrit.
luctant to accept initial retroflex consonants,
A. INTRODUCTION The concept of 'free variation in linguistics (e.g. Lyons 1969: 72) is very old. The Sanskrit grammarians were fully aware of optional rules called vibhasa (Panini) and vikalba, quite apart from the much-discussed free word-order of Sanskrit (Staal 1967). The term vibhasa is used 112 times by Papini, which is surprising in view of the well-known economy of wording, and this shows clearly the importance attached to this concept in Sanskrit grammar. But these optional rules only refer to very minor points: the majority are rules of limited application referring to certain compounds. A typical example of this restricted application is furnished by the very first rule involving vibhasa in Papini (I.1.28):
Vibhasa diksamāse bahuprihau 'Pronominal adjectives of the type sarua may optionally follow the pronominal declension if they occur in a bahuurihi
compound designating a region. Optional rules of this kind are frequent, but there is little free variation over the major features of Sanskrit phonology and morphology, among the most prominent examples one could quote are the oblique endings of the neuter of adjectives in -i, -, both in the singular and the dual. In Middle Indo-Aryan the position seems to be totally reversed, and there appear to be numerous free variants, particularly in morphology. Some of these forms are not really in free variation with one another, they might at least originally have been regionally and chronologically separate. But often, even within one single text there seem to be
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