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hatheli (f.) 'palm', deriving from Sk. hasta-tala-, Pk. hatthayala(with a feminine suffix added) neither hasta- not tala- is preserved in identifiable form and it is a non-composite word.
Such instances can be multiplied in thousands.
When a word-group or phrase, becomes idiomatized, there occurs in the case of the word which is semantically subordinate, some meaning shift (through metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche), and functions semantically as unitary, the original subordinate constituent ends up as a postposition or preposition. For example - (4) Sk.
Ap.
Guj.
bhanitva 'having said' bhaniu 'having viewed as'
bhani towards'
in view of
karya
business of, 'concrened with'
bhavanta-'being'
(at a place) sthitva
144
keraya'belonging to'
hontaya-*from
'having stayed'(at a place) pārsve at the side'
Jain Education International
thiu'from'
pāsai, pahai 'near, than'
kerů (poetic) (genitive postposition)
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-tho (dialectal)
'from'
-thi 'with'
karne 'close to the ear' kannahi, kannai, 'near'
Similarly in the case of the vectors or operators in the compound verbs of NIA or the verbal constituents in the conjunct verbs, because of idiomatization, the original meanings are changed to modal meanings. Derivative affixes have the same history. A principal word, becomes subordinated, a subordinated word becomes a postposition, a postposition becomes an ending which is ultimately lost. To fill up the consequent gap in communication, new constructions develop to carry out the function served by the lost expression, which again goes through the same cycle. In other words, formally composite words tend to become unitary and vice versa, semantically 'full' words tend to become 'empty'. Semiotically iconic words become symbolic and vice versa2. This is the common historical process of linguistic change in some of its aspects.
2. Anttila, op. cit., 12-14.
päse, pe 'near,
than'
kane 'near'
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