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The New Pali Course Part III (1950)
Prof. A. P. Buddhadatta Maha Nayaka Thera

Chapter VI How to Shorten A Sentence

93. It is always advisable in constructing a sentence to use as few
words as possible to express the idea desired by it. (This however may
not be possible for the beginners whose stock of words is limited.)

The compound sentence:-

(a) Ekadaa Bhagavaa Saavatthiya.m vihari, tadaa devataa aagantvaa
dhamma.m su.ni.msu,

YP: At one time the Blessed One lived in Savatthi, then the devatas
came and heard the teachings.

may be shortened and changed to a simple sentence as follows:-

"Bhagavati Saavatthiya.m viharante devataa' gantvaa dhamma.m su.ni.msu".

YP: When the Blessed One was living in Savatthi, the devatas came and
heard the teachings.

(b) "Yattha manussaa vasanti, tattha so.naa ca go.naa ca vasanti",

YP: Where people live, there dogs and oxen live.

may be shortened to:-

"Manussaana.m vasana.t.thaane so.naa go.naa ca vasanti".

YP: Dogs and oxen live at people's residences.

(c) "Yo tena saddhi.m idh'aagami, so amhehi saddhi.m vaapi.m
gamissati", may be shortened to:-

YP: Whoever went with him now, he will go to the pond with us.

"Tena saddhi.m idhaagato amhehi vaapi.m gamissati".

YP: Gone with him now, (he) will go to the pond with us.

(d) "Yadaa kukku.taa ravissanti, tadaa so aagamissati",

YP: When the roosters crow, then he will come.

may be shortened as:-

"Kukku.taana.m ravanakaale so aagamissati".

YP: He will come at the time the roosters crow.

(e) "Te yathaa kathenti, tathaa na karonti",

YP: As they speak, so (they) do not.

may be shortened as:-

"Te yathaakathita.m na karonti".

YP: They do not do as spoken.

(to be continued..)