Indian Antiquary Vol 62

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 367

DECEMBER, 1933]
INTERCHANGE OF SEMI-VOWELS AND CLASS CONSONANTS
nirváti, he is extinguished nirvanam, extinction
nivrah, a slop
ing roof
nivvāi
nivvānam
J. Bloch (FLM. 153) points out that when Skr. hesitates between an initial b, and an initial v, M. shows which form is the correct one. Thus M. Sul, points to vakula-, not bakula-, while M. bi and bil, point to bija- and bila-, not vija- and vila-, respectively.
In the East the preservation of vv, under the form of bb survived in poetry to a comparatively late period, though the Prakrit form was usually disguised by learned spelling. Thus in the B. (Mth.) poem the Haribans of Manabodh Jha († 1788) occurs (i, 29) a sTs. word bhabitabya, it is to be. That the poet meant this to be pronounced bhabitabba is shown by the fact that he rhymes it with the Tbh. sabba, all, which word, however, he spells sabya, in order to make it to rhyme to the eye with bhabitabya. In other words, at the end of the eighteenth century, in Mth., Skr. vy and Pr. vv were both pr. bb.
Ap. váḍu, a banyan tree
Ap. vetthau, a yard Ap. bäraha, twelve
[§ 366
M. Vniv-, become cool, nivane, destruction; but
P. nib-, be reduced to nothing.
M. niv-.
As regards Tbh, initial b and v, the WIAVs. and M. as a rule follow the Pr. custom, while the EIAVS. and H. almost invariably change Pr. initial v to b. A., although it possesses the sound v, has not a single word commencing with it, b being always substituted for it. P. and L., however, frequently have both forms, and S., as usual, not uncommonly follows the EIAVS.
Thus :
M. G. R. vad, P. var or bar, H. and EIAV., &c., bar, S. bád.
M. védha, S. L. véṛha, P. H. and EIAV. beṛha, &c. all IAV. bārā, bārah, &c.
But, as in the case of Ap. bāraha, the WIAVs. do not always retain the initial v. Thus Ap. vátta, news, M. bat; Ap. uváïsaï, he sits, M. Vbas- In P. a glance at the dictionary will show initial b and v are interchangeable almost at option. Even the euphonic y and v of the Hindi yih, this, wuh, that, are changed to j and b in the Rajasthani jō, this, and bō, that. In this way, in R. and in those dialects of H. which border on R., the proximate demonstrative pronoun this,' and the relative pronoun 'who,' both have the form jō. In Kašmiri the case is exactly reversed, yih meaning both this' and who'.
In compound consonants y and v had already ceased to exist in Prakrit except in the compound yy (Mg. Pr.) and vv (already dealt with). These have only survived as jj, nj, bb, and mb, and these have been carried into the IAVs. and subjected to the ordinary vicissitudes of compound consonants.
366. As regards Tss., I shall only deal here with single uncompounded j, y, b, and v. In M. G. R. initial y and v remain unchanged, but in other IAVs. they become j and b respectively.
Skr. yúgam, an age; M. G. R. yug, S. jug, other IAVs. jug (often incorrectly written yug by purista).
Skr. vánam, a forest; M. G. R. van (the Tbh. form is van), others ban (written van by purists) (Tbh. or Ts.); but S. bán" (Tbh.)
Medial Ts. y is not changed to j, but is liable to be vocalized in sTss., except in M. Bg. O. A., e.g., Skr. nayanam, an eye, G. R. nen, H. nain, others nayan, S. P. have the Tbhs. S. nen", and P. nain, As regards the ai in nain, &c., it has come through Pr. na anam.
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