Hi, Derek,

DC> paññaapessati = causative (-pe-) future (-ss-) i.e. "it will cause to
DC> be known"

DC> phassa-paññatti.m = "contact-knowledge"

DC> But why this sophisticated construction?

DC> Why not just say: "When there is eye, when their is form, when there
DC> is eye-consciousness, there will be contact?"

Another off-the-wall hypothesis:

cakkhusmi.m sati (paññaapessati) ruupe sati (paññaapessati)
cakkhuviñña.ne sati (paññaapessati)
phassapaññatti.m paññaapessatiiti – .thaanameta.m vijjati.

when eye is delineated, when forms are delineated,
when eye-consciousness is delineated,
it is possible that one will delineate a delineation of contact.

Then it makes sense.

Dimitry