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without terminations (like ka, bhaḍāriya), Present 1st p. pl. in --hum, etc. most striking aspect of these speeches is the sprinkling of Sanskritic pronunciation (kidṛśam, sometimes wrongly sprsta from prcch), introduction of Sanskrit words and also forms shaped after the Prakritic set up (varnni < varnaya, yadṛsiya, parinetavya, vismṛtu) and even broken sentences. A form like pathasi is quite usual in a variety of Prakrit called Pali on account of its use in the Buddhist canon. This colloquial speech is made to smack of Sanskritic learning and skill in metres, quite natural in a Vedic school. An old Sanskrit verse is a bit mangled: and what is put in Sanskrit must have been originally in Prakrit (tambola-raiya-rāyam aharam daṭṭhūņa kāmiņiyaṇassa). Here and there some Deśī words like caṭṭa, simgha etc., are used. analysis of any Modern Indo-Aryan speech today will disclose elements more or less on this line. The alternative passage in P and alternative readings show that subsequent readers or copyists might have taken some liberty with the expression. May be that there is some exaggeration and artificiality in imitating the speeches of these boys. But that the author seems to have done his best to reproduce approximately the contemporary colloquial idiom used in an orphanage, by village headmen and by youths studying in a Vedic School, should be accepted as highly probable.
An
The prince reaches the market place in Vijayapuri. There he sees countrytraders who could be distinguished by their territorial speeches (desa-bhāsālakkhie) i. e., dialects and languages (their traditional or conventional number is eighteen) current in different parts of the country. He describes these categories of people, physically and temperamentally, and gives some words or so from their speech (p. 152, 1.24 f.): 1) The Gollas are dark and of harsh words; they enjoy a number of skirmishes or fights and are devoid of modesty (lajjā); and they utter adade'. 2) Those from the Madhyadeśa are adept in state policy and in treaties of peace and war. They are talkative by nature. They speak tere mere au'. 3) Those from Magadha are pot-bellied, ugly and rickety, and yearning for amorous sports. They speak 'ege le'. 4) Those from Antaraveda are reddish (in complexion), with brown eyes. They are actively gossipping about food. They talk sweet using the expressions 'kitto kammo'. 5) The Kiras are characterised by lofty and fat nose and golden complexion; they carry heavy loads, and they speak sari pāri'. 6) The Dhakkas lack in courtesy, generosity, manliness, skill and kindness; and they talk 'eham teham'. 7) The Saindhavas are graceful, sweet and tender; they like singing and are homesick; and they utter cauḍaya me'. 8) The Marukas are crooked, dull and sluggish; they eat more and have their limbs rough and fatty; and they speak 'appām tuppam'. 9) The Gurjaras have their limbs nourished with ghee and butter; they are pious and skilled in treaties of peace and war: and they speak nau re bhallaüm'. 10) The Laṭas bathe, anoint and comb the hair, and thus make their limbs attractive; they speak thus amḥaṁ kai tumhaṁ'. 11) The Mālavas are slender and dark; they are irritant, fierce and leading a life of self-respect (or pride): and they speak thus bhauya bhaini tumhe'. 12) Those from Karṇāṭaka are excessively proud, too much given to pleasures, fierce and of fickle temper; and they utter aḍi pāmḍi mare'. 13) The Tajikas
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