Introduction to Ardhamagadhi

Author(s): A M Ghatage
Publisher: School & College Book Stall

Page 50

S. 57.]
CONJUNCT CONSONANTS
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of the same Vargas. Thus Ę is doubled by adding a before it pe; similarly the double of a=1; 3= 2; 9= ;8= ;
=3; T = 9; = ; F = 9; H=9. In all other cases the same consonant is added. Thus of is doubled by adding
= p; T = 7T; A = FA; a= 7; =; a=69. In the following words if occurring in the conjuncts is dropped the remaining members will be doubled as follows : मूर्ख = मुक्ख a fool ; 37€ = 377&t offering ; t = swoon ; faer = fast brook ; अर्थ=अत्थ wealth ; अर्ध = अद्ध half ; अभ्र-अब्भ cloud; but a = og all; 95=ga son.
57 DROPPING OF ONE MEMBER. Of the two members of a conjunct one specific member is to be dropped and the remaining member is to be doubled. Which member is to be dropped is determined according to the following rules.
The treatment of the conjuncts is one of the difficult problems of Prākrit phonology. Hemacandra arranges the words in the order so as to give the conjuncts kk, kkh, gg etc, in their Prākrit substitutes. His general treatment consists in laying down the three rules (i) k, g, t, d, t, d, p, s, ş, s as the first member (ii) m, n, y as the second member and (iii) I, v, r as both members are to be dropped. This leaves many exceptions and he is forced to add a large number of special rules. Pischel's treatment is more scientific. His rule may be stated as: the stronger member assimilates the weaker and among equals the second assimilates the first, assimilation being regressive. The consonants according to decreasing strength are (i) mutes (ii) nasals and (iii) 1, s, v, y, r in order.
For the sake of clarity and exhaustiveness we classify the consonants into six groups as: (1) mutes comprising the unvoiced (t) and voiced stops (d) and their aspirates (th, dh) of the five classes; (2) the five nasals (3) two semi-vowels (4) two liquids (5) the three sibilants and (6) the aspirate (h) and its unvoiced form (visarga). Their combinations should give 36 groups but in reality many groups are not possible.
The basic principle of the strength of a consonant in assimilation is its definiteness of contact and not its sonority. It is