Re: [tied] Sanskrit .n (was: PIE suffix *-ro - 'similar-with')

From: Sean Whalen
Message: 42843
Date: 2006-01-08

--- Richard Wordingham <richard@...>
wrote:

> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, Sean Whalen
> <stlatos@...> wrote:
>
> > --- Piotr Gasiorowski <gpiotr@...> wrote:
>
> > > *ksud-ró- 'small, broken into small pieces'
> (Skt.
> > > ks.udrá- beside
> > > ks.un.n.á- < *ksud-nó- 'pulverised') from

> > after u/i (vi-sad- and vi-san.n.a- "sad"))?

> Isn't that _vis.an.n.a_?

Yes; I had the book open right in front of me but I
forgot to add vi-s > vi-s.

> If you posit too early a /n./, you then have to
> explain Pali _visanna_
> with /n/, not /n./.

Yes, I agree that this example doesn't help my
theory. Khowar also has an entire retroflex series
but is missing n. (there are sequences like Vnd.V
indicating n. > n in the past).

I don't have any books about Pali but searching on
the Internet I only found visi:dana "dejected". Also,
interestingly, vicun.n.a "broken into small pieces,
etc." from vi-ks.un.n.a-.

> More prosaically, in Sanskrit it's the Nati rule:
>
> Triggers = {r s.}
> Targets = the first /n/ to the right of a trigger
> Blockers = {retroflexes, dentals, palatals}
> The target /n/ [or nn] must be followed by a
> nonliquid sonorant.
>
> There's a review of it at
>
http://www.cog.jhu.edu/pdf/gafos_dissertation-chapter_05.pdf
> .

The description isn't all that clear but it seems
like according to the theory that Nati is caused by
local spreading of retroflexion from r/s. the
non-blocked n becomes n. no matter what follows it and
then n. (or any retroflex) becomes dental when
word-final or followed by r/l/dental etc.

Something like:

visadna- brahman brahmana- mrdmaya- usra-
vis.adna brahman brahmana mrdmaya- us.ra
vis.anna brahman brahmana mrnmaya- us.ra

vis.an.na brahman. brahman.a mrnmaya- us.ra
vis.an.n.a brahman. brahman.a mrnmaya- us.ra
vis.an.n.a brahman brahman.a mrnmaya- us.ra
vis.an.n.a brahman brahman.a mrnmaya- usra

s/n > retro. after i/u/r/k
d > n before n (etc.)
labial/velar > retro. after r/s.
vowel > retro. after r/s.

labial/velar or vowel +retro. spreads +retro. until
reaching retro./dental/palatal

n > n. after labial/velar or vowel +retro.
n > n. after n.

C > -retro. when word-final
C > -retro. when before dental





__________________________________________
Yahoo! DSL – Something to write home about.
Just $16.99/mo. or less.
dsl.yahoo.com