Re: Ablative/-to

Dear Tadao,

>Hi, Jim:
>FANTASTIC!  Thank you very much for your research.
>So, is it correct to say that the affix /-to/, which is ablative,
>can function as nominative in the sense of "iti"? In other words,
>/-to/ itself should still be regarded as an ablative case marker,
>tadao

I think the /to/ in 'saara~nca saarato' should be regarded as a nominative
case marker here rather than an ablative case marker in the function of the
nominative. From my studies so far I think the taddhita affix /to/ should
probably be regarded as a general case marker for the nominative,
instrumental, ablative, genitive, or locative, singular or plural. I haven't
seen anything yet for the accusative or dative uses of the taddhita /to/ in
the Saddaniti. I would say that a word ending in the case marker /to/ can
function as a nominative with "iti". I understand that all words ending with
this affix are classed as indeclinables. An inflected word like 'bhagavato'
also ends in a /to/ but this is a substitute for the dative or genitive
singular case affix /sa/ and is not the same as the taddhita affix /to/ in
indeclinables.

Warder and Geiger seem to mention only an ablative -to in their well-known
books on Pali. Wouldn't this lead many students of Pali to understand the
taddhita /to/ as ablative only without any knowledge of its other possible
uses? It could be that the ablative -to is the one most commonly found in
use and the one to consider first. If it doesn't seem to fit the context
then one should consider other possible case functions.

Your next message:

>Hi, Jim:
>Does Saddaniti list all the functions associated with the ablative /-to/?
>tadao

I don't know. It only gives a couple of general rules and I think it is up
to the individual to make finer distinctions. For example, if one thinks the
/to/ is functioning as an ablative case marker then one could try to find
out the particular use of the ablative that seems applicable. One of the
suttas on the ablative (apaadaana) enumerates 21 different uses. Perhaps the
ablative -to applies to only a limited number of them.

Jim


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