A Pāli Grammar

129 Pages·1994·18.568 MB·English

by  Wilhelm Geiger, K. R. Norman (editor), Batakrishna Ghosh, , Wilhelm Geiger

A PALI GRAMMAR
Wilhelm Geiger
translated into English
by
Batakrishna Ghosh
revised and edited
by
K.R. Norman
Published by
The Pali Text Society - Oxford
A PALI GRAMMAR
Pali Text Society
A PALI GRAMMAR
by
~ Wilhelm Geiger
translated into English
by
Batakrishna Ghosh
revised and edited
by
K.R. Norman
Published by
The Pali Text Society
Oxford
2005
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword x1]
German edition published 1916 Bibliography AY
English translation first published 1943
Revised English translation 1994 Abbreviations XIX
Reprinted with corrections 2000
Introduction: What is Pali’? XX
Reprinted 2005
A, Phonology
English translation © University of Calcutta 1943
[. Sound-system and accent
Revised translation © Pali Text Society [994
Stages of Pali ($0). — Scripts (§ 1). Sound-system (§§ 2, 3).
— Accent (§ 4).
2. The Law of Morae
Law of Morae ($5). — Character of syllables ($6). — Long
vowel before double consonants ($7). — Shortening as
ISBN -— 0 86013 315 X paperback compensation for svarabhakti ($8).
0 86013 318 4 hardback
3. The vowels a, ee f, i
e for a before double consonants ($9). — i and uv (§ 10). — e, 0
from 7, # (8 LE).
4. Development of the vowels ys, /
9
a, i, u from ¢ (§ 12). —- ¢ becomes consonantal (§ 13). — # from
i (§ 14).
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
5. Diphthongs and their development
Id
including photocopying, recording or any information storage and
e, o from e, at, 0, aust, uw from e, o ($15).
retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from
6. Influence of neighbouring vowels or consonants on vowels
Il
the Pali Text Society.
Influence of following vowels ($16). — Influence of preceding
vowels ($ 17). — Influence of consonants on vowels (§ 18).
7. Influence of accent on vowels 13
Weakening of vowel of the second syllable (§ 19}. — Syncope
(§20). — Weakening of pre-accent syllable ($21). —
Shortening of unstressed final syllables (§ 22). — Shortening of

the second syllable (§23). — Effect of the expiratory accent
($24).
Printed in Great Britain by Antony Rowe Ltd, Chippenham, Wiltshire
Vi Contents Contents Vil
8. Samprasarana and the loss of syllables through contraction 18 [5. Sporadic aberrations in sound-groups
Samprasdrana ($25). — e, o from aya, ava (§26). — A for voiced aspirates (§ 60), — Voicing of unvoiced, unvoicing
Contraction (§27). — The prepositions upa and apa (§ 28). of voiced mutes ($61). — Aspiration and loss of aspiration
($62). — Changes of consonant-classes (§ 63). — Retroflexes
g. Increase of sylables through svarabhakti
2]
for dentals (§ 64)..
Generalities (§ 29). —- Svarabhakti / (§ 30). Svarabhakti a, u
16. Metathesis in sound-groups and loss of syllables through
($31).
haplology ($65).
56
10, Quantitative changes in composition and under the stress
of metre 23
r7. Sandhi
Influence of metre (§32). — Lengthening and shortening of
Initial and final (§66), — Compositional sandhi (§ 67).
vowels in compounds (§ 33).
—-External sandhi: generalities (§ 68). Similar vowels in

(1. Irregularities of vocalism (§ 34). 26 sandhi ($ 69). — Dissimilar vowels in sandhi (§ 70). — e, o and
nasal vowels before vowels ($71). — Filling hiatus by
12. Consonants in free position 2]
consonants ($72). — Inorganic sandhi-consonants (§ 73). —
Intervocalic mutes (§ 35). — Dropping of intervocalic mutes
Confrontation of yowel and consonant (§ 74).
(§ 36), — fh for aspirates (§ 37). — Voicing of unvoiced mutes
($38). — Unvoicing of voiced mutes (§ 39). — Aspiration and
B. Word-formation
loss of aspiration (§ 40}. — Change in place of articulation
J. Nouns (substantives and adjectives) 67
($41). — Retroflexes for dentals (§ 42). — r, /, / for d, a, a
($43). — / for r ($44). — r for f ($45). — Alternation between I. Generalities
y and v (§46). Nominal stems ($75). — Gender (§ 76). — Number and case
($77).
13. Dissimilation and metathesis (§ 47).
2. a-declension
FO
14. Consonant-groups Masculines and neuters in a ($78). — Individual forms (§ 79).
— Magadhisms (§ 80}, — Feminines in @ ($81).
Combination of two consonants .
3. é- and u-declensions 7D
Generalities (§ 48). — Consonant-groups containing / (§ 49). —
Masculines in i, # ($82). — Individual forms (§83). — Stem
Combination of sibilant with nasal (§50). — Laws of
sakhi (§ 84). — Neuters ini, 4 ($85). — Femuinines in / (7), « (#)
assimilation {§51). — Progressive assimilation ($52). —
($86). — Stems sirt, hirt, itthi ($87).
Regressive assimilation: mute before nasal, liquid, semi-vowel
($53). — Regressive assimilation: sibilant before liquid or 4. Diphthong-stems (§ 88). SI
semi-vowel; nasal or / before semi-vowel; the groups vy, vr
5. Radical stems (§ 89).
81
($54). — Dentals and a” before y (§55). — The group ks ($46).
6. r-declension $2
—— The groups ts, ps (857).
Agent nouns (3 90). — Words of relationship (§ 91).
Combination of more than two consonants 40
7. a-declension 84
Generalities (§ 58). — Details (§ 59).
Masculines in an (§92). Stems san, yuvan, maghavan,
puman (§ 93). — Neuters in an (894). — Subst. and adj. in in
($95).
Vill Contents Contents 1X
89
8, #f-declension DD. Optative
Adjectives in anf {§96), — Present participles in nt ($97). Inflection (§ 127). — Remarks on active (§ 128). — Remarks on
—Stems arahant, sant, bhavant ($98). middle (§ 129). — Other optative forms (§ 129A),
g. s-declension 93 E. The verbal classes of Sanskrit in Pali 126
Neuters in as ($99). — Masculines and feminines in @s (§ 100).
1. Thematic conjugation 126
— Neuters and masculines in is, ts (§ LOT).
Class I ($130). —- Roots in i, & root bh ($131). — Redupl.
to, Adverbs and Comparison 95 roots of Class I (§ 132). — Roots gam, yam, ru (§ 133). —
Adverbs (§ 102). — Comparison (§ 103). Class VE (88134, 135). — Class IV ($8136). — Roots jar, Sar,
mar ($137). — Root fan; roots in @ ($8138) — Class X,
IL. Pronouns g8
causative, e-inflection (§ 139).
Personal pronouns of first and second person (§ 104). —Pronoun
of the third person (§ 105). Strengthening of pronouns by 2. Athematic conjugation 136

other pronouns (§ 106). — Pronouns esa, ena, tya, tuma (§ 107). Class IE (8 140). — Roots as, brit (8141). — Class III; root dha
($142). —- Root dé (§ 143), — Class VH (8 144). — Class IX
— Pronoun ayam ($108). — Pronoun asi (§ 109), — Relative
(§ 145). — Roots grah, md, bandh (§ 146). —- Class V (§ 147).
pronouns (§ 110). — Interrogative pronouns ($111). — Other
— Roots sak, dp (§ 148). — Class VIII, with root kar (§ 149).
pronouns (§ 112). — Pronominal adjectives (§ 113).
3. Puture with conditional
Ill. Numerals TTO
Two types: paradigms ($150). — Type Ia (§ 151). — Type Ib
1. Cardinal Numbers 110 ($152). — Roots in r (kar, har) and root fan (§ 153). — Type II
The numbers 1 and 2 ($114). — The numbers 3 to 10 ($115).
($154). —- New formations from present stems of the thematic
—- The tens, hundreds, etc. ($116). — Use of numerals (8 117). conjugation (§ 155). — New formations from present stems of
2, Ordinals, distributives, fractional numbers, numeral the athematic conjugation (§ 156). — Conditional (§ 157).
adverbs, numeral adjectives and numeral substantives [14 4. Aorist
Ordinals (§ 118). — Distributives, etc. (§ 119).
Generalities (§ 158). — Six types : paradigms (§ 159). — Type I
(§ 160). — Type I (§ 161). — Roots kar, bit, dars, vac (§ 162).
IV. The Verbal System 117
— Type III (§ 163). — Historical forms from roots in mutes and
1. Generalities {§ 120). | 117 sibilants (§ 164). — New formations after type III (§ 165). —
Type IV (§ 166). — New formations after type FV from present
2, Present-system with indicative, subjunctive, imperative
stems of the thematic conjugation Classes I and VI (§ 167). —
and optative 118
Classes [IV and X (§168),. — New formations from present
A. Present indicative 118
stems of the athematic conjugation (§ 169). — Details (§ 170).
Inflection (§ 121). — Remarks thereon (§ 122).
— Type V (8 170A). — Type VI(§ 170B).
119
B. Subjunctive (§ 123).
5. Perfect (§ 171). 167
C, Imperative
T2I 6. Periphrastic constructions 167
Inflection (§ 124). — Remarks on active (§ 125). — Remarks on
Periphrastic future (§ 172). — Periphrastic perfect (§ 173). —
muddle (§ 126), Periphrastic constructions with present participle and absclutive
($174).
Contents x1
X Contents
170 5. Absolutives 193
7. Passive
Generalities (§208). — Historical forms in fvd, tvdna, itvd,
Passive formation with ya (§ 175). — Passive formation with iva
itvand (8209). — New formations from present stems (§ 210).
($176). — Inflection; passive aorist in i ($177).
— Absolutives in ffa (§210A). — Absolutives in f (§210B).
172
&. Causatives
— Absolutives in tna ($211). — Absolutives in ya ($212). —
Unmodified roots and a-roots ($ 178). — Roots with internal #, u
Absolutives in iva and new formations (§213), — Absolutives
and with final £, #: miscellaneous (§ 179). — Roots in d@ (§ 180).
in yana (§ 214). — Absolutives in am, akam ($215).
— New formations with dpaya, dpe ($181). — Double-
causatives (§ 182). — Inflection (§ 183). Index of Contents 201
g. Desideratives (§ 184). 176 Index of Words 204
ro. Intensives ($185). V7TF
175
11. Denominatives
Formations with dya (8186). — Formations with aya (e) and
dpaya (Gpe) (§ 187). — Formations with a, ya, rya (8188). —
Inflection (§ 189).
12. Verbal nouns 180
1. Participles of present and future — active 180
Participles in nt, ata, (8190). — Participles in mdna ($191).
—Participles in dna (§ 192). — Participles from future stem
($193). — Future participles in esi(#) (§193A). —— Future
middle participles (§ 193B).
2. Past participles
Participles in ta ($194). — Participles in éfa (§ 195). — New
formations in ifa from present stems (§ 196). Participles in na
(§ 197). — Active participles of preterite (§ 198).
3. Future passive participles
Participles in tabba; new formations (§ 199). — Root bhu# and e-
stems (§ 200). — Participles in anya, aneyya ($201), —
Participles in ya (§202). — Participles in td@ya, tayya, teyya
($203),
Igo
4. Intinitives
Infinitives in fave, tuye, faye, fase. Datives of verbal nouns used
as infinitives (8204). — Infinitives in tum (§ 205). — New
formations in tu from present stems (§ 206). — Infinitives in
compounds with kama (§ 207).
FOREWORD
The Pali Text Society has for many years wished to include a Grammar
of Pali in tts List of Issues, but has been unable to persuade anyone to
write one of suitable length and depth. Nor did any of the existing
grammars seem to satisfy the needs of both beginners and those
engaged in the academic study of Pali. Among these Geiger’s Pali
Literatur und Sprache (in its English translation Pali Literature and
Language) seemed best to satisfy academics, but beginners find its
wealth of quotations and tightly packed pages daunting. It was finally
decided to attempt to produce a version of Geiger which would, as far as
possible, suit the needs of both classes of user.
In this version paragraphs have been separated out into sub-
paragraphs to make their contents more transparent. This would have
increased the size of the book enormously had the number of references
included not been reduced. It seems likely that, because of the absence
of dictionaries and concordances at the time, Geiger included whatever
references were known to him from his own wide range of reading.
Although the number of references given seems to imply completeness
or to define the type of texts in which the form ts found, this is usually
very far from being the case and, now that there are concordances and
other ways of checking references, there seemed to be no virtue in
including more than one example or (very occasionally, in special
circumstances) two examples of each usage, to confirm that it is a
genuine form. Geiger’s first example has usually been retained, but this
practice has not been followed if he had by chance put a non-canonical
reference first. In such cases the canonical reference has been retained.
Since other histories of Pali literature have appeared since 1916, it
was thought that there was no necessity to reproduce the portion of
Geiger’s work which deals with Pali literature. Geiger’s Introduction
has been replaced by a new Introduction written by Professor Richard
Gombrich.
The Pali Text Society is grateful to the University of Calcutta, who
own the copyright in Ghosh’s translation, for giving permission to make
use of it in the production of this grammar. Since the desire to change
the format of Ghosh’s work meant that it was not possible to reprint it
photographically, it became necessary to reset the work. This gave the
opportunity of making certain corrections and additions to the text and
ot bringing the references up to date.
Xill
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