Re: Pali language generator?

Dear Jon,

I will add a bit more to some of John's answers.

>> 2. Do grammar rules in grammars like Aggava.msa's Saddaniiti or the
>> Kaccaayana or Moggallaana's grammar have unique identifying
>> numbers that can be cited when the rule is invoked?

> No idea; but fellow list member Jim Andersen is an expert in Pali
> grammars and could probably answer this for you.

Yes, if you're thinking of unique numbers that identify a particular
grammatical sutta. But the numbering system used can vary depending
on the edition. In Kaccaayana's grammar, for instance, there seems to
be 3 numbering systems in use (Kacc or Kc 1-673; 1-675; 1.1.1-4.6.50).

>> 3. What are the names of the letters of the Pali alphabet? (the
>> words you use when you spell out a word verbally for a person?)

> I don't know. I don't think that they have names other than the
> sounded-out letter: a, i, u, aa, ii, uu, etc. But note that
> consonants are sounded out as if followed with the vowel a, thus
> ka, kha, ga, gha, etc.

Also, if you want to say " the letter 'a' " in Pali, you can say "a-
kaaro".

>> 4. Is there a list of the verb roots in Pali.
>> In Sanskrit I read there are about 2000.
>> The rest of the verbs derived by prefixing and suffixing.

> Yes, there is - it is in the file section of this Pali list at:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pali/files/ posted by Alex Genaud.

There are at least 4 lists of Pali verbal roots (dhaatu-s).
Aggava.msa's list in the Dhaatumaalaa goes up to 1687. A list of
roots with their meanings might look like this:

.lakaarantadhaaturuupaani (8)

1680 ta.la taa.lane.
1681 ta.la aaghaate.
1682 kha.la bhede.
1683 ii.la thavane. (i.la)
1684 ju.la pera.ne.
1685 pii.la avagaahane.
1686 la.la upasevaaya.m.
1687 si.la se.lane.
(extracted from Smith's ed.)

A good part of the traditional Pali grammars has a lot to do with the
suffixes added to roots.

Best wishes,
Jim