Re: iCPD

Dr Pind,

We seem to agree on everything --I will have to imagine something to
be disagreeable about.

Although I had never explained the "-ave" ending by reference to
enclitic, I have long made myself unpopular by arguing that the
supposed "irregularity" of Bhikkhu is a myth.  This myth has has been
used to prop up and/or illustrate a wide variety of theories
--presumably because it is mentioned in many lectures in undergraduate
courses.

Trying to prove the geographic origin of the suttapitaka with
reference to the final vowel of the vocative is as absurd with Bhikkhu
as it would be with Manas.  People imagine that they are learning
something about the intrinsic meaning of words when they learn they
are "irregular" --or when any other English adjective is applied to
them.  I recall an absurd article from a Feminist, offering an
overwrought "debate" about the problem that the word Bhikkhu is
gender-specific, but celebrating the "fact" that certain other words
and adjectives related to Bodhi, Buddha, etc., "have no gender".

This is absurd on too many levels to explain --and explanation would
only detract from the comedic value.

There is some irregular use of Pali to be found in the quotations from
heterodox monks in the AP:KV --but the fact that these irregularities
are ONLY put into the mouths of non-Theravada speakers completely
undermines the assumption that they tell us something "intrinsic"
about the language (or location!) of early Pali authors.

I found (and reported to this list) one odd attempt at a lexicon based
on the Abhidhamma and the word-glosses provided in its commentaries
... again, it seems to me that any period-specific lexicography of
this kind is more useful (and, perhaps, easier to staff).

The semantic shifts between Vedic and Pali are a very different
problem from examining the changes in the language within the canon
(and, indeed, in paracanonical works) --or Pali's interactions with
the various Prakrits.  I suppose I will not live long enough to see
much progress in this area --and I certainly have nothing to
contribute to it myself.

E.M.