Bhasha Journal of South Asian Linguistics, Philology
and Grammatical Traditions

Rivista | Bhasha
Fascicolo monografico | 2 | 2 | 2023
Articolo | Pāṇini and the Non-Head (upasarjana) of Attributive Endocentric Compounds

Pāṇini and the Non-Head (upasarjana) of Attributive Endocentric Compounds

Abstract

This study aims at contributing to our understanding of Pāṇini’s classification of compounds. In particular, this study investigates the notion upasarjana – roughly translatable as ‘non-head’ – in attributive endocentric (so-called karmadhāraya) compounds like nava-jvāra- ‘new suffering’, by addressing the following questions: do the units that Pāṇini designated as upasarjana in subordinate endocentric (so-called tatpuruṣa ‘proper’) compounds like aśva-śapha- ‘horse’s hoof’ share any feature with the units that he designated as upasarjana in karmadhārayas? More generally, what is the hallmark of the units designated as upasarjana? To answer these questions, we shall delve into several rules of Pāṇini’s grammar – the Aṣṭādhyāyī – which conceal such powerful grammatical tools as silent case endings and the operation of case-copying.


Open access | Peer reviewed

Presentato: 27 Luglio 2023 | Accettato: 11 Ottobre 2023 | Pubblicato 13 Dicembre 2023 | Lingua: en

Keywords SanskritCompoundingDerivational levelsCase-copyingHeadedness


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