Introduction to Ardhamagadhi

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

Page 96

LESSON ONE
145 Like Sanskrit Ardha-Māgadhi words have three genders viz. Masculine (Mas.), Feminine (Fem.) and Neuter (Neu.). The gender of a particular word is, in most cases, the same as the one current in Sanskrit or many of the Modern Indian languages.
Even though the majority of the nouns have retained their original gender there are not lacking cases showing a change in this respect. Most of the changes show traces in the history of Sanskrit itself. If some of them may be due to idea (mitra n. mitto m.) others are due to the ending vowels in the Prākrit forms.
146 Like Modern languages there are only two numbers the Singular (Sing.) and the Plural (Plu.). The sing. is used to denote things that are one, while the plu. denotes things that are more than one. The dual number of Sanskrit is expressed by the plu. in AŃg. ae gute AUTE I 'He hears many things with his ears.
The only dual forms surviving are do (dvau), duve (dve). For the use of the numbers cf. 345-348.
147 There are six cases which are the same as those in Sk. except the Dative which is lost. Its place is taken by the Genitive. These cases are :
The Nominative (N.) denoting the subject : dal Ê Å AHARI 'Even the gods bow to him.'