3 1822 00167 0280
NIVERSITY OF CAL FORNIA SAN DIEC,
3 1822 00167 0280
Church Missionary Society Library, ISrj Waterloo Road,
C.M.S. LlBRARX
A
BENGALI LANGUAGE:
TO wnicn is ADDED
A SELECTION OF EASY PHRASES
AND
USEFUL DIALOGUES.
BY
DUNCAN FORBES, LLD,,
PROFESSOR OF ORIENTAL LANGUAGES IN KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON ;
MEMDF.K OF THK KOYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF CHEAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND;
AND AUT1IOU OP BKVliRAL WORKS ON T1IE UINUL'STANI AND PEUSIAN LANUUAGKS.
LONDON
CROSBY LOCKWOOI) AND SOX
7, STA riONERS' HALL COURT, Ll'DCiATK HII.L, B.C.
THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN IA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA
London: W.». IT. A llm, & Co., Printers, 13, Waterloo Plnrv, Tall Mall. 8.W.— L.
PREFACE.
THE Bengali is the vernacular language of thirty millions of British subjects inhabiting the fertile and com- pact province of Bengal proper. This province extends from the Bay of Bengal on the south, to the mountains of Bootan on the north, a breadth of some 350 miles; and its extreme length from Eamgur on the west, to Arakan on the east, is about 400 miles. Its soil is one of the richest in the world, having been fertilised for countless ages by the annual inundation of the Ganges and Barhamputra with their numerous tributaries and branches ; hence it is admirably adapted for the cultiva- tion of indigo, rice, sugar, and cotton.
The Bengali holds the second rank, in point of im- portance, amidst all the languages of India ; the first rank being universally conceded to the Hindustani, which,
IV PREFACE.
under one or other dialectic form, is spoken by at least fifty millions of people. A young man who has acquired a fair knowledge of these two languages — and the task is not difficult — is qualified to fill any situation — civil, mili- tary, medical, clerical, or mercantile, etc., throughout the vast region extending from the mouths of the Ganges to the mountains of Kashmir; and from the Indus to the Himalayas. Such then being the case, I think the reader will feel grateful to me for reproducing the follow- ing very sensible remarks on the subject matter from the Preface to Dr. Carey's Bengali Grammar, a work now exceedingly scarce, if not unprocurable : —
" The pleasure which a person feels in being able to converse upon any subject with those who have occasion to visit him, is very great. Many of the natives of this country [Bengal], who are conversant with Europeans, are men of great respectability, well informed upon a variety of subjects, both commercial and literary, and able to mix in conversation with pleasure and advantage. Indeed, husbandmen, labourers, and people in the lowest stations, are often able to give that information on local affairs which every friend of science would be proud to obtain. The pleasure and advantage, therefore, of free conversation with all classes of people, will amply repay any person for the labour of acquiring the language.
" .An ability to transact business, and inspect all the minutiae of mer- cantile concerns, without the intervention of an interpreter, must be an object of importance to every one engaged in such undertakings ; and in the important concerns of administering justice, collecting the revenues, and preventing impositions and misunderstandings in all the common afi'uirs of life, the disadvantages to which every one is subject who is
PREFACE. V
ignorant of the language, not only plead in favour of the study thereof, but strongly mark the necessity of acquiring it.
" A benevolent man feels much pleasure in making enquiries into, and relieving the distresses, of others. But in a foreign country he must be Tinable to do this, to his own satisfaction, so long as he is unacquainted with the current language of the country ; for should he attempt to do it through the medium of servants, he would not only be liable to in- numerable impositions, but his kind intentions must be frequently ren- dered abortive by the ignorance or inattention of those to whom the management thereof is committed.
" The advantages of being able to communicate useful knowledge to the heathens, with whom we have a daily intercourse ; to point out their mistakes ; and to impress upon them sentiments of morality and religion, are confessedly very important. Indeed, the high gratification which must arise from an ability to contribute in any degree to the happiness of a body of people supposed to be equal to the whole population of Great Britain and Ireland, can scarcely fail of recommending the more general study of the Bengali language.
"It has been supposed by some, that a knowledge of the Hindustani language is sufficient for every purpose of business in any part of India. This idea is very far from correct ; for though it be admitted, that persons may be found in every part of India who speak that language, yet Hin- dustani is almost as much a foreign language, in all the countries of India, except those to the north-west of Bengal, which may be called Hindustan proper, as the French is in the .other countries of Europe. In all the courts of justice in Bengal, and most probably in every other part of India, the poor usually give their evidence in the dialect of that par- ticular country, and seldom understand any other; which is also usually thc case with the litigating parties.
" In Bengal all bonds, leases, and other agreements, or instruments, are generally written in the current language ; and the greater part of those persons with whom a European is concerned, especially in the collection of the revenue, and in commercial undertakings, speak no other: to this may be added, that, with a few exceptions, those who have a smattering of Hindustani, speak it too imperfectly to express their sentiments with precision.
VI PREFACE.
"The Bengali may be considered as more nearly allied to the Sanskrit than any of the other languages of India ; for though it contains many words of Persian and Arabic origin, yet four-fifths of tho words in the language are pure Sanskrit. "Words may be compounded with such facility, and to so great an extent in Bengali, as to convey ideas with the utmost precision, a circumstance which adds much to its copiousness. On these, and many other accounts, it may be esteemed one of the most expressive and elegant languages of the East."
Forty years ago, a Bengali Professorship was estab- lished at Haileybury College for the benefit of young Civilians destined for the Bengal Presidency. Some fif- teen years later, Professor WILSOX, tho Oriental Examiner, substituted Sanskrit for the Bengali — a measure, the wis- dom of which I never could perceive : hence, for the last quarter of a century, seldom, if ever, has a single Bengali book been written, printed, or read in any part of Europe. It naturally followed, then, that works of this description gradually vanished from the market ; so much so that it was with great difficulty that two pupils of mine last autumn were able to procure a copy of ITaughton's "Ben- gali Grammar," which, though very defective, is still the best adapted for beginners of any that we possess.
Under these circumstances, I was induced by the pub- lishers, at the commencement of this year, to compile a new Grammar of the Bengali language. The result is the following work, which is now submitted to the ap-
PUKFACK. Vll
proval of the public. I have used every exertion to render it at once the simplest, the plainest, and the most copious work of the kind as yet in existence. I have freely availed myself of whatever I found useful and satisfactory in the Grammars of HALIIED, CAREY, I!AUGH- TON, YATES, and that of the anonymous Pandit alluded to in § 21, a. I have in many instances ventured to differ from these gentlemen; and have endeavoured to rectify what I have considered to be erroneous or defective on their part.
In the arrangement of the various materials, I have followed the plan adopted in my Grammars of the Persian and Hindustani languages, works which, judging by their sale, appear to have given general satisfaction. This will appear at once by looking at their respective tables of contents. The plan is simple enough — it consists merely in discussing plainly and concisely every part of the sub- ject at the right time and place. In works of this kind methodical arrangement is a matter of far greater im- portance in aiding the student's memory than writers seem to have generally taken into consideration. Every individual paragraph ought to serve the learner as a. stepping-stone to that which immediately follows.
I feel pleasure in here acknowledging my debt ut
Vlll PREFACE.
gratitude to FKAXCIS JOHXSON, Esq., formerly Professor of Sanskrit, Bengali, and Telugu at Haileybury College. That gentleman in the kindest manner volunteered to peruse and correct every one of the proof-sheets as they passed through the press ; and to his industry and thorough competency for the task, I have no hesitation in saying that this work is mainly indebted for its accuracy on the score of style, and its comparative free- dom from any serious typographical errors.
Along with this Grammar the student should procure Ilaughton's " Bengali Selections ;" and by means of these two works alone he will attain to a fair knowledge of the language. Let him then procure Ilaughton's "Bengali and Sanskrit Dictionary," which valuable work is now selling by the publishers at the very reasonable rate of thirty shillings per copy, handsomely bound, instead of seven guineas, the original published price. By the aid of Ilaughton's "Dictionary," the student may advanta- geously peruse any or all of the following works, viz., " Tota-Itihfis," "Krishna Chandra," "Batris Singlifisan," and "Purush-Paiikliya." Of these, the "Krishna Chan- dra" and " Purush-Paiikhya " are the most important, as they arc both used as text-books for the Bengali examination in India.
rilEFACE. IX
I had formed some intention of adding a Section on Bengali Prosody, similar to what I have given in my Persian Grammar; but on further consideration I came to the conclusion that the subject would be of very little utility to the student. The Muses, when fright- ened by ruthless barbarians from Greece and Kome, sought and found shelter among the Arabs and Per- sians ; but, in modern Bengal, they have not, as yet, had sufficient time to become domesticated ; and until this wished-for consummation takes place we may very venially postpone our chapter on Bengali Prosody.
I have added, at the end of the work, three Appen- dices, all of which will be found of great practical utility. Appendix A. gives an account of the peculiari- ties of the Bengali language as spoken by the un- educated portion of the people. It is not sufficient for the British resident in Bengal to be able merely to speak the language, fluently and grammatically, himself; he ought to be able, at the same time, to understand the numerous grades of people who speak the language fluently, but not grammatically. Of Appen- dices B. and C. it is needless for nic to oifer any re- marks, they speak for themselves.
In order that nothing might be wanting to render this
X PREFACE.
work as complete as possible, the publishers have caused to be re-engraved, at considerable expense, the four beautiful plates of Bengali writing formerly appended to Haughton's Grammar. These will enable the stu- dent to attain an accurate style of writing from the outset. Let him carefully copy the single letters as given in Plate I. ; then let him read on to page 15, and endeavour to restore correctly the list of words there given in the Eoman character into the original ; having recourse to Plates II., III., and IV., for such compound consonants as may occur.
D. FOKBES.
58, IJUHTON CRESCENT^ JULY, 1SG1.
C O N T E N T S.
SECTION I.
PAOB
ON THE ALPHABET 1
Articulate Sounds of the Letters 3
Compound Letters 7
General Kcmarks on the Sounds of the Consonants 10
Of words whose Finals are open 12
Praxis for Heading and Writing 15
SECTION II.
OF THE ARTICLE 17
OF SUBSTANTIVES 18
Of Gender ib.
Of Number 19
Of Case 20
Of Declension 21
REMARKS ON THE CASES 25
Of the Nominative Case ib.
Of the Accusative Case 20
Of the Instrumental Case ib.
Of the Dative Case 27
Of the Ablative Case .. ib.
Xll CONTEXTS.
Of the Genitive Case 23
Of tho Locative Case 29
Of the Vocative Case ib.
OF ADJECTIVES 30
Of Number and Case ib.
Of Gender ib.
Of Comparison 31
OF PEOXOFXS ib.
Of Gender 32
Of Personal Pronouns ib.
Of Personals of Inferiority 33
Of Pronouns of the Third Person 34
Of the Pronoun Remote ib.
Of the Pronoun Proximate 3-5
Of the Demonstrative Pronouns 36
Of the Reciprocal, or Reflective Pronoun 37
Of the Pronoun upani, "self," "your honour," etc 38
Of the Relative 39
Of the Interrogatives 40
SECTION III.
OP THE VEEB 41
Of Conjugation 43
Of the Auxiliary Verb ha-ite, "to be" 46
Of Causal Verbs 43
A List of Verbal Roots 50
Of Irregular Verbs 5.'3
Of the Passive Voice .01
A List of Past and Passive Participles 5 <>
Of Impersonal Verbs 58
Of the Negative Verb 61
Of the Deft-etive Auxiliary uclJ/i €^
CONTENTS. Xllt SECTION IV.
FAOB
OF PARTICLES AND NUMERALS 64
Of A dvcrbs ib.
Of Prepositions 70
Of Diptotcs or Postpositions 76
Of Conj unctions 78
0 f Interjections 80
Of Expletive Particles 81
Of Numerals 82
Of Collective Numbers 88
Of Fractional Numbers 89
SECTION V.
OP THE JUNCTION OF LETTEES, AND THE DERIVATION AND COMPO- SITION OF WORDS 90
Of the Junction of Vowels ib.
Of the Junction of similar Vowels 91
Of the Junction of dissimilar Vowels ib.
Examples of the Changes of the Vowels to their Semi- Vowels
before dissimilar Vowels 92
Of the Changes of the Diphthongs to their Semi- Vowels before
dissimilar Vowels «i.
Of the Formation of Diphthongs 93
Of the Junction of Consonants ib.
Classification of the Consonants ib.
General Ptules respecting their Junction and Permutation 94
Of AnuswdraJi and Visargah 98
OF THE DERIVATION OF WORDS 10(1
Of the use of the terms Guna and Vriddhi ib.
Of Substantives tb.
Of Derivative Adjectives 105
Of Derivative Verbs . 114
XIV CONTENTS.
PAGE
OK THE COMPOSITION OF WORDS 115
Of the First Class, or W^ ^WfT 110
Of the Second Class, or ^JT*rlTP >l*Jl>i 117
Of the Third Class, or f^$ TRtJT ib.
Of the Fourth Class, or ^<5ftW ?Wt*r 118
Of the Fifth Class, or 4^4)^ 7RT?T ib.
Of the Sixth Class, or ^Rjft^T^ ^TT^ 121
Of Compound Verbs ib.
SECTION VI.
SYNTAX, on THE CONSTRUCTION OP SENTENCES 125
Concord of Substantives, Adjectives, and Pronouns 127
Concord of Verbs 131
Use and Application of the Tenses 132
Of the Indefinite Tense ib.
Of the Present Definite 133
Of the Past Indefinite Tense ib.
Of the Imperfect Tense ib.
Of the Perfect Tense ib.
Of the Pluperfect Tense 134
Of the Future Tense ib.
Of the Conditional Tense 135
Of the Imperative ilood ib.
Use and Application of the Verbal Nouns 137
Use and Application of the Present Participle 138
Of the Past Conjunctive Participle 139
Of the Adverbial Participle MO
Of the Adjectival Participle 142
Government of Substantives and Adjectives ib.
Government of Verbs 1-15
Application and Use of Adverbs, Postpositions, Conjunctions,
and Interjections 1 ,3 1
Of lif.i-uli Style i.oo
CONTENTS. X V
APPENDIX A.
PA<;R
CONTAIN i xo A CONCISK ACCOUNT OF THE VULGAR on SPOKEN BENGAL?, WITH RULES FOR FAMILIAR OH COMMON CONVKU- SATION 159 — 170
APPENDIX E.
ON THE DIVISIONS OF MONEY — WEIGHTS AND MEASURES — DAYS OF THE WEEK — MONTHS OF THE YEAR — HINDU ERAS — CON- TRACTIONS OF WORDS 171 — 170
Of the Divisions of Money 171
Of Weights 172
Of Dry Measure ib.
Of Long Measure ib.
Of Measures of Time 173
Of the Days of the Week ib.
Of the Names of the Months 17-1
Of the Contractions of Current Words 17")
APPENDIX C.
CONSISTING OF EASY PHRASES AND USEFUL DIALOGUES ON FAMILIAR
SUBJECTS .. . 177—232
EEEATA.
PAOK LINE
3 25
5 prachur
1
3
19
32 24 § 17, a.
37 31 *f*f 53 7 ^
57 26 •$%
59 14
61 13
73 24
74 4
,, 6 privitivum,
prachur.
§ 19, a.
privativum.
PAGE LINK FOn
74 22
75 6
76 23 *TZ „ 31
83 9 12
„ 22
84 24, etc. 104 31
111 15 144 24
183 13 ^ ^
207 note, Appendix C. Appendix B.
Note. — The mark repha — or top r, is very liable to break off in tbe working of the press; and the same remark applies to the slender top of the long 7 T, which then becomes long n T . The reader will, I trust, have the charity to hold the author blame- less in such cases.
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
SECTION I.
ON THE ALPHABET.
1. Ix India, and the adjacent countries to the eastward, the Hindus and Budhists appear to have possessed, from a very remote period, an alphabet by far the most scientific, and the nearest to perfection, hitherto invented. From Kashmir to Ceylon, and from the Indus to the confines of China, the alphabetic system is evidently the same, although the forms of the letters have, in the course of ages, undergone considerable variations. The standard of this class of alphabets is the Devandgarl^ in which most Sanskrit works are written and printed, at least to the north-west of Bengal.* Of all the Hindu alphabets, that of the Bengali has deviated least from the standard, being, in fact, a mere distinction with very little difference. It consists of Fourteen Towels and Thirty-three Consonants,
in the following order :
VOWELS.
da II u u rl r~i U l~i (J~ ai 0 au
* In Bengal Proper they still adhere to tin ir own elmrarter, both in writing and in printing Sanskrit works ; and a similar rule holds in the Madras Presideney, where the Telugu and Malayalma alphabets are used for the same purpose.
t As the vowels e and o are always long, i* will be ncedk-sa to mark them as t and <;, beyond the first few pages of this work.
2 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
CONSONANTS.
k kh q ah n ch chh j jh n t th d
U U v v ...
dh n t th d dh n p pli I b/i m y
r I VOYW s/t sh s h
2. In naming the consonants, the short vowel d is in- herent in each ; thus, kd, khd, yd, etc. : and in reading, the mere utterance of the consonants often suffices for the pronunciation of a word ; thus, 3-^ kanaka, " gold," w?t? nd'jdid, "a city;" hence the first of the vowels, w #, is never written except when it begins a word or syllable. With regard to the remaining vowels, they have each two forms : that given above, which may be called their primary form, is used only when they begin a word or syllable ; but when they follow a consonant, they assume, in most instances, a totally different shape, which may be called their secondary forms; thus, T Ci, fi^ i, ^ it, ^ u, ^ ri, *_ rl, * U, % li, t t7, £ ai, z 1 o, and ?T) au, as may be seen in the following exemplification of them in combination with the letter ^ kd, thus :
dkd dka iki Ik I uku itkii rikri rtkrl Will likll c^c aikai
6k d auk an
a. The reader is requested in particular to remark that the vowels ^ /, <s\ (". and 4 (ii, are written before the consonants after which they are to he sounded. Examples : f% hi, (¥ he, £3? hai ;
soi'NDs or Tin: I.KTTKKS. o
while *? ft and «* au enclose the consonants between their two members, as (%•] /»v5, (^] Imn.
l>. The thirty-three eonsonants of the Bengali alphabet are in reality so many syllahles, and are understood to he uttered with the short vowel a, when unaccompanied hy any other synihol. When this inherent vowel is not to he sounded, which it seldom is, at the end of a word, the consonant ought to he marked underneath with the synihol ( ) called rirunui or '• rot,'' thus, <-»j<f- kanak. •J5fa nftifnr. In the spoken languages of India, how-
\ *s ° '
ever, such as the Bengali, Hindi, MahrattT, etc., the general rule is, that the last consonant of a word is not followed hy the short vowel a ; consequently, in such cases the viranni is not requisite. When, at the beginning or in the middle of a word, two or more consonants come together without the intervention of a vowel, instead of using the rin'uiui, the consonant undergoes some modification or contraction, in combination with that which follows it, as will he explained more fully hereafter.
Articulate Sounds of the Letters.
I. VOWELS.
3. The first vowel ^ a is, as we liuvc already stated, inherent in every consonant, and is pronounced like1 a short a or o, as, for instance, like a or o in " tolerable1." Tims, ^w=r anal, "fire." At the beginning of a word, before a compound consonant, it is pronounced like a in "artful," as ^w ardha, li half." At the end of a word it is commonly dropped, as in the word ^r^iT'l aMran, not alulrann, as it would be in Sanskrit. The exceptions to this last rule will be noticed hereafter.
Wl (1 is the above letter lengthened, and has the sound of a in " father," as ^rf<FK dfalth, " the sky."
^" / is pronounced like / in "pin," as ^"fr im\ "this man."
4 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
^ f is the preceding vowel lengthened, and has the sound of i in "machine," or "police," as ^r«, isliat, "a little."
^ u is pronounced like u in "bull," as ^ utha, "arise."
^ u like u in "prime," as %fsr*f unish, "nineteen."
•^ ri is like ri in " rich," as ^f% rishi, " a sage."
•^ rl as in the French word "rire."
*> U is like U in " little," as *> ^T? li-Jcdr, " the letter //."
& U is the preceding lengthened. These two vowels, however, being peculiar only to the Sanskrit, are of ex- tremely rare occurrence in Bengali.
<s\ e is pronounced like e in " there," as ^ ek, " one."
^ ai is like our i in " fire," as ^ aiJcya, " unity."
^ o is like o in "note," as *& oshtha, "the lip."
^ «M is like oio in "how," as ^sf aushadh, "medi-
^r° ail called anuswara, is like the French nasal n in the words dans and 5««5, as ^-i<if° sutardh, " conse- quently."
^% ah, called visarga, indicates that the preceding vowel should in pronunciation, be abruptly shortened, as antah, " within."
II. COXSOXAXTS.
^ /", as in English, thus, ^T^ kale, "a crow."
«t /'//, like Jch in "black-heath," or ' 'brick -house ;" there must, however, be no hiatus between the k and h as in the English words, but both pronounced with one breath, as *rt«ri shaMa, "a branch."
^ cj, like (j in " go," or " give," as *>tww gaman, " going.
"
ROUNDS OF THE LKTTKIIS.
*T gli, like gh in " hog-herd," or u log-house," as #/ws, " grass."
<S ng, like ?z in "Lank," or "trinket," as ^SF% anJca, " mark." It is rarely used except in composition.
F c/i, like c/t in " church," as fpifl chin la, " thought."
^ <?M, like c//-// in "fetch-hence," "much-haste," as chhd i/d, " a shadow."
s?/, like/ in "just," as w$ jay, "victory."
*t jfij like #e-/a in " college -hall," as (TW %7^«, "a load."
^3 nj, like w in "hinge," as TT^SIT sanchajj, "collec- tion." This letter, like <B. is used chiefly in composition.
fc /, like t in "take," as fet*1 takd, "a rupT." To dis- tinguish this and the next four letters from the five follow- ing ones, a dot is placed below the Roman letter : it is placed under these in preference to the others, because used much less frequently.
£ fh, like t-h in "fat-hen," as M^? IJiakur, "a god," or "chief."
^ <J, like d in " do," as wft t/al, " a branch," or " bough."
u <]h, like d-h in "bad-hand," "old-house," as FfsT Jhtil, "a shield." This letter and the preceding one with a dof under them are pronounced like our r with the tip of thfe tongue turned up to the roof of the mouth, as "3~5 lara, "great," ^CTJ murliti, "a fool." In the Roman character this letter will be represented by r, to distinguish it from the common ?r r.
«l n, like n in " can," as ^^ JcantaJc, " a thorn." ^5 t, as in the Gaelic, German, and Italian laguages. thus. v5t?1 tdnl, "a star." To pronounce this and the next four
6 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
letters, viz., «t th, w d, q dk, and ^ ^ aright, the tongue should be pressed against the edge of the upper teeth. Their true sounds do not exist in the English language, therefore it would simply be misleading the student to describe them ; they must be learnt by the ear. In Yates's Grammar we are gravely told that i> is sounded like I in "take," which is quite true; then AVC arc told that ^ is sounded like t in " teeth," which is quite untrue. I should like to know the difference between t in "take" and t in "teeth." The letter ^5 sometimes assumes the form <t, called the ardha-ta, or half t, in which case it is never followed by a vowel.
*T^, like/* in "pin," as *ft$ pdtra, "a vessel."
?$ ph, like p-h in " up-hill," " Imp-hazard," as ^ phal, " fruit." It is sometimes pronounced nearly like/
* I, like 1) in " book," as <rm<F bdlak, " a child."
^ bh, like ~b-h in "hob-house," as ~^^ b/idluk, " a bear."
^ m, like m in " mind," as ^Tsl mala, " a mother."
*T jjj j. This is properly the consonant ?/, but it is pro- nounced j in Bengali, except when it is the last letter of a compound or has a dot under it ; then it is ;/, as *Tl"gf^ jajaJc , " a priest;" WJ danti/a, "dental ;" ^fr?rl Icariyd, " done." <r ^ r, like r in " rod," as ?t^Tl rdja, " a king." cf I, like /in " lamb," as ^rr^ labli^ "gain."
^ b, v, ^v. This is properly v or iv, but is always pro- nounced like I) in " but" by the natives of Bengal, except when following another letter in composition, and then it is usually pronounced w, as TTst^T balds, "wind;" Tf? dwdr,
"a door."
"*f sh, like sh in " shine," as "*tt*t shap, " a curse."
COMPOUND LKTTKUS. 7
^ s/i, nearly like si in " vision," as c^TC shcsh, " cud." >T 8, like s in " sin," as ^TT? 67//-, " essence." ^ //, like h in " heart," as 3^3 has la, " a hand."
Classification of the Consonants.
4. The consonants are further classified as follows, the use of which will be seen hereafter, viz. : —
NASAL. SEMI-VOWEL. SIIilLAXT.
1 Gutturals ^ k «t kh *>\ y *r yh \§ ny ^ h
2 Palatials F ch ^ c/t/i W/ ^jh >s&ny ^ ya *f sh
3 Cerebrals ^ t $ Ih ^ d u dh ^ n ? r ^ alt •i Dentals ^ t Q Ih if d % dh w n ^ I ^5 5 Labials *f/> TP^ ^ J ^^/^ sr ;w ?• y
«. Observe that in each class the second and fourth letters are the (ixpimtc.s of the first and third respectively ; but of all this we shah1 treat more fully in a future section.
Of Compound Letters.
5. It is a rule in Sanskrit and Bengali orthography, that when two or more consonants come together, without the intervention of a vowel, such consonants unite into one compound group : thus, in the word F^ chandra, " the moon," the letters •*, *, and <r are blended as it were into one character. For the formation of the compound letters no general rule holds, except that the last of the group, with two exceptions to be immediately noticed, remains entire, and the rest are more or less contracted by omitting the perpendicular stroke, and sometimes by changing their primitive form. The letter ? being of frequent occurrence
8 BENGALI GEAMMAE.
in compounds, is written over the group in the form—when it is to be sounded first, as in the word ^F tar/ca, "reason- ing ;" and when the "$ follows another single letter or com- pound group, it is represented underneath such letter or group, thus^, as in the word F^ chandra, " the moon." The letter *r is also very often employed as the last of a group ; and in that case it assumes the form J, as in the word 3^0" Jcalya, " to-morrow."
6. Compound letters may be classified as follows : —
(1) DOUBLE LETTEES ; where it will be observed, that when an aspirate is to be doubled, the first is expressed by the unaspiratcd letter of the same species, thus,
Me JcJch gg ggh nn click cliclili jj jjh nn U tth fid ddh nn it ttli dd ddh nn
pp ppli 11) Itlh mm yy II shsh shsh ss
(2) COMPOUNDS, consisting of the nasals with the letters of their own class ; but in all such combinations, the sign anuswdra may supply the place of the nasal.
nk nidi ng ngh nch nchh nj njh nt nth
nd mill nt nth ml ndh mp mpli ml) mbli
(3) MISCELLANEOUS COMPOUNDS. — These, of course, are very numerous, and a complete list of them would occupy many pages. The following arc of frequent occurrence, and a perusal of them will suggest the method by which
COMPOUND LETTERS. 9
others may 1)0 formed. Compounds in which the letter <r forms tlie iirst or last element are generally omitted, as well as those in which *T comes last, for those letters follow a special rule of their own, already stated. "We may throw the miscellaneous compounds into two classes, the first of which is, upon the whole, simple and regular ; the second contains several anomalies, as may be seen on inspection. In this, as in everything else, practice alone " renders per- fect."
EEGULAU COMPOUNDS.
|
$ ffr |
^M |
T^ chclih |
<& nt |
$ nth |
¥ ^» |
|
IT tm |
*f dd |
\ dn |
W dm |
15 dr |
^ (/«; |
|
^5» dru |
^Sn dru |
^ nd |
•g" nn |
^ nw |
^f />« |
|
*% pw |
? bb |
"& mbh |
"^T mm |
•gf ml |
•»r^ |
|
JKU |
«P shch |
^ shw |
*x slim |
^| 5/^7 |
«P shru |
|
^ shk |
V sht |
^ shth |
M s/ij) |
T sp |
^" 7^c |
ANOMALOUS COMPOUNDS.
|
Jcri |
N<P lit |
^ kr |
^> A"5/i |
^T ^"5^/TZ |
•^ ngk |
|
gu |
% gdh |
^ n99 |
^r jn |
^ay |
«P n ch |
|
tt |
^ nd |
^ ndu |
^ ^ or ^^ |
^ Vth |
-as ty |
|
tr |
3? z'rw |
-$ttr |
W c/'c//i |
^ nt |
^ ntn |
|
ntr |
•^ ?z^ |
^ y?^ |
^f ic/ |
^ Ihr |
^r Ihru |
|
rn |
?f ru |
^ -5/!M |
^j shn |
^ st |
^ stu |
"35" str ^ sth ^ Ini ^ hri ?> 1m ^r Jim
a. Compounds of three letters are not numerous in Bengali', bcinp: peculiar to Sanskrit words ; and when they do occur, they generally result from adding to the preceding1, (or any compound of t\vo), one or other of the following; letters, viz., w, sr, *r, ^, cT, ?", or "TT; hut of these, IT and ^ most frequently occur as the last element; for this reason, that words ending in the vowels ?t. ^ ; and ^, ^; are liable, in certain situations, to change the ^" and
10 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
^ into if and the ^ and ^ into <r ; hence, when the latter vowels, so situated, are preceded by a double or compound letter, the *T or ^ will add a third to the group. The letter <[ is also of frequent occurrence at the end of a group, but it is easily dis- tinguished, on account of its peculiar form.
b. It will be observed that in compounds of two letters, the first is generally modified, and the last (with the exception of *r and 3) is for the most part left entire. Two of the compound letters, however, are so disguised as to have the semblance of single letters,* viz., ^ A-.s7/, compounded of 3? and 3", sounded like our .r in " fluxion," or ct in " faction, but generally corrupted into kliy in Bengali, as in the word ^Ff^? khyunta, " appeased," instead of kshanta. The compound "QSju, sounded like our git in " bagnio," or the French gn in " ligne," " champagne," etc.
c. The symbol * denotes a strong nasal sound, like that of the French n in the word " sans," thus, TP*T baits, " a bamboo." The mark 1 is used in poetry to indicate the first member of a sltloka or couplet ; and at the end of the shloka it is generally doubled, 11. In prose the same marks serve to denote stops. In many books lately published in India, in both the Bengali and Devanagari characters, the English stops are very properly and successfully introduced. When the figure *. (2) follows any word, it implies that such word is to be repeated, thus ^rf*t^ is to be read dpan vpan.
General Remarks on the Sounds of the Consonants.
7. The consonants, as we have shown, are arranged according to the organs of utterance, as gutturals^ palatials, etc. The cerebral letters arc sounded very like our own
* These t\vn compounds, affording to some Iliivln grammarians, are to be considered as distinct letter--, like | xi. and ^ psi in the Greek alphabet. For instancn, in Moles- woitli's MarliattT Dictionary, they figure as the two last letters of the Devanagari alphabet. This is simply absurd ; for, on the same principle, every compound ill San- skrit may put in its claim to rank as a separate letter.
GEXKHAL KKMAUKS. 11
t and (1 \ but tho denials are quite different, being pro- nounced by bringing tho point of the tongue against the roots of the front upper teeth. The cerebrals are denoted by a dot written beneath ; though it should rather have been put under the dentals, to mark that they are different from our own letters ; but to prevent the confusion that must result from so many systems, the plan which has been adopted in Sanskrit and Hindi Grammars and Dic- tionaries, is here followed.
8. The rest of the consonants hardly differ from our own ; but it may be necessary to apprise the learner why there are so many nasals. In the Bengali alphabet no change takes place in sound without a corresponding change in writing ; consequently, as the sound of the nasal entirely depends upon the consonant by which it is followed, it will, for this reason, depend upon the latter, what form the nasal shall assume in writing. As an example, the sound of n in "king" is different from the sound of n in "lent/' and for the first the guttural \s n Avould be required, and for the last the cerebral ci ii< if it were desired to represent these words in Bengali characters ; because the q of " king" is a
O «/ O
guttural, and the t of "• lent" a cerebral.
(i. As a further example, the letter ]) is a labial, and the proper nasal to precede it is in ; but by no effort of the organs of speech could the word ••' damp" be pronounced •• danp.'' with an // for an a/, even though it were so written. On the same principle we find that in Latin and (Jreek the letter <j. n, inevitably becomes p, in, before a labial letter, thus, for cvfial^at we have ep.fio&'ha), and for hijiono we have impono.
1). Every consonant, as we have already observed, has an inherent short vowel n. which is understood, but never written
12 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
after it ; thus ^ is ka, and not k. But when any other vowel is subjoined to a consonant, the inherent vowel is suppressed. Example : ^ I subjoined to ^ ka forms the syllable ^t ki, and not kal.
c. When we sec an initial vowel follow any consonant, it is to be considered as commencing a new syllabic, and the preceding consonant retains the inherent short a ; therefore ^c« should be pronounced ha-ite, and not hite.
Remarks on the Letters ^s, TJ, «i, *r, ?, <r, ^"-p", *T, ^, and^.
9. The letters ^ da and T> dha are frequently softened into ^ ra and TJ rha, and a point is put beneath them to mark the change that has taken place. The letter IT ya is generally corrupted into ja ; and when the true sound of *T ya is intended to be expressed, a dot is put beneath it, as thus, TT ya. When the letter *r ya follows a long ^rl #, as in f^nslrr, it drops the inherent vowel, and has the sound of a long f, thus, pita-i, not pitaya, or pitay. ^TT. "Whenever an initial ^ o and the letter TT are found combined together, cither in the beginning or middle of a word, they have conjointly the sound of wa. Example : ^t^irl ddtvd, u a claim." Should the letter ^ va follow a consonant with which it is in composition, it is sounded as iva ; thus in •ft«t, u an island," the ^ is subjoined to W, and the word is pronounced divlp. The letter ^ va is not in any way dis- criminated by the vulgar from la, cither in shape or sound. The letters *f sha, ^ sha, and "ST sa are corrupted by the vulgar into a sound resembling sha.
Of Words tuliosc Finals are Open.
10. The inherent vowel is generally omitted at the end of a word, and the following remarks arc intended to point
ON THE FINAL SHORT A. 1 •>
out by what rule it is retained. Accurately, all words which end in a silent consonant should have the small mark (v) written under the last, as ffr£ dik, "a side," where the letter 3F lea has this mark subjoined; but as the omission of the inherent vowel at the end of a word is the general rule, the mark (v) is dispensed with.
a. In all adjectives which to the eye appear to be mono- syllables, the final consonant retains the inherent vowel, and thus the adjective forms a dissyllable. Examples : ^^\ bhula, "good," ~F5 Ixtra, "large," C^ffr chhota, " small," etc. The same rule applies to indeclinable particles ending1 in ^ n, or ^5 /, such as (3r»r kena, " why ?" (3"^ tena, " such," ^5 kata, il how many ?" C^t»T /fotia, "any or some," etc., which retain the inherent vowel of the final consonant, because of their affinity in sense to ad- jectives.
b. The following- persons of the verb never drop the inherent vowel of the final consonant : viz., the second person plural of the present tense, as 3T? kara, "you do;" the third person singular of the simple preterite, as 3-f%«T kurila, " he did;" the first person singular and plural of the future, as <?f<K kariba, " I (or we) will do ;" the third person singular of the conditional, as <?r<!^ karita, "he would do;" the second person plural of the imperative, as 3F3 kara, " do yc."
c. The inherent vowel is invariably sounded after a final ^ ha in indigenous words. Also after all compound consonants, as "*T^f xhabda, ~^S lihadra, Tt^T biikya, ^^ bhagun, ^T^ ntnht, "SHU matt a, ^f^" panka, '4^'-^ Ixiyaska. AVhen the final consonant is preceded by ° or i, as ^°TT huhsa. ^§-21 dnltklia. When the word is a Sanskrit participle passive, as "§T5 krita, ^fF5 rac/iifa,* ^17 murha (also murlt}. When it is an adjective in the com-
* Sanskrit participles in ita arc commonly pronounced also without the final «, thus, t>Jcr|\j) chalita and chalit, aijc equally correct.
14 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
parative and superlative terminations ^<r and ^, as priya-tara, f±HT-^55T priya-tama. When the word is Sanskrit and the penultimate letter is TT preceded hy 9 , ^, ^, ^, or j), as f±nr p riyu, 3F<r^tir karanlya, "s^T 13T bhuya-bhuya, c^T? slireya. In the words TT^ sama, W^T nama, ^T tarna, s^jyf^ii tnahiunu- hima, ^>\*\\*\ aslnia, <T^r raja, *^~ na1>a, "^juba, f^q hid ha, and a few more. In the names of (Hindu) gods, when pronounced in invocation, as f*R f*f? shiva shiva ! ^TTUTI (^ ndrayunu lie ! Nearly all words in this language terminate in a silent conso- nant, hut the examples previously given will show where the reverse takes place. The letter ^ as the final of the genitive case never takes the short a. In the word C3Tf^ kon, "who ?" or "what r" the ^ n has not the short a; but the word (^^ kona, "any," "some," as has heen already stated, terminates in an open ^ na.
11. General remark. In reading, the same stress should be laid on a final syllable as upon one of similar length, which is either incipient or medial. The syllables must be divided by pronouncing together the consonant with the vowel which immediately follows it ; and when a double consonant occurs, its first letter is to be joined to the pre- ceding syllable. A short example will make this easy : ^5T^T? "sr^T^ ^T^Ps f^T ^] td-Jidr san-tCui scm-ta-ti citJii-la na. If a word commences with a vowel, the latter must be con- sidered to constitute the first syllable. Example : ^t^f
v X
ti-lap, and not al-dp.
12. To enable the learner fully to comprehend the force of the preceding explanations, the commencement of the popular stories entitled the "Tales of a Parrot," is here given, with the pronunciation expressed in English charac- ters beneath each word of the original.
PRAXIS FOR READING, ETC. 1 ;~>
EXAMPLE :
purbba killer dhanbdnerder madhyc, Am/id Sultan name
J)^ ^R r^C^M ^St^T? ^TFjT <"T -S ti^SIJ <£ft°
ck jan chhilcn. Tdhdr pracliur dhan o aishwarjya elan
bistar sain y as a man fa chJiila. EJc saJutsra asltwa, panchashat z^t 5T3;-*n5 %g ^«t7?? "srf^s ;5tRT?r Tfr? ^Tfsf?
hasti, nabashat ushtra^ bJidrcr sahit, tdJtdr dwdre htijir sflf^rs i fri ;;5t^T?' >i^'H Tpgfs f%=T ^r) i£|^ ^t<r«i
thdlcita. Kintu tdhdr santdn santati clildla na, ci liar an
wi dibdratri, o prate o sandhydte, ishivarpujaJccrder ni/cale
aaman Jcariyd, scbdr dwara santdncr bar prarthand Jcariten.
" Among the wealthy of ancient times, there was a man, by name Amad Sultan. He had much wealth and power, also a numerous army. A thousand horse, five Inmdrcd elephants, nine hundred camels, together with their burdens, used to remain ready at his gate. But he had no male offspring : on this account, he, day and night, morning and evening, having gone to the presence of the worshippers of God, used to implore the gift of a son."
13. Perhaps the readiest and easiest mode of learning the letters, will be by restoring the following words into their native characters.
salcal pratliam Jcailas dpani
sab janma cJihan nikal
man sarnbul dip upasthit
1C
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
|
samay |
mull/ a |
dhuli |
dtak |
|
kara |
pdhuhchhiyd |
lairdgl |
udak |
|
kaha |
buddhi |
bodhan |
uddsl |
|
bara |
kintu |
paurush |
ishat |
|
par |
takhan |
bujhite |
ulrish |
|
tanaij |
badan |
bdman |
dc/dr |
|
jan |
shay an |
phirite |
drishU |
|
phal |
paksha |
karite |
sitrjt/a |
|
gaman |
palan |
dckhiyd |
akartalbya |
|
hat |
dalak |
clilidmani |
lydghra |
|
putite |
chhalan |
duhitd |
stnlok |
|
nikat |
khanan |
pichhalan |
ardha |
|
ghdii |
sahaj'a |
pliuldna |
karma |
|
duhkh |
saran |
phekura |
kdnyakubja |
|
ydhd |
shat |
lasliun |
sivdmi |
|
Ihdla |
laksha |
Idgdo |
Irdhman • |
|
pur at an |
daran |
ritu |
dhairjfja |
|
bhojan |
dhakan |
ekhan |
muhurtlek |
|
totCi |
kapal |
airi |
pashcJiim |
|
gnydta |
nagar |
aimat |
drabdrlia, |
|
kautak |
nanad |
aildk |
tivancha |
|
eJcatar |
ladhan |
old |
ganggd |
|
upar |
lasan |
osdr |
ydcJmd |
|
ami |
daman |
odik |
mat la |
|
udar |
dashan |
opdr |
at u ant a |
|
dpan |
dalak |
auras |
jliampa, |
|
dsite |
char aii |
aushadh |
landan |
|
drolian |
liun |
upahata |
nibasfra |
|
dkar |
rupaldn |
ushdkdl |
niyukta |
|
dp up Ik |
Idjdr |
ihdte |
rakta |
17
SECTION II.
OF THE ARTICLES, SUBSTANTIVES, ADJECTIVES, AND
PRONOUNS.
OF THE ARTICLE.
14. In the Bengali, as in Sanskrit and Latin, our defi- nite article has not a corresponding representative. When a noun is employed for the first time, and denotes some- thing which is the specific object of discourse, it takes the numeral 4& "one" before it, which has then completely the sense of our indefinite article when similarly employed ; and on the same noun being again alluded to, the inde- clinable pronominal adjectives (?T^~ and 4 "that," are generally prefixed, with very much the same signification as our definite article : thus, ^ 3Z^ <s& '3TF3 "^T? -%$ ^Jf^t j)^- ^s~ ^jp«J PT^ ^c^r? Tff^s «rtf?F5 1 " In a certain forest,* a tiger and a tigress, those two creatures, together with their two young ones, dwelt."
a. Should the noun be preceded by two or more adjectives, the interposing the numeral between them and the noun, iiives threat idiomatic elegance to the sentence : thus, ^t^^^iki*^ ^TSfF? "*ff*n]~«£t -^ ^nrl f^5T 1 "The King- of Kanyakuhja
* All BongalT pnssngos ocnirrin? in the presi-nt and next Section of this work are translated as literally as possible. The student, however, need not dwell upon them too much at present, till he has made himself acquainted with the inflections of the nouns, pronouns, and verbs, after which he will nuvt with no difficulty whatever.
18 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
had a most beautiful and moon-faced daughter/' The applica- tion of (7[^ and J? for the definite article, will he clearly seen in the following passage, viz.,
^9 y\ i " Aftenvards, the tree was rent asunder of itself ; and t/te damsel having nimhly stepped into the middle of it, the tree reunited again as it was before."
b. The letter J) e of the word w& in the following example, seems to convey very much the force of our definite article : thus.,
1 " Soon after, the Prince, accompanied by that damsel, having returned to his own palace, those two individuals dwelt together." When J) e is joined to the adjective TT^«T "all," it gives it the sense of " the whole/' or " every one," like that of a collective noun : thus,, tf|«|^ e£|^" ~3f3r (% ("sfsnTl VR-£srl 5T(T5^ ^/t?T ^<? 1 " Now this is a juncture that you should evert/ one feign to he dead."
OF SUBSTANTIVES.
Of Gender.
15. The Bengali nouns are of the three genders — mascu- line, feminine, and neuter ; and correspond in this respect exactly to the analogy of our own language. The masculine gender is only applied to male animals, and the feminine to females ; with c<]ual propriety, all inanimate things, as well as nouns expressive of abstract qualities, arc neuter ; but should the latter be employed in a personified sense, they regain their original i'eminine gender, wliich they had in Sanskrit ; and in that case their adjectives must agree with them according to the analogy of feminine nouns : for ox- ample,
OF GENDKR, ETC 19
$ o s>U* $f<i<i1 ^rit 4ddw i " 0 great Prince ! the rcnoivn of your foe does not at any time, or any where, go beyond her dwelling, (and yet) the wise declare her im- modest. But your rcnoivn they pronounce of unsullied chas- tity, though she at all times roams through the terrestrial and Tartarean regions." From this passage, the learner will perceive how neuter nouns are employed when per- sonified.
a. To form fcminincs, ^ 7 long, or pwt inl, is generally added to masculines ; though in this language, as in our own, the names of some of the most common male and female objects in nature are applied quite absolutely, and without any relation to one another : thus, *%&$ " a man," "3ft " a woman ;" f*f$1 « a father," STfal "a mother;" T^tSl or "^^ "a brother," ^wf^f^t or <f^«{ " a sister ;" ^if^iM " a bull," *ff^ " a cow."
b. The following examples may serve to point out the analogy by which feminine nouns arc regularly formed from masculines, viz., TTST " a tiger," Tf^t " a tigress;" ^;f?«i -a buck." zfgcft •• a doe ;" (1T51 " a ram," (~»~ft '' a ewe ;" ^^t " an elephant/' ^
"a she-elephant;" fffal "an ass," 9tt€t "a she-ass;" ThT crow," ^t£t " a hen-crow."
c. If the feminine sign ^^t is added to a noun ending in long, the latter is cut off. Example : ^~^t ••' an elephant," F
" a she-elephant." When it is necessary to distinguish the sex of any animal, to which these feminine terminations have not been applied by the idiom of the language, it is usual to effect it by prefixing the term vj-g^ •• male," or isff •'•' female."
Of Xumlcr.
1C. This language has but two numbers, the singular and the plural, which apply only to masculine and irminine nouns. The neuter has no plural termination ; but the
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
state of the noun is defined by a numeral, or marked in a vague way, by a word expressive of quantity, as ^cfl "a body," "heap," "set." A kind of collective, indefinite sense is given to nouns by subjoining the words ?f«i " a multitude," W "a class," c*rft? "people," and w^ "a band," as ^rtsfTsfq or ?is?k?it^ "kings," -*«)<iTf "servants," ^W^T " a band of Kurus." But when the plural termina- tions are given to these adjuncts, they seem to convey to them the sense of definite articles, as ^»«R^f?1 " the ser- vants," etc. : thus, ^RrnVl *rf5r| crr*t ^T<I <ff?r*r| <rTsrr? &<•<& ^rrf^nrl <-f^«Ji i " The servants having wandered over many countries, having returned to the King, said" —
a. The word (cffa does not always convey a plural significa- tion ; for when joined to an adjective it simply serves to mark that a human being is intended, as "SsffS^Tft? "a woman ;" because "3ft is so often employed to designate any other female, that it requires the word C^Tt^ to mark when it is intended to designate rational beings. Sometimes it implies " world," as *T$M'te " the other world," or " the state of existence after death." When written after (Tf^ " a deity," ^rfft " a serpent," and sr<[ " a man," implies the region or abode of these beings severally : thus, " the region of the gods," heaven ; Wf»f7^rt^ " the abode of serpents," commonly called Patella j •T££sTT^ " the abode of men," the earth.
Of Case.
17. Those various relations of nouns, which we term cases, are discriminated in Bengali by terminations sub- joined to the noun ; the cases are eight in number, in accordance with the Sanskrit, and are arranged by native
DECLENSION. 21
grammarians as follows: — 1. Nominative; 2. Accusative; 3. Instrumental, "by" or "with;" 4. Dative, "to" or "for;" 5. Ablative, "from," "out of;" G. Genitive, "of," denoting possession; 7. Locative, "in," "on," "at," or "upon;" 8. Vocative, same form as the nominative.
a. The following1 terminations are added to all nouns, mascu- line, feminine, or neuter, save that the neuter, as has been already mentioned, is declined only in the singular number.
Nom. • — iff^rl er-u.
Ac. (^ he j)<jfTr?fZ3i er-digke.
Inst. if|£3 efe. 6($fwCtf£$ er-digete.
Dat. ($ kc or J)<7<r ere. ^fpfTC^ er-digke or if)£<[ -ere.
Ab. J)^5 efe or ^? (.$ ha-itc. ^fpFC'jftrs er-digete, ^7TS-/ia-i
or J)^<><!s 9 d-i er-derha-ite.
*s *\>
Gen. <s(^er. 4jJwt'ft3(e.r-dig
Loc. JQ e or <£\T~$ efe. <£[$fv[ZtfU5 er-digete.
b. The oblique cases of the plural arc formed by adding fif> "a side," to the genitive singular, and subjoining to it the various terminations employed for the oblique cases singular. frfTf being itself inflected like any other noun, while forming the plural, may be contracted in the fifth and sixth cases into (F3.
Declension.
18. In Bengali there is virtually but one declension, which we may conveniently divide into two classes. The first class includes all nouns ending in a consonant, or with the inherent short a ; the second includes all nouns ending in any vowel, except the inherent short a.
22
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
Class First— Wf " A Man."
a man. a man.
by o?' with, a man. or w^tt to a man. etc., from a man. of a man in a man.
Yoc. W 0 man.
men.
men.
by or with men. to men.
etc., from men. etc., of men. in men. 0 men.
"A Son."
Ac.
Inst.
Dat.
Ab.
Gen.
Loc.
Yoc.
a son. a son.
by or with a son. etc., to a son.
etc., from a son. of a son. in a son. 0 son.
sons.
sons.
by or with sons.
etc., to sons. etc. from sons.
or of? of sons.
in sons. 0 sons.
«. In this class the terminations in the singular are added directly to the nominative. The genitive singular, as already stated, is the basis of the plural inflection, which adds d for the nominative and vocative plural, and the syllable dig, with the terminations of the singular for all the other cases. When the nominative singular ends in the inherent short a, the latter is suppressed when the termination begins with e : thus^ putrete, not putra-ete.
l>. In like manner decline : ^5 " a messenger," ^"§7 " a phy-
DECLENSION
23
sician," $t*rf? "a blacksmith," «-iit<! "a potter," ^i|<l "a car- pouter," •rff^f'S " a barber," ^£~$ " a dog," Tffr<r " a calf," ^5TF " a bullock," srf^ "' a buiValo," ^f " a horse," and FTsffi " a goat."
19.
Class Second—
SING.
Kom. •rfft a woman.
Ac. »<1<rtc<:> a woman.
Inst. ^tltd-4 by a woman.
Dat. •JtsPtw to a woman.
Ab. •rfTrtrs from a w<jman.
Gen. *rfft? of a woman.
\
Loc. -rfftrs in a woman. Yoc. •rfft 0 woman.
" A Woman."
I'LVIl.
•rfft<r) women.
women. by women. to women. from women. f? of women. in women. ftj\ 0 women.
A Lord."
Kom.
a lord.
£fT?1 lords.
Ac. <snr&$ a lord.
Inst. <£j 5 c -s by or witli a lord.
Dat. >±T2Z^ etc., to a lord.
Ab. £Ts7T3 °r ^Ty^T^ from a
lord.
Gen. ^Ts? of a lord.
Loc. *2| j?<:i in a lord.
Yoc. £Tf 0 lord.
lords.
by or witli lords
etc., to lords.
from lords. ? , <£Tf?fT?£*t<r of lords.
in lords. 0 lords.
a. The main peculiarity of this class is that the initial e of the termination is suppressed in the singular, and the final vowel of the nominative supplies its place. When the nominative ends in the lon*^ a, like f^fsl "a father,'' the locative is optionally formed by adding ("3 te or 7f I (vide § 9) : thus, P?I~517T5 or
24 BENGALI GRAMMAK.
The genitive singular forms the basis of the plural precisely as in Class I.
1). In like manner decline : 4t&t1 " a king/' (SPFsl " a horse," «T<9 "an animal," C^f?P "a turkey," ^cT "an oilman," i§ft "a woman," ^frHffr "a sister," sflf^ "a florist," ^f^ft "a she- deer," and ^ "a wife;" nom. ^, ace. ^*n7F, etc., only making voc. (% ^ " O wife," with the u short.
c. It is quite superfluous to give an example of a neuter noun, which is declined only in the singular number, and precisely like the preceding, according to the class under which it falls.
20. In all works recently published in Bengal, I find a natural tendency prevails to contract the oblique cases plural, i.e., those to which the syllable frr>T <tig is subjoined. The syllable ^<r er of Class 1st and the ? r of Class 2nd are entirely omitted, and the syllable frp>t, with its termina- tions, is subjoined directly to the nominative singular, in accordance with the analogy of the Sanskrit language. This is, no doubt, a step in the right direction, as every language pretending to practical utility ought to reject all superfluities Avhen in so doing no obscurity results. The following examples will amply illustrate this point, viz.,
Class First — Q<s\ " A Son."
SING. PLUR.
a son. ?&&j\ sons.
a son. ^frf*^ sons, by or with a son. «JOsqfTfT$fiT3 by or with sons,
etc., to a son. ^^fwi^^f etc., to sons,
from a son. ^C^fpf^t^^ from sons,
of a son. <2?£)fTf£<5t?[ or c*f? of sons.
iri a son. <%^fwct>ft~5 in sons.
0 son. <5ttfsq?1 0 sous.
REMARKS ON THE CASES.
25
Class Second — w$ " A Teacher."
SINO.
a teacher. a teacher. by or with a teacher. etc., to a teacher. from a teacher. of a teacher. in a teacher. 0 teacher.
teachers.
teachers.
ttrs by or with teachers etc., to teachers. from teachers. or (TT? of teachers. in teachers. 0 teachers.
a. A noun ending in ^ t long, sometimes takes ^ i short before the terminations, as "^t^t " a lord," "-^lfj|<l " of a lord." Nouns ending in ^" / short, occasionally drop it, and take <s\ e in the seventh ease, as <rffa " night," <Tt^5 " at or in the night," though the form <Ttf^5 is equally correct.
Remarks on the Cases.
21. The nominative case is often found with the letter ^j or f5 (vide § 13, #.) subjoined, as ^ "a man ;" Xom. u the man," as in the following examples :
f«T i "111 fine, the goldsmith and ^c carpenter, after much altercation, went before the Cazy, who was the Judge of that place." 0*^ ^j^ V^^^* ^>'tr<v1 ^nrtft^t?^ ^fj?1!:^ c$ r^rr? ^^nr^ ^rftrs ^tm ^^ j?f «tro ?tr<nrtr^ 1 "The
man having meditated for a short time, said to the mer- chant, ' A fairy having carried away your daughter, has placed her on an inaccessible mountain."
»H " The rain of this time does no good."
a. In a very good Bengali Grammar published anonymously in Calcutta. 1850, the author, \vho is a native, and evidently well versed in his own laiiffuajre as \vcll as in Sanskrit, seems to
26 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
view these terminations as signs of the locative case, and con- tents himself by saying, " Common names of animals and of those objects which have the power of doing anything, when nominatives to active verbs are sometimes idiomatically used in their locative form." Now the rationale of this is by no means satisfactory. I am myself strongly inclined to consider parite, in the preceding sentence, neither as a nominative nor as a loca- tive, but as an instrumental case. In fact, I believe it to be a Hindi construction, in which tongue the sentence woidd run thus, " Tnmhdrl betl-ko parl-ne lejdkar ek durga parbat-par rakha-hai"
22. The sign (3 of the accusative is not always required, hence the accusative case, as in our own language, is often the same as the nominative. The (^, however, must not be omitted when there may be the least doubt to which noun the action of the verb tends : i.e., between the accusative and the nominative, as in this instance, c^UlW fo^Utf «T^irl f*1*ild^ "the cat having seized the parrot is gone off." Again, in the following example it is omitted, because there can be no ambiguity, as the pronominal adjective ^srf^t^ must ever be preceded by a nominative, expressed or understood ; and consequently the word it qualifies is, by implication, in an oblique case ; and the transitive verb
marks that this oblique case is the accusative : thus, *nr?r ^rW C^sl srrfrrri <r«iCeH i " Shortly after (the merchant) having recognized his own. parrot, said"-
23. The instrumental case denotes agency in general; it terminates, as we have seen, in J), c$, or Jira universally. The words «^V "being previous," and ^"e^ or ^^ "hav- ing an agent," Tf?1 and frtlfl " through," or " by means of," have been sometimes popularly explained to mean "by;" but as all these clearly form compound words they will be more fully treated of hereafter.
REMARKS ON THE CASES. It
a. In English the sign of the instrumental case is "by," or "with," denoting an agent or instrument. The student must remember, however, that when "with" implies association, it is expressed in Bengali by a word to that effect, cither in the nominative or locative form, governing tbe genitive case : thus, ^Wfa 3FC's>lt£4<l <SR° TT^ <1CS?<1 >lf\* ^T5 1 " Dove flies with dove, and hawk ivith hawk."
24. The dative case in Bengali denotes merely acquisition or reception. Like the accusative, it generally takes the sign ($ for its termination. The sign <4£? or 0 is rarely employed in prose, but its occurrence in poetry is very com- mon : thus, c^t»r CtrlW (Trtft "^sTtfo ^^5 *i^<i 1 J^ w ^5t3fl (TCc? <>/\>i TST? n " Declare then instantly, wretch ! with what crime I am polluted, that thou shouldst address such opprobrious language to me"
a. The student must bear in mind that when a transitive or neuter verb would in English require " to," denoting motion or conveyance, towards a person or object, it is expressed in Bengali by a word signifying locality, governing the genitive case : thus, <l fWi? ~^t^ 1 " Bring the boy to me." C^Q^ ^-sts<i [•K-c'S ^rf^in f^tf^5 <-T^^ 1 " Taking the damsel with them, and having gone to the tree, they repre- sented the matter." It must not be forgotten, however, that these, as well as every other instance of what are improperly called particles, governing a genitive case, may, and perhaps had always better be rendered literally, as fa$<:i? and 7Rt£*t " in or to the vicinity," etc.
25. The ablative in Bengali simply denotes " away from," or " out of." It does not, as in Latin, admit of the significations of the instrumental and locative cases. There are many adjuncts which serve to express the abla-
28 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
tive case, in addition to the regular terminations given in § 16, a, and for which they may be optionally substituted. They are TTc^ " in a place," 3Tfr^ and ^rfr^rs "in the
W i
vicinity," and rarely £tt", a corruption perhaps of ^"tir, "in a place ;" these generally, but not invariably, govern a genitive case. When they reject the genitive, which is rare, though optional, they are added like any other termi- nation to the noun: thus, ^ ^*f1 ?1"5Tl r<jp*JlfiT«J
" King Yikra-
maditya, on hearing this story from the Brahman, being delighted, gave him ten million pagodas." ?1"§rt? f-K-'D ^ <Tt^rl * Wt^iFS c*tsf 5fl ^«n « f%f; ^f^T sn "On obtaining the pagodas from the King, he quitted not the place, neither did he say anything."
26. The genitive case is formed, as we have already seen, by adding ^ in words which end in a consonant or in the short inherent a, and by <l in those which end in any vowel, except the short a. It sometimes occurs, how- ever, that the Izdfat, or Persian genitive sign, is employed after a Persian word, when it is the governing noun : thus, 03l$lF<fr/»»"3i ^"*?'n <t-f<i<:sH c*r ^irf? ^^j sr^n:^ ^ TTW ^^ i " The parrot-seller answered, saying, the price of this is the sum of one thousand pagodas," in which the word aNcrcst is the Persian «-~-« " the sum of." When two nouns are in composition, the case of course is never indi- cated in the first of them, as rstTp-f^Tsr " parrot-tales," i.e., " Tales of a Parrot." In Mr. Yates's Grammar we arc told that " the possessive case is supplied by w*f rup, ' form." Xow the addition of w«t to a substantive simply converts the latter into a possessive adjective, which is equivalent to a genitive case: for example, "a wealthy
REMARKS ON THE CASES. 2'J
man" is synonymous with "a man of wealth." Of this more hereafter.
27. The locative case, besides the forms given among the terminations of the declensions, § 10, a, is very fre- quently made by the noun srcu, or corruptly srtz^f " in the midst," governing the genitive case, or by adding it like any other termination, to the nominative singular of the noun : thus, ^ ^*M ^fsnrl ^t^fci *rc^? TTCW f^Ft? ^f^R i " Ilaving heard this statement, the Brahman considered in his mind." ^fir Wtfs^ ?1~5fl $t*ij «c<i»< :3C?" ^It^St? ^fs i ^F»t*lW f3T°3T*rt^ <tf>iiJl ?l6?<t-*j <K<H i "If at any time the King transacted business, then it was in the midst of the assembly, when seated on the throne witli (Queen) Blianu- matl, that he attended to affairs of State."
Of the Vocative.
28. The vocative has not a regular termination like the rest of the oblique cases, but is expressed by prefixing or subjoining certain interjections, such as 4, (T, (*f1, (?, fFI, etc., to the nominative. <n is employed in addressing a superior, as <£( ^rfsr U0 master!" or subjoined by way of great endearment, as feftir U0 my love !" (^ is also used in addressing a superior, as (^ ?t^T| '' 0 king !" or a friend, as (^ fsns " 0 friend!" f»f1 is tlic usual interjection em- ployed to express reverence to parents, teachers, an elder brother, or any one to whom superior respect and regard arc intended. (? is employed either for endearment or contempt, as, c? ^C3^ tk 0 my son!" (? ^« ^RW ;;0 vile Muslim !" fwl is rather a Sanskrit than a Bengali vocative sign ; but when used, it is employed through respect. The particle <? o is prefixed to all these interjections when the person is in sight, as ^ (*M *ri '' O revered mother !
"
30 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
^ (*f| ?fift " 0 my dear mistress !" These signs are occa- sionally put after the noun when the person addressed is present, as f*T3Tc<?fl " 0 honoured father !"
«. Nouns, which in Sanskrit end in a silent consonant in the vocative, occasionally retain that form in the Bengali, as well as the one which accords with the analogy of its own grammar. Examples: ^TtSR "O king!" In this instance no particle of interjection is either prefixed or subjoined; but it optionally takes one, as (^ <Tf3f»r " O king." It would be equally correct in familiar discourse to say c^ <T|T5l "O king!" agreeably to the rule for other nouns. Frequently the vocative is expressed by the noun being simply preceded by ^»r " hear," " listen ! " the imperative of the verb ^fsr^S " to hear."
OF ADJECTIVES.
29. Adjectives in Bengali are prefixed to the nouns they qualify, as they are in English. They have no distinction of number and case ; they may therefore be considered as in composition with their nouns, even though the two words may not join in writing : thus,
"The Brahman, on hearing this request, having brought delicious-ripe-excellent'fruit) and well-cooled-ivater) presented them to the King."
30. The gender of feminine adjectives is marked by the termination ; but masculines and neuters remain unchanged, as in our own language. Most adjectives take ^ri as the sign of the feminine gender : thus, ^fs "srtty crrft £frrg"l ^9 yl
<F<T i " On this the goddess being rendered favourable, having seized hold of the King's hand, said, ' 0 King ! thou art a most worthy man, with thee I am well
COMPARISON OF ADJECTIVES, ETC. ol
pleased, demand a boon."1 A few adjectives take ^ f long to form the feminine : thus, ^ \\w <$$ •^•H^ isft frnCJ '<*<! JQ^ <sn^ «UC<-«» 1 " Then; lie (dead) in that spot a lovely woman and a divinely beautiful youth."
Of the Comparison of Adjectives.
31. The comparative degree is formed by adding 3? tara, and the superlative by adding ~&f tama to the positive, as wf^t "wise," "QGTfsr^r "wiser," ^ifr-i^ " wisest." So frsa "wise," f?W3?, f<93i^ ; f±nr "beloved," f£nrs<r "more beloved," fefTTST "most beloved." Tliese forms, however, which are pure Sanskrit, viz., ^ and ^r, though regular, are but little used in ordinary language for the com- parative and superlative degrees. The comparative is most commonly expressed by the positive with a noun in the ablative case ; and the superlative by the positive with an additional word prefixed, as ^ret5? " strong," ^rfsrtr^s
stronger than I," ^fi5 or ^«j-3 ^sRT5* " strongest
o O
of all," " very or exceedingly strong."
«. There are a few adjectives in Bengali, as in Greek and Latin, which make up for the comparative and superlative decrees by ushi£ distinct words: thus, ^1 " youns;," ^f^? -"the younger," or "youngest," <T$ "old," (W$ "the older," or " elder," or « oldest," £r*F3 '• excellent," (^ " more excellent/*' or " most excellent."
OF PRONOUNS.
32. The declension of pronouns is the same as that of nouns, admitting the same terminations in the singular and plural, the only difference being, that these are joined to a modified state of the nominative, instead of being joined to that case itself. Example : ^nfa "I," becomes in the oblujno
32 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
cases ^rl^n, and ^fir "tliou," fsTsfl. So that when the modification is known, it is easy to decline any pronoun by subjoining the terminations laid down for nouns. It will be found that the oblique modifications of almost all the pronouns end in 1 a ; hence their locative cases are formed in the same manner as we stated respecting nouns in 1 a (vide § 19, «).
«. Pronouns have no particular termination to mark the gen- der ; they are therefore to be translated by a reference to their antecedents : thus OT^~ must, according to circumstances, be rendered by " he," « she," " it," or « that."
Of Personal Pronouns. 33. ^rffsr " I," oblique modification <srt*fl.
K"om. "^rffsr I. ^rt^Ti we.
me. ^srlrrfi^f^fa^ us.
by or with me. ^rt^rr^fpfzsf^ by or with us.
to me. ^rfatfif^fr^ to us.
etc., from me. "srTsrf^fTr^ftrs etc., from us.
^ of me, mine. ^rW^fTf^Tt^ etc., of us, our.
in me. ^rWfe''l7T5 in us.
a. The fifth and seventh cases singular, and the fifth and sixth plural of all pronouns, take, optionally, the forms men- tioned in § 1 7, a ; and the nominative plural is contracted from
^5Tf3rf?1 into ^srfairi •
b. The reader is requested to bear in mind that in all works recently printed in the Bengali language, the letter "£ /•, preced- ing the word fpfsf dig (with its terminations), in the oblique cases plural of the pronouns is generally suppressed: thus, instead of ^srt^rr^fw^f^ dmardigke, they say ~^t5rffff'5lZ3- umudigke, and so on for all the rest.
34. ^fa u Thou," oblique modification
SING. PLUR.
Xom. ^r thou. c^>t*{<i1 ye.
Ac. c~5t3rf<:«> thee. fsT^rr^ffr^fCT- you.
lust. (At^ft-i by or with thee. c^T^T^fwr^frJ by or with you.
v %} J
Dat. (4t*Jl£<*' etc., to thee. fTW<nc?<>f<^ to you.
v \ J
Ab. fST^rn:^ etc., from thee. f5PTf?fffC*fir5 from you.
v J
Gen. csfrT? of thee, thine. (n^rr^fTrZ^r^ etc., of you, your. Loc. f5W*r in thee. cn^rT^fFc^rrs in you.
•\ v J
(i. The nominative plural is contracted from ("5tSTt<n into r?1, as the first person a mar a becomes umru.
Of Personals of Inferiority.
35. The habit of self-abasement before a superior, and of the assumption of self-importance in speaking to an inferior, have established the use of two personal pronouns, which may be considered as contractions of ^rffa u I," and Itfsr u thou." They are likewise applied in anger and defiance among equals ; but even when they are employed in the plural, they usually take a verb in the singular number: thus, ^C? f-H-l?^ C^riTWl C5t?1 f% Orfenrsf^riT U0 surrounding multitude ! at what do ye slare ?"
"sj^ "I," oblique modification (Wl.
SIXO. TLUR.
Xom. ^" I. fsrfin we.
Ac. (3TFF me. CTT^fw^f^ us.
lust. c^Tftrs by or with me. c^rf^f^^"? by or with us.
Dat. (HU<fr etc., to me. csrr^frf^j^ etc., to us.
Ab. c5rt7T5 etc., from me. C5rf^fwz''fr3 etc., from us.
Gen. csrf^ of me, mine. c^rf^fifZ''^ etc., of us, oiu*.
Loc. (srftrs in me. (stt~$fme>ft~s in us.
3
34 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
Thou," oblique modification
Nom. ^5" thou. C5t?1 ye.
Ac. (3tE3? thee. (3t<iiTf*tC3? you.
The other cases may be declined like those of "J^ " I."
Of Pronouns of the Third Person.
36. As the pronouns in this language have no gender, they are employed to denote, in an indefinite way, either persons or things, whichever their antecedent may be ; and hence they should be rendered by "he," "she," "it," "this," or " that," as the context may require. Pronouns of the third person are of two kinds, those which apply pronomi- nally and are the real representatives of nouns, as t~fr if^icrisr "he understood;" and those which are used adjcc- tively, and arc then indeclinable, and put before the noun they qualify, after the manner of adjectives, as <3 "having heard this story."
The pronoun fsfr " he," is employed when the person it represents is absent, and may therefore be termed the
Pronoun Remote. :'He," "she," "it," oblique modification
SING. PLVU.
Xom. fsfr lie, she, it. CS^Ji they.
Ac. (i^1"c<- him, etc. (^rf?sfwsiz^ them.
Inst. f5^t(T5 by or with him. (3»rf3fFfC*to5 by or with them.
Dat. cssrtoF etc., to him, etc. C5^T?Nf?^<? etc., to them.
Ab. f^rftrsctc., from him. C5^T?fe^f^5 etc., from them.
/ \ '
Gen. C3^T^ of him, etc. C3^T^firZ''r^ etc., of them, their,
Loc. C5^t^ in him, etc. C3^Bnt£Sirs in them.
S ' N
riiONOUN PROXIMATE. 35
The pronoun ^fV "lie," is used to designate one who is present and the object of discourse, and may be called the
Pronoun Proximate. ^fr "He," "she," "it," oblique modification^.
Nom. fsr he, she, it. T<r| they.
Ac. ^Hk<J? him, etc. ^f^fifftc* them.
The other cases arc declined after the same analogy as those of fsfsr, etc.
37. "Where a mere general reference is made to persons, to whom no respect is expressly intended, it is usual to employ OT^" "lie," "she," "it," or "that," oblique sub- stitute sts[1, by contraction si.
he, she, it. St$t?fl they.
Ac. slpU<t- him, etc. SlTT<rfjf*uT3F them.
x x s s
Inst. sT^^sbyorwithhim, etc. ^irT^f^^lrrs by or with them.
Dat. ^5t^lr^ to him, etc. ^T^T^fw^fC^ to them.
Ab. :5t^l7:3 from him, etc. ^irf^fFC^Iirs from them.
Gen. 3tTT<r of him, etc. 'St^Tfe^ of them, their.
Loc. ^T5r in him, etc. ^T^fe''^ in them.
The contraction si will make 2 sTre, 3 sirs. 4 sTc^, etc.
«. Where great respect is intended, the nasal is written over the oblique substitute, as ^t5"JT^ '• liiin.*' etc.. and over ~i\ the contracted form in a similar nuuiner. a^ in the fol!o\v5i:U- sentence- :
r i •• Therefore
Ob HEXGALI GBAMMAB.
being your majesty's well-wisher, I mention, for the sake of remembrance, that whatever king; is devoted to dissipation, his empire is ruined, even though his wealth, intellect, and power continue by him." ^fgfi ^f^T^R %? f% •rfa 'i " The King inquired, what is his name ?"
Of the Demonstrative Pronouns.
"
38. The two demonstrative pronouns ^ u this," and i? that," are opposed to each other, and are employed to mark contrariety. ^ designates the object last alluded to, and 4 points out that which was first mentioned, and has often the force of our definite article. See § 14.
^ " This," contraction ^, oblique modification
Xom. or ^ this. ^"^T?1 these.
this. ^tjrffrtfc^ these. by or with this. ^^t^fpfC^t^s by or with these.
to this. tT^^^t^ TO these.
from this. '^T^^?f^5 from these.
OI< this. ^T^r^^ of these, their.
R~R~tir in this. ^T^JTf^fre in these.
a. Whore great respect is meant, the nasal is written over the modified form of the oblique cases, singular and plural: thus,
*rf<f^T 1 " In fine, the great men, such as coun- cillors, literati, etc., who were about his uiajesfi/'s person, all died by degrees."
39. ^r^" or by contraction 4 u That," oblique substitute
REFLECTIVE PRONOUN. 37
Xom. ^r^" or 4 that. ^9T?n those.
Ac. ^9~T^ that. ^?t<rfTF*fi^iF them.
Inst. ^9l7T5 by or with that. ^pt^fw^firs by or with them.
Dat. ^rrre to that. ^T^fafc* to them.
Ab. ^17T5 from that. ^T^feffiFS from them.
Gen. ^^T<r of that. ^^t?vfe^f?s of them, their.
Loc. ^slir in that. ^S^Tnr^nrs in them.
a. Where threat respect is meant, the nasal is written over the substitute ^Fl in all the oblique eases, singular and plural. (7[o " that," which has been already declined, is often employed instead of Jf, when the latter is contrasted with ^^ "this/' It is of continual occurrence as an indeclinable pronominal adjec- tive, and may be considered as having the force of the definite article. Example : (Tip ^jfe " thut person." A repetition of C^^ implies succession or distribution, as (^r^ flPTlir ?Tr^t£^?1 '• the respectable people of the country one after another"
Of the Reciprocal or Reflective Pronoun.
40. The pronominal adjective ^^fw "own," is inde- clinable whenever it is employed to qualify a noun ; and as it is the representative of the last nominative in the sentence, it is to be rendered by "my," "thy," "his," "her," "our," "your," or "their," according to the cir- cumstances of its antecedent. It must always have a nominative in the same sentence, cither expressed or un- derstood : thus, ^rffr Tt^t srfoin ^rf*R TT^t5^ ^rffryi rst^t? TTsFTFS <rfwt^ ^f% i "I having gone home, and having brought my son, will offer him a sacrifice in your pre- sence." 4«Ff ijfsr ^rfatre *SR1 3lwl '=srf*R *Bf°'*t ST« 1 " Xow having pardoned me, take your share."
5rt°>T
38 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
" Having considered this, he cut off some flesh from his body, and flung it before the serpent." The adjectives and ''srFsr " own," may be substituted in every case for
a. From these examples the learner will easily acquire the rule for the application of ^Tt^f»T, which is always employed instead of the genitive case of the pronouns " I," " thou," and " he," etc., when these woidd he used in English, immediately with reference to the last nominative in the sentence, in such phrases as "he went to his house," where ^t*^ is used when "his" means "his own," but 35t^t?T would be used for his, if it meant "another man's" house.
41. The noun ^t^ff^ "self," is the equivalent of our "myself," "thyself," "himself," " herself," " ourselves," " yourselves," and " themselves." It is declinable like the rest of the pronouns : thus,
Self," oblique modification
SING. PI/ITR.
ISTom. <5rf*rf5T self. <srt*Rt<rl selves.
Ac. ^rr^tr^ self. ^rwr^fiftfc* selves.
Inst. ^^ttrs by or with self, ^^t^t^fe'^sby or with selves.
Dat. ^rfsf^rtr^ to self. ^rf^r^T?sfF?)r^ to selves.
Ab. ^rr^RTrs from self. ^rr^i^t?sf^^f^ from selves.
Gen. ^rr^RT^ of self. ^rf^PT?sf^<'f^ of selves.
Loc. ^WHT in self. ^^Rt?fe^t^ in selves.
a. When ^t^tfr " self," is employed, it is of course used nominatively, and not adjectivcly : thus, nfpf ^ <t- *q t ^ fSt^TT? ^twt ^rroT^R -5C* C5t*rfre ^Tf^Rt^ ^^^ ^f?^^T i " Sliouhl your lord return unexpectedly, he will keep you alone wit It himself.'* ^ttfr " self," may immediately follow any of the personal pro-
RELATIVE PRONOUN. 39
nouns, for the purpose of giving emphasis to the action implied by the verb, as ^{fa <3rf*ffr ^1 ^f?cTt*r " I myse/f <\'n\ that."
42. "When great respect and deference arc intended in speaking of another, or in addressing one who is present, the word ^Tf^rfr is used, and will then mean " your," or 4 'his honour;" "your," or "her ladyship;" or any simi- larly respectful form of address, according to the rank of the person who is intended to be designated. It of course governs the verb in the third person, should it be employed nominatively ; but when used in the oblique cases, it is thus declined :
"Your honour," etc., oblique modification
Xom. ^rf^ffr your honour, etc. "^Tt^t^lTI your honours. Ac. ^srf^TUr^ your honour, etc. ^^f^rr^frf^^ your, etc.
The remaining cases are declined like those of any other pronoun.
a. The learner cannot fail to have observed the similarity in the use of ^srt^ff^ with the Latin ij>.*:e} in many of the foregoing remarks. A sort of coiitiiiuativc sense is given to words by repeating them,, as c^rt" ^Tf^*. VTR fe^Fsfl ^f^CsR 1 "he
reflected a lung time in his mind."
Of the Relative
43. ftfr " who," is the corresponding relative of the pronoun fsfr "he," etc., and takes for its modified form
SIXO. PLVU.
ftrfr -\vho. c^^t?1 who.
Ac. (iHtd$ whom. cwf^fT??!^ whom.
40 BENGALI GRAMMAE.
The other cases are declined like those
The analogous relative of C3^" " he," etc., is c*r " who," " which," "what," oblique substitute
Nom. c*r who, which, what. *rt^T?1 who, etc.
Ac. *ri3jc«? whom, etc. sm^ffrtftfF whom, etc.
The other cases are declined like those of
a. Where great deference is intended to any one, the nasal may be inserted in the oblique substitute., which is then the corresponding relative of ^t^l : thus, (i|*H G3«T 3Ft
?lT(T?'f'' 1 "Just as the most minute drop of oil can overspread the greatest extent of water, so he who is a hero, having acquired the smallest point of territory in this world, is able in a short space of time, to overrun every (neighbouring kingdom).
Of the Interrogatives.
44. The pronoun c$ "who?" "which?" is employed for persons, and f% "what?" "which?" for things; but both (^ and f% take ^t^t for the oblique substitute, which may be contracted into ^1 , by the same analogy that becomes ^1,
Nom. C$ who ? which ? ?Tt^lTl who ? which ?
Ac. ^lfw whom ? which ? ^Tffw^t^ whom ? which ?
The remaining cases are declined after the same analogy as those of the other pronouns.
ft? " Which ?" " what ?" oblique substitute
INTERROGATE YES. 41
NEUTER
]STom. fr which '? what ? ^ft[T31 which ? what ?
Ac. <H?Jd$ which ? what ? «-t$t<ifif'>tt^ which ? what ?
The remaining cases are declined like those of the other pronouns.
m* " which?" "what?" as m^ ?ifss "what man?" oblique substitutes f^r. It has no plural.
Nom. (Tf^ which ? what ? Ac. r$*iT$ which ? what ?
The remaining cases may be declined after the same analogy as the singular cases of other pronouns.
45. Under the head of pronominal adjectives may be classed (^ "any one," oblique modification w^\. But C^fa and f%|[ " any," " some," ^r^ " other ;" and fsrsr, -*Jl^i, and ^rf^ "own," which have been already alluded to, are all indeclinable without any modification or substitution.
a. (% is occasionally found repeated, to give an idea of repeti- tion or multiplicity, and may be rendered by ''whatsoever" or '. every,'' as in the following passage : ^jF«l1 <T<I^1 "3Z=T <rTSTl •SCf^IT? 1 OT (3 ^*T1 ^^ *n&f "Zf* ttS 11 " King Yudhishthir, being moved even unto tears, repeated every word of Narad, chief of sages. (^ (^ " whosoever," "every one," is similarly employed for persons, and takes as its oblique modification (^ Wt^\ • C$T*l (^ " any one," is used indefinitely, and takes as its oblique modification (3Tf»r ^T^"l« The Sanskrit pronouns ^R "that," J^tf "this," and ^Hr "what," are very frequently found in composition, as ^rW^ "that form/' <fT3it?R*f "this form," " what thing," " whatever."
42
SECTION III.
OF THE VERB.
46. The Bengali verb is extremely simple and regular throughout the whole of its inflections. There is only one conjugation, consisting of nine tenses, and it is applicable to every verb in the language. There are two numbers, the singular and plural, which are very much confounded, the plural being very often made to agree with a singular noun or pronoun, and vice versa. ' The singular number of the verb is generally employed with the plural of nouns and pronouns, denoting inferiors in rank, to mark more particularly the idea of such inferiority. Conversely, when honour or respect is intended, a noun or pronoun in the singular takes the verb in the plural. In consequence of these arbitrary customs, there is a good deal of irregularity in the use of the verbal terminations denoting the singular and plural numbers.
«. The rules relating to the employment of the singular or plural verb shall be more fully treated of in our section on the Syntax of the Language. The subject is here noticed merely that the student may not feel embarrassed in translating the various easy quotations hitherto given in this work.
47. The second person singular of the imperative, as the shortest and simplest member of the verb, is considered as the root. From this root arc regularly formed two parti- ciples; thus, from the root ^ "make thou," are formed
OF THE VEIIB. 43
the present participle <Ff?<re " making," by adding the ter- mination itc ; and also the past or conjunctive participle <-P<iil1 "made" or "having made," by adding the termina- tion tf/d to the root. The whole of the nine tenses are derived either immediately from the root, or from one or other of the two foremcntioned participles, as will be seen in the following paradigm.
a. When the root ends in any vowel, except the inherent a, or in a single consonant, in which case the inherent a is never sounded, the terminations ife and it/a are added to it directly, as we have just seen. If, on the other hand, the root ends in a com- pound consonant, and consequently, by rule, with the inherent short a, the latter is suppressed on receiving the additional ter- minations ife and iya of the participles. It is a rule, however, that even when ending1 with a compound consonant, the second person singular of the imperative suppresses the inherent short a in order to distinguish the same from the second person plural.
48. We shall now proceed to exemplify the conjugation of a Bengali verb, briefly noticing the mode of forming each tense or part as we go along. We may observe in the mean time that the form in which the Bengali verb is always found in the dictionary is that of a verbal noun, as 3F?«1 "a doing," rendered in English "to do,'.' ScR "a moving/' cf«fr "a seeing," (crsfr "a writing." This verbal noun is formed by adding the termination *t an to the root, except when the latter ends in ?, and in a few other instances of Sanskrit formation, in which case the cerebral «l an or nd is added. We shall select as our model the transitive verb ^q "making" or "doing." Observe, at the same time, that the first persons singular and plural are the same throughout.
44 BEXGALl GRAMMAR.
PRINCIPAL PARTS.
Eoot^( "Do thou." Present Participle ^f%T3 " Doing."
Past or Conjunctive Participle <tf<iyl "Done" or " having
done."
1st. Present Indefinite Tense, formed by adding to the root the terminations i, is, and e respectively, for the three persons singular ; and i, a, and en, for the plural : thus,
1. ^f? I do. 1. ^f?r we do.
2. ^f?f5T thou dost. 2. ^<r you do.
s •>
3. ^? he does. 3. ^£?w they do.
2nd. Present Definite Tense, formed by adding to the present participle the terminations chid, chhis, clihe, for the singular ; and chid, chhd, chhen, for the plural : thus,
I am doing. <t-f<i(:ir^ we arc doing.
T thou art doing. ^f%r5^ you are doing. he is doing. ^f^as^r they are doing.
3rd. Past Indefinite Tense, formed by adding to the root the terminations ildm, Hi, ild or ilele, for the singular ; and i lam, ild, ilcn, for the plural : thus,
^f%«rfsT I did. ^f?srfsr AVG did.
% thou didst. ?-f?cTl you did.
or -^ he did. ^f?n/5TV they did.
4th. Imperfect Tense, formed by adding to the present participle the terminations chldldm, chldli, chhild or chhiielc, for the singular ; and chldldm, chhild, c/ihilen, for the plural : thus,
OF THE VERB. 45
^ I was doing. ^-f^rsf^rt^ wo were doing.
tliou wast doing. <-f<i(:ir^^1 you were doing. or -4-£ he was doing. ^f?ref^T^ they were doing.
5th. Perfect Tense, formed by adding to the past or con junctive participle the terminations of the present definite : thus,
I have done. <<r<iyTfV we have done.
tliou hast done. <T<iyt'^' you have done. he has done. ^f^irnr^T they have done.
Gth. Pluperfect Tense, formed by adding to the past par- ticiple the terminations of the imperfect tense : thus,
I had done. ^fwfft ^'e had done.
tliou hadst done. ^f^rtf^n you had done. or -^ he had done. <-f<tiltf^(^T^ they had done.
7th. Future Tense, formed by adding to the root the terminations ild, ill, lie or ilcJc, for the singular ; and ild, ild, ibcn, for the plural : thus,
«-r<t< I shall or will do. <£f^$ we shall or will do.
tliou wilt do. <t-T<i<1 you will do.
or c^? he will do. <-f<l<:<M they will do.
8th. Conditional Tense, formed by adding to the root the terminations itdm, ill or it is, itu, for the singular ; and Ham, ltd, iten, for the plural : thus,
I did or would do. ^f^stsr AVC did or would do.
\
or ^-FfifiiH tliou wouldst do. ^f?T| you did or would do.
\ «.'
he did or would do. «-r<t<:««J they did or would do.
46 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
9th. Imperative Mood, formed by adding to the root the terminations i, is, uk, for the singular ; and i, d} aha or io and un, for the plural : thus,
SING. PLUR.
3 let me do. 3-f? let us do.
<r or <?f<iii do thou. ^<r, ^3^? or ^f?^ ao ye.
let him do. <$w»* let them do.
The remaining parts of the verb are — 1st. The Infinitive, to do," or "make," which is the same as the pre- sent participle already described. 2nd. The Verbal Noun, ^?ro " the act of doing" (already mentioned), and ^<rj u the doing," in an abstract sense. 3rd. The Present Participle, 3f?HT5 (already mentioned), and contracted ^^ " doing" or " making." 4th. The Passive Participle, ^s " done," which is borrowed from the Sanskrit, and not reducible, like the other parts, to any general rule. 5th. The Conjunctive Past Participle, ^f%, ^ferrl, ^?J|, 3RT?, "done," or "having done." 6th. The Adverbial Participle, qfgtt "on doing," or "being done," formed by adding He to the root. 7th. The Gerund, Nom. 3f?Rl "doing;" Dat. <Ff?Rt£<r "to do," or "for the doing;" Gen. ^f|Rt? "of doing;" Loc. ^rcfr? " in doing."
40. As a further example, we here subjoin the verb \** ct> ha-ite, "to be," or "to become," which is quite regular and, like our own verb "to be," is of frequent occurrence as an auxiliary. It will, at the same time, serve as a model for any verb formed from, a root which ends in a vowel.
OF THE VERB.
1st. Indefinite.
T am or become. T thou art, etc. he is, etc.
^ o we are or become. ^« you are, etc. ^ they are, etc.
2nd. Present Definite.
I am becoming. ^^"d-ftfV we are becoming.
thou art becoming, ^o (.^ you arc becoming. he is becoming. ^3* cic^* they are becoming.
3rd. Simple Preterite.
I was or became. ^o cripsr we were or became. thou wast, etc. ^p dl you were, etc.
he was, etc. ^^c^^ they were, etc.
4th. Imperfect.
^it I was becomin,
? f% thou wast becoming. ^ or -Ji he was be- 9
comn.
n.
5th. Perfect.
I have been, etc. thou hast been. ho has been.
Gth. Pluperfect.
sr I had been, etc. thou hadst boon. he had boon.
we were becoming.
you were becoming.
they were becom-
we have been. you have been. t they have been.
^ we had been. you had been. the had beeu.
48
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
7th. Future.
SING.
I shall be or become, thou shalt be. r or -^ he shall be.
8th. Conditional.
s I would be.
or ^$ P**i thou wouldst be. he would be.
we shall be. you shall be. the shall be.
we would be. you would be. they would be.
9th. Imperative.
3ft" let me be or become. ^t" let us be or become.
^e be thou, etc. ^ or ^>e be ye, etc.
? let him be, etc. ^%^ or d^ let them be, etc.
or
The remaining parts are — The Infinitive, ^T5 "to be," or " to become." Participle — Past, ^ " been," " become." Conjunctive,, ^, ^? til "being," " having been," or "having become." Adverbial, 3^"&s\ a on being," or "becoming." Gerund, ^Tl "being;" ^t"Tfr? "to," or "for being;" 3^~3t<r " of being ;" ^^tc? " in being." Verbal Nount ^^ or ^-sirl u being," or "becoming."
Of Causal Verbs.
50. Any verb may be rendered causal by adding ^rl to the root, as ^ "do," wl "cause to do." If the root end in ^ originally, it is made causal by adding ^Tl ivd (soe § 9), as *n "eat," <TT>e?1 "cause to eat" (feed). All causal verbs arc conjugated after the foregoing example; but for the sake of making the subject quite clear, the first
CAUSAL VK1U5S. 49
person of every tense of the verb $4t^C* u to cause to do,"
JL J '
or " cause to make," is subjoined : thus,
1st. Present Indefinite, <-<itQ " I cause to do," etc. 2nd. Present Definite, <r-<il» diffe> "I am causing to do," etc.
3rd. Past Indefinite, ^t^rt-r "I caused to do," etc.
J \ 7
4th. Imperfect, ^t^T^f^rf^ " I Avas causing to do," etc.
JL *f J \ O
5th. Perfect, ^T^"?tf% "I have caused to do," etc. Gth. Pluperfect, <J?<U<? illHj^fsr " I had caused to do," etc. 7th. Future, Wl^"3 " I shall or will cause to do," etc. 8th. Conditional, W$W~5\?{ " I would cause to do," etc. 9th. Imperative, ^?tt" " let me cause to do," etc.
The remaining parts arc — 1st. The Infinitive, «-<i|5> CA "to cause to do," or "make." 2nd. Vc rial Noun, ^rfl Jcardnd,
i , '
in which the inherent final d is alwavs to be sounded,
V /
"the act of causing to do." 3rd. Present Participle, <$4l9 Cxi " causing to do." 4th. Passive Participle. ^Tjrf4!
^ o J. i
" caused to be done." oth. Conjunctive Past Participle, <><1|9 , ^-fU^yl "having caused to do," or "to be done." Gth. Adverbial, <Hl9 t*r " on causing," or " being caused to do." 7th. Gerund, ^T^Ti " causing to do," <-<t|$ <tl<:<l "for causing to do," ^tR"^1? " of causing to do," ^ttXft? "in
O / N \ *— ' / >
causing to do.'
"
«. We may here remark that in all verbs whose root ends in ^5 whether they be eausals or not, the second person plural of the present and imperative is formed by adding ^ to the root: thus ?T<r|^ "you cause to do," or " cause you to do." The third person singular of the present indefinite tense is formed hy adding IT to the root: thus, 3F<rtrr "he causes to do." The same rule, as we may observe, applies to the verb jj^TS lia-itc, "'to be," whose root ends in the short a.
50 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
51. The following alphabetical list of roots of the most common transitive and intransitive verbs will prove highly useful to the learner. They arc therefore here given, partly for exercise in conjugating the verb, and partly for the purpose of being committed to memory. By subjoining ^TT5 to any of these roots, the infinitive may be formed ; and the verbal nouns in ^r and ^rl may be made by add- ing these last terminations to the root. In forming the verbal noun in ^rl with roots which end in a vowel, the termination ^fl, and not ^, is subjoined to the root, to
• / / \} j
prevent a hiatus in the sound: thus ^ ube," makes ^jl "the being." Any root, as has been mentioned, may be made causal by subjoining ^rl to it. The last letter of every one of the following roots, if a consonant, is deprived of the inherent short d: even when preceded by another consonant ; thus the word ^^ as a verbal root, denoting "mark thou," is sounded auk] but as a substantive, de- noting " a mark," or in the second person plural, denoting " ye mark," or " mark ye," of the verb, it is sounded anJcd.
mark worship ~5Tsf earn inherit
!i -serve come r attack
dash respect bring invite
begin
|
irto worship |
^sri abate |
|
:?t^" mount |
^t tremble |
|
?fT^r converse |
^? do |
|
%^ embrace |
^ tighten |
|
tfm cheer |
<^" say |
|
if wish |
^f& cut |
|
arise |
f T*T tremble |
|
fly |
^T1 earn, sh |
|
? alight, arrive |
^T^f coim'h CJ |
|
ft? belch |
f%^ buy |
|
i? overset |
3n> pound |
|
^Tt thunder |
W% pardon |
VF.HHAL ROOTS.
51
|
^ ooze, drop |
fFsr recognise |
FF snap, break |
|
^fsT wash, purify / i. */ |
fFTl chew |
"&? fear |
|
Csp^f cast, iling / u |
fF<r tear |
w% grind |
|
^^ break, efface |
j; ooze, leak |
^5T^ call, send for |
|
«T| eat |
5^ err |
^T drown |
|
*T?r open C*f5T sport |
JT kiss CFFl scream |
FrT cover Ff^T pour |
|
C<fli5f seek |
CF51 make aware |
TTs beat |
|
C«rt?1 lose *T5f roar |
(F? split, rend (Ff^ suck |
fs^r stay CTf^r gladden |
|
I fashion |
•^T deceive ^1 cover, thatch |
CTj^T weigh «rs? abandon |
|
*t«l count |
^fs quit |
«tt^ dwell |
|
*t«T melt |
Wt*r knead |
tf*T see |
|
*fl sing |
^ escape |
ifsT tread on |
|
sri? elapse |
C^1~5 fire a gun |
trts[ burn |
|
5T¥ rub |
:Sr3T produce |
Or give |
|
frT% perspire |
W? decay, digest |
C?^ sec |
|
w? revolve |
:srR know |
Ott^ swincr » j |
|
C*T? surround |
W[^\ lii»;ht *J |
(Ff^; milk |
|
FS mount |
fsrsotJT ask |
OTl"? run |
|
Fsre start |
fsr^ will |
st^ snub |
|
F? graze |
^tn revive |
sr? seize |
|
F5T move |
fSftFj y«ke (cattle). |
^rr? hold, keep |
|
* J taste |
r5ff"5 join C^rfi; till |
C*fi wash »^1F dance |
|
Ft«J1 lap |
"^r burn |
•rf^r descend |
|
Ff^ lick |
WT5 brush off |
^T^f destroy |
|
Ff^f compress |
<^rT s win 12: Ov |
«tF mature |
|
Ff^r remove |
C^rt^ bend down |
*f£ read |
|
Ft^l phnm-h I o |
w Ff^ stitch |
•^•5 fall, read |
|
Ff^; wish |
Ff^T pull |
n^T1 iiee |
BENGALI GRAMMAE.
arrve *fl get ^ ripen
be able sT nourish
slip ask bury worship fill drink arrive bury rear up ? put forth blossom
engage (in any act) enter praise Trf? beat
?r wash, purify entreat ? send ?f^ bear fruit f^<f turn round wblow (as breath) ^••^?l bawl ^ burst, boil
<r-vT > \Vrli
;!;np; ~r<3 deceive
FT^I grumble
change kill
venerate bind s» forsake q describe ST tell ST sit
3" carry, blow, flow survive sound bind <t<[ hinder like well scent return , T spoil
investigate strew £ split perforate annihilate bring forth young oppose delay mourn delight <T lay open "J forget comprehend
drown
weave, sow seed sell enclose
pace up and down bore sit
perceive plant, sow overspread worship r be full •ST abuse break fry think wet ITS? enjoy ^T forget f5 be ornamented c^T roam 5T5F sink ^r<[ die 5T5T rub beg obey measure strike be effaced
IRREGULAR VERBS.
|
CsrTs twist |
fast write |
OFt toast, warm |
|
*n go |
W| conceal ON. |
THS rot |
|
*rt5 beg o |
e?n> plunder |
•sr^t gratify •/ |
|
(*rt< give battle |
C=T4{ write |
ipT^ give in charge |
|
?^1 colour |
(cTft plaster, smear |
»l3ln converse |
|
<TF compose |
over |
"^ endure |
|
^ remain |
C^rf^ tumble |
•^Ttsf be in order |
|
<P5P preserve |
C^Tt^t obliterate |
C^n? sprinkle, irri- |
|
?T*t keep, put J. 7 J. |
C?rl~wl cause to covet |
gate |
|
(<rfrF ward off, pre- |
"*rt*f curse |
:*35T*f touch |
|
vent |
f*f«t learn |
f be |
|
C?Hf weep |
"^ dry |
^ fall back |
|
(Tf*t plant |
"^^ smell |
^? seize |
|
(Tfa be enraged O |
^ hear |
^t^ bawl |
|
«T take |
C*lir sew |
fr«tl pant |
|
CTW cling, hang |
r*Tti? grieve |
ft? lose |
fight c*tT^ pay (a debt), ^TT laugh
join, apply correct (a writing) f^0"^ injure
O/" Irregular Verbs.
52. There are but three verbs in Bengali which arc irregular, and that only in a very slight degree. 1. The verb fif^s " to give," makes W^ "they give," in the third person plural of the present indefinite, and Of^ in the verbal noun. 2. The verb ^rif^TCij " to come" takes ^" after its first syllable ^rl in the indefinite tense, and in the imperative, as ^|Q f^1 u I come," etc. ; and the simple pre- terite may be formed by adding its terminations either to ^rfTT or to ^rl, making either ^rff^Tt^r or ^rf^rT^T etc. 3. The verb *rf^"re " to go," in the perfect and pluperfect tenses, formed, as we have already shown, from the con- junctive past participle, changes *rrv?rl " having gone" into
54 BENGALI GBAMXAE.
as frf?rif^TT^ " I had gone," etc. But f^n and are both correct when the conjunctive past participle is used alone. The simple preterite and adverbial participle take crt instead of *ri, as c^f^tsr " I went," (*fr=T " on being
gone."
«. In poetry the simple preterite and adverbial participle are very often contracted in such words as have a semi-vowel for their second consonant, as G3FsTt*r for ^f^TTsT, t^TfST for *jf<jsnt?r;
S N \ S
so Z$Z*T for ^T*T, etc. The expression *r| •ffff^TS "not to be able" is sometimes contracted to •Tff^TS, and then conjugated like a simple verb.
Passive Voice.
53. The passive voice may be formed in two different ways in this language. The first is formed like our own, with the passive participle of a transitive verb, and the auxiliary ^iTs " to be," as sr« ^*-cs " to be killed." This form is peculiar to verbs of Sanskrit origin, which on such occasions borrow the regular passive participle of the latter language, which commonly ends in "3 fa for the masculine and neuter, and ~5\ td for the feminine. The second or common Bengali mode is by conjugating the verbal noun that ends in "^rj, such as ^<r| u the doing," with the auxili- ary irf^TS " to go." When this last form is used, it im- plies that the object attains the result of the action, that the noun implies, which is just the equivalent of what the other forms express; for when we say "he is killed by the man," we infer that " he is gone to the state of death by means of the man : " thus, ^ 3-Jft ^sT^T spit >R-<:cl<t 3F«rff TtTi "5TR1 srtrr i u 0 mistress ! the good and bad qualities of all yo to discovery by words, ?>., arc discovered by words."
PASSIVE VOICE. O-)
a. There arc two other ways of making a sort of passive voice, but not so common as the preceding forms. One is by conju- gating the conjunctive past participle of the causal verb with $ » C 4 u to become :" thus, isrfsfsr "T«f fw$] ^fyyl >i<"v1 f^ra" ^f^ y1
^oci 1 " Having applied his mouth, and sucked, all the poison irus extracted." The other, which is apparently a Hindi idiom, is formed by simply using the transitive verb, and throwing the agent, or what ought to be the nominative case, into the instru- mental form: thus, ^JZjyCA vj?(iu «TT»~?rf^, "The man was devoured by the tiger, or the tiger devoured the man/' In this example, it will be seen that the instrumental (~5 is used for the Hindi ne\ and in the latter tongue the expression would be, " liugli tie tnanitsh ho khiiija luii"
h. The verb *tt^T5 " to eat," and metaphorically •• to suffer," is very frequently employed with a noun expressive of some affliction to form the passive, as ^8«T *Tf^ {. A " to suffer pain," i.e., " to l>e pained."
c. When the verb *tT»<r5 "to get" is conjugated with an infinitive or past participle, they may together be considered as forming a sort of passive, as eft^t^ **% *ff^"T| "you icill be destroyed by grief."
54. The first or indefinite tense of each of the two modes of forming the passive is here given ; and all the other tenses may be conjugated after the same analogy.
First or Sanskrit Form of the Passive Present Indefinite.
W$ ^q" I am made. "5T5 ^" we are made.
"ST5 ^~?T thou art made. ^s ^ you are made. ^~5 ^r he is made. '5T5 ^ they are made.
The other tenses are to he conjugated by subjoining the remaining tenses of ^e (,-t '• to become," to "5T5 "made," or any other passive participle.
56 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
Second or Idiomatic Form of the Present Indefinite.
^r\ *rf$" I am made. ^1 srt^" we are made.
^?1 irff"*T thou art made. ^?1 *rf« you are made.
\ */
^31 *rtir lie is made. wi ^rf^ they arc made.
a. The other tenses are to be formed by subjoining the re- maining; tenses of srio (.3 "to go,'' to ^"^1 "the doing," or any similar verbal noun. The two other forms of the passive, alluded to in § 51, a, require no further notice here ; a reference to what we have already stated will be sufficient to make them com- pletely understood.
55. As the past and passive participles are not formed according to the rules of Bengali grammar, but are bor- rowed almost at pleasure from the Sanskrit, it has been thought that a selection" of those in most common use may be of service to the learner, and they are here accordingly subjoined in alphabetical order.
Past and Passive Participles.
marked, superscribed wlrfPsgrg desirous attached to "srf^ approached, come
not favourable, not ^rf^ obtained propitious, unpropitious ^RiJlftt-s rejoiced, delighted 2f^r5 not prepared, taken ^i? pained, afflicted by surprise ^rt^r^ attached, addicted
known, understood ^^Tffirs pleased, elated bent down, prostrate ^« wished, desired
remained, left ^"^ said, spoken
not able, unable ^sfg" produced, arisen
not polished, clownish ^f%$ dejected, sad, vexed t fatigued, laborious ^rg crazy, crazed
PASSIVE PARTICIPLES.
instructed, initiated arrived, alighted entered, seated fitted to, proper arrived, at hand fs earned, acquired made, done re enraged, incensed purchased, bought angered, angry fatigued
wearied, harassed wounded, cut pacified
(over-)thrown, frantic wasted
composed, fashioned gone, elapsed
sung, chaunted seized, devoured cut off, divided, severed wt~5 born
rsT93fr>i3 asked, inquired of fsrs conquered, vanquished
known pleased
abandoned, forsaken given ^ pained spoiled, corrupted seen tied, begirt
« destroyed, perished sleepy, drowsy fixed in, appointed gone out, issued blown out formed, constructed conducted cooked ; ripe learned fallen overcome manifested blossomed ; elated entered
pleased ; favourable bound ; set
blown (as a flower), expanded
renowned split, rent, torn §~& estranged, alienated f?f*f« distinguished
spread out, detailed surprised, astonished known, comprehended increased, enlarged
surrounded 5 pained agitated eaten
thoughtful, melancholy divided, broken off
58
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
terrified, frightened
eaten become
adorned (with jewels) fallen, strayed conceived drunk
liberated
deprived of reason dead fought
deprived of, void hindered, confined ashamed
able
quieted, placid
polished, polite
dried, dry
tired heard
joined together pleased, delighted
given in charge to agreed to, approved of accomplished brought forth slept
*[« created bathed
fixed, settled, placed remained
assented to remembered
$ destroyed, slain, killed 5 offered (as an oblation) ^f« pleased, elated
Of Impersonal Verbs.
50. The impersonal voice implies the natural and spon- taneous occurrence of anything, or the necessity of the performance of any act. It is either inflected like the passive voice, but only in the third person, or it is made by
to be,
n
conjugating any infinitive with the verb ^9 the third person, as in the following example : ^*f|^T ^f?n/3 ;>T3" i "It will now be proper to put in force some other stratagem." "When the ordinary operations of nature are to be described, the neuter or passive verb is employed as an impersonal ; but only in the third person. When Hie moral necessity of an act is to be described, the infini- tive of an act to be done is employed, as the gerund is
IMPERSONAL VERBS. 59
in Latin, being in general preceded by the noun or pro- noun in the dative case, of the person who is influenced to do the act ; and the auxiliary verb is always in the third person : thus,
Indefinite.
ill 9 C4 sir it is necessary for me to go. srffr-5 5^1 it is necessary for thcc to go.
it is necessary for him (or her) to go.
sir it is necessary for us to go.
it is necessary for you to go. r it is necessary for them to go.
Preterite.
^T~5 ^t~*T it was necessary for me to go. *rT»T3 ^R~«T it was necessary for thee to go. it was necessary for him to go.
^^r it was necessary for us to go. ^-^r it was necessary for you to go. CT it was necessary for them to go.
Pluperfect.
d it had been necessary for me to go.
it had been necessary for thee to go. =T it had been necessary for him to go.
T it had been necessarv for us. etc.
"
T it had been necessary for you, etc. ffT it had been necessary for them, etc.
60 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
Future.
it will be necessary for me to go. it will be necessary for thee to go. it will be necessary for him to go.
it will be necessary for us to go. it will be necessary for you to go. iU ke necessary for them to go.
57. The conjunctive past participle may be conjugated with the auxiliary verb sttfes "to remain," throughout every tense, to imply the probable occurrence of any event ; and preceded by the sign sfft "if," of the conditional, it will form a compound subjunctive mood : thus,
Indefinite.
die. *rf%n sflf^ we die.
thou dicst. srf^rl «fli? you die. he dies. srf?r?n «T|T^«T they die.
The other tenses of this compound verb are conjugated like any of the preceding examples : thus, *lz? C^r|" "$ft srcw 3fjr?re o$ c^tn yP<iyl «Tff<-<:<<t- 1 u The woman then thought in her OAVH mind, ' the parrot will (most probably) be dead.'r'
58. The verb fwtt "to give" is very frequently used after a conjunctive past participle, and seems to add nothing to the sense of the simple verb in the same tense thus, ^re <£& wtfr wfsf5? ^tfr? •yr^^rrf^t ^t~^ f^stf? ^T°(^rf^ ^fwi fwc~s ^iasl ^%^ 1 " For this reason I will accompany my husband (to heaven) ; let therefore an order be issued to prepare the funeral pile," etc.
THE NEGATIVE VERB. 61
Indefinite.
ft I make. <*f<itl1 fir wo make.
fir*T thou makest. <-f<iyl (¥« or <&$ you make. 3f?nrl Of he makes. <T<iyl Of^ they make.
a. The otlicr tenses of this compound verb are to be conju- gated with the remaining tenses of fjfTTS " to give," as flrCif^ " I am giving," fwf^ " I gave," ftfref^rfsj " I was giving," fifnf^ " I have given," Hryin^!^ " I had given," fTR " I will give," fTTjrfsr " I did or would give."
It. When the verb Hf^T3 is conjugated with the conjunctive past participle, the compound verb has very much the same force as an English verb followed by the words " off," or " away," as sis *i1 *T|3 "carry off," in the foregoing passage, and in tf y? \ in the following one : f%ir ^fsr "WTWT^ ?1~5rr? fW^ ^9 yl 1 " But do you, having carried me
aicay into the King's presence, try my medical skill."
c. The verb f^f^RTS "to fling," "cast," is sometimes conju- gated with the conjunctive past participle of an active verb, to express that an act has been done thoroughly, as <-f<!JI1 C^f^r " I do (it) thoroughly." This auxiliary may be used throughout all the tenses. Similar to the analogy of the foregoing examples, many other verbs, such as ^TfefiTS " to keep," etc., may be em- ployed as auxiliaries to conjugate the conjunctive past participles of verbs.
Of the Negative Verb.
59. Any verb may be made to express negation by sub- joining »r| "not" to it, as ^f^rfsr »n k'I did not make." AVhen *rft", or •r|f^; instead of *n, is subjoined to the inde- finite tense, it gives it the sense of any past tense, accord- ing as the context requires : thus, *rfa^
62 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
1 " As long as this nosegay shall remain fresh, so long you may be certain that I am pure ; in no way shall I have fallen (from virtue)."
The negative -r is very frequently inflected in the inde- finite tense like a verb, to express the same sense as uto be," when followed by the negative ^ri : thus,
visit my lover, yet without your consent it is not proper for me to go."
Indefinite.
rf^", or •rf^1 1 am not. •rfir, •t^'j or^rf^weare not. or ^rf^FT thou art not. «r^ ^ you are not. or •rtT^' he is not. SR »n^w they are not.
Of the Defective Auxiliary.
60. The present definite, the imperfect, the perfect, and the pluperfect are conjugated, as we have seen, by means of an inseparable auxiliary. This auxiliary is a corruption of the Sanskrit root ^pr "to be," into ^t^, and is very commonly used as a descriptive verb. There are but two tenses to this auxiliary, the indefinite and the simple pre- terite, each of which takes the terminations laid down for those tenses in § 46.
Present Indefinite.
I am. ^rTf^1 we are.
thou art. ^T^" you are.
he is. ^rl7:^ they arc.
DEFECTIVE AUXILIARY. G3
Past Indefinite.
srfsr I was. ^rffwfsr wo wore.
^T thou wast. '--ail 1^*11 you were.
si he was. ^rff^dsH they were.
Following the same analogy, the particle ^ u truly," " indeed," is inflected, and agrees as a verb with the agent. 4*& ^ift fenr5<rsr? ^fif«rtC"T ^|P til
% =r| i "I am now going to my best beloved, and shall first try his understanding, whether he is truly clever or not."
Indefinite.
?i^ I am indeed. ^ we are indeed.
thou art indeed. ^ you are indeed.
he is indeed. ^c^ they are indeed.
64
SECTION IY.
OF PARTICLES AND NUMERALS.
61. Under the term Particles we include Adverbs, Pre- positions, Conjunctions, and Interjections, each of which we shall here briefly describe in their order.
OF ADVERBS.
62. The adverbs form by far the most numerous class of the particles. They may be conveniently arranged under three heads, viz., first, those relating to time ; second, those relating to place ; and lastly, those denoting quality ^ manner, etc.
G3. Adverbs of Time. — These are expressed by a word denoting time, cither in the nominative or in the locative case, but more frequently in the latter. It would be quite superfluous here to give a long list of adverbs in general, as they belong more to the Dictionary or Vocabulary than to the Grammar. The following are of frequent occur- rence :
to-day WtF, WffFt, C^Ffa, ^t£=T at ill the meantime any time, some time
now ^It?"3- as long as, whilst
stcrday, to-morrow "St^ so long, that long
F( when? <F*Jv, ^«i(*r| ever "S^^lT^T at that time
when fiffr* daily, day after day
then fsr^r constantly
ADVKHHS or xmi:.
after, afterwards <iWT?, <ST5nrr<r, <tf*f?f*f , «tsi<Mii
^.^IZ?, 3t?*T?, ^~5£?, again
afterwards, hereafter ^j^t "src^r, TH^f before (in
rrsr, c »tc? early in tlie time or place). morning <Tlf3 at night
n9, *nr* the day before *reTC*T, «2T~»Tr5 in the inorn- yesterday, or the day after ing
to-morrow THr°^n:^T, c^^TTsr in the cven-
?^, ^5?^f two days ago, or ing two days hence ?tw\. WrTfa always
V «/
«. Many adverbs of time arc formed by annexing ^F«| " a moment,'7 Tf? and ^f^T etc., "time," or their locative forms ~. :«(, < f c'<i , <-f<:^, etc., ^t^t5^ and C^Tl- Th° words ^q and ^T^T arc atlixed to ^"5, ^T5, 3T5, ^5, ^T5 and TT^, and to several other •words. ^£«i is added to the above words, as also to J), $$~, 4, «£Tfl5, to some adjectives, and (in poetry) sometimes to C^T^^' C^T^j C^T5 C^T^"? C^T «md C5^". TT? and TftT? is added to the above words and to numerals. And <fr'fC5T is annexed to many nouns, and also to the particles ^ST , "3T, f? or c^", and to the above words except numerals. Sometimes the names of day, ni^ht, week, month, year or any other portion of time, are, in their nomi- native or locative form, added to the preceding words, to form adverbs of time, in the same manner as in English, as ir-frr* "to-day," C*T^-?lf3f ''that wight," J^-TRTT '-now," "at this time/' etc.
b. The difference between ^q or ^q and Ff^T or ^tT^T in such composition is, that ^»«| or ^>^«i signifies a time limited to that portion of one d<ti/ or night which its preceding word may ex- press ; whereas ^T5T or ^-TC^T conveys the idea of <i long time (generally) beyond a day or night. The following examples will illustrate what we have just stated : ^l-^FCT ••' now,'' .^-•^q •• in- stantly," "at this moment," J)s-^Jl "by this time," -till now," "now," "at or by this (long) time," ^T5-^«l "so long,"
GO BENGALI GKAMMAR.
qsrs-*FCT " by that time," ^5-^«l " how long ?" ^5-^«l " at or by what time ?" *T5-^«1 " as long as," TTS-^q " by which time," ^5- ^M! " so long," ^5-^E«l " by that time," (Tr^-^»c«l " the moment when," C^-^SI " immediately," " instantly." (fl^ClCT " at this time," «^-^TC5T " at that time," J)^5-<Ft^ " so long (time)," ^-^tSsT " after so long a time," ^T3-^t^ " so long," <3r5-3Ft£5T " by that (long) time," ^5-^TT^ "how long?" ^5-^1Z«T "by or after what long time ?" *F5-3rr*T " as long as," *H5-^tC«T " at or by whatever (long) time," C^r-^t^T, OT^"-^t^T "at which time," "when," (Tr^-^t^T "at that time," Tnrl-^TsT, 7IT-^t=T, f^-Wfttf "always," " at all times," fF?-<FfsT "long time," " ever," £Tt38-Tfr*T "m tne morning or morning-time," "3TWJ-^1Z«T, '7rHl0-^lTcT "in the even- ing or evening-time." ^-TT^j^^-TUr " this time or year," C*T-TT? C^T-Tt?, ^-Tf? "that time or year." c3^"-"^!?, ^-Tf? "that very time or year." ^-Tf?, ':54-Tf?, ^T5-Tt? "so often," "so many times," ^5-^T? "how many times?" "how often?" ^F5-Tt? "as many times as," " as often as," ^r^-^t? " so many times." >£[$- ?t? " once," ^•-<rf?r " twice," and so on.
r. The difference in signification between the nominative form of a name of time and the locative form of the same when com- pounded, in the adverbial sense, with another word, is the same as in English, as fsfsr (T ^gfsj f^r Tf? *n? Vt'£^ " he has three times taken that medicine." f~sfr c"^ ^^"fk f^ TlT<r ^n^ylT^^ " he has taken that (quantity of) medicine in f/irce times"
(I, ^t^fr is an adjective in Sanskrit, but in Bengali it is gener- ally used in composition with the verbal nouns in «j or »r. with Sanskrit verbal nouns, with 3^ and *r<t, and sometimes (though inelegantly) with c^T? C"3^^ •> an(^ ^? and is taken in the meaning of 3TC«Tj the locative of ^T "time." The word (Wl. in the locative or adverbial sense, is used after the genitive form of the words f»T<T, "5TWT1 or yft^. ?tf^ or <rt3, and of the gerunds in *n, and after tlic words ^, 4, fetw. C5l?> ^TWJl, fet^T or r^T^T, ^r^t^T, ^f? (from ^^^j, j), <?, ^-5, ^BT5, 7T5, C^, ^T, and <t"5. When used alone or preceded by one of the last ten
ADVKUliS OF I'LACK. 07
words, it moans a "day time;" and in all other instances it gives the idea of that time which may be specified by its preceding word, as f»T?r-(Wi, fwlT?<r-C^n "early in the morning," <Jt'Ci<l- (T5T| uin or during the night time," f^Tt^-C^n, >K-|?1-CTsTl "in the morning," ^nr-CWl, "at noon," jps-CWl "by this time (of the day)," jre-c^cfl, ^T5-C^?rl, r53-C?^rl "so long (time of the day)," vffs-cwl " by that time," 7T5-(^«r| " as long as," c^T^-C^T| "at which of the two parts of the day (i.e. forenoon or after- noon)?" 3F5-CWI "how long (of the day) ?" <Ffa is sometimes used after ^s«i, and after sj[^, Ff«J, -2t^?r, f^r, *TST3T, TfT and ^^T? generally preceded by a numeral : ^1-^fsT ^Tfa " stay for a short time."
G4. Adverbs of Place. — These, like adverbs of time, are expressed by any word denoting locality, generally in the locative case, but sometimes in the nominative form. The following list will serve as an example : viz.
here Tff^Z? without
r there (in sight) f^lw, ^^FtTS behind
there ^srcif before
where ? ^5, ^<^? above
whence ? ^tTF down, below
where ^r? afar off
thence TI^C^I before
(>-.
on all four sides ^rpsFfre in the presence of
r«i<:<l within C^^l , (^ hither
a. The word ^"t<H sthani' or ^ tni are also used to form ad- verbs of place, as c sthiine, "here," "in this place;" o tithiim.', " there," " in that place " (when in sight) -Je stliunc, "wherever," "in what place" (relatively); k<m xtltum', '•where?" "in what place?" (interrogatively); kottu st/idnc, "in any place," •• any-
68 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
where ;" >i«M "' everywhere," ^r^jf " in or to another place." A number of adverbs of time and place admit of a possessive case, and also of an ablative case, as ^"§7^t? " of to-day," ^^fl^RTf? " of this place," fe^^re " from afar."
65. Adverbs of Manner or Quality.
very (^ so
unexpectedly r^, cfrTK providentially
J. •/ ' */
thus, in this way <5t?"I35t?f mutually
as ^f?"**!?! successively, one after
«/ *
so, in the same way another
how ? f*r?*f , f«f?^ to no purpose
•F a little ?7«f, <[«H in vain
much *T«I^ separately
by decrees fsrsTJl falsely
«/ */
successively ?r«7 truly
=T well C^lT, ^«t silently
:«i finely
>£TfTr almost ^u&f^, ^t^Q quickly
slowly, badly ^3^t° consequently, of course
why ?
a. The words snrs, ?n:*f, ^53 and «T| arc added to form adverbs of manner, as Jjsrs " : thus," C^t^ ^^ "in anyway or manner," ^R^lir^r "powerfully," TT"i^5S "diligently," JTZQ] "in all respects."
• ' * > X
«" is an emphatic particl(>, as c^T^T^*^" "in that very place," (>UIC-i:5l~ "' in that very manner." Adverbs formed from adjec- tives especially append <t£^t or ^3 to them, as -i^*H<t '-beautiful," ^C^^W^^r "beautifully," literally, "in a beautiful manner."
l>. The words ending1 in Ws and SR may have the adverbial afh'x ^f%TTl added to them, as c^R-^f?"?Tl " how?" " in what man- ner?" literally "in what manner havinji; acted." The words
ADVERBS OF MANNER, ETC. CO
ending in *R are more common than those in 5T5. The adverl>s beginning witli f% or ($ do not always convey the idea of inter- rogation. When in a sentence, not interrogative, (<$1H is doubled and uttered in a suppressed tone, it, though indirectly, means " not good," as <s\Ty\ «-iH^. C^T5* $£*% " this one seems not to bo good" The t\vo \vords c^fSR and (AJM together are taken for an adjective signifying " common," " vulgar," as ("*T <£& W»T (*J4H- (^x»* (cfl^ snr " he is not a common or every-day person." Some adverbs are formed by adding to some substantives the word <4>GV , which in this case is sometimes translated by the preposi- tion " by or according to," and sometimes by " ly," as in the above examples.
c. Besides what we have stated, there arc several other ways of forming adverbs of manner, of which the following are com- mon. 1. By adding <£t*T3F or <2~??TT£ *° substantives, as "humility," f<Hil-*N^? '-1)111111)1}';" f[W\^ '-respect," ^CfTgTT^ " respectfully." 2. By adding 3T£*f (the locative of 3f*f '•'manner") to adjectives and adjective pronouns, as sp?t '-'bad," sr7^-?^ "badly;" 4 "this," Ji-?^*f "in this manner," "so." Sometimes after adjectives and adjective pronouns 3\*t is used as ?fTC*t ; with this difference, however, that when ?f^f is annexed to an adjective, the compound word is generally an adverb, and when annexed to an adjective pronoun, it (?fi*f) serves rather an adjectival termination, as ^T^T? (?" f^lT ^TflT^' ^f^'T^ i "FT5T-?i?T (i.e. ^»T^T ^^j Ff^flTS ^rt^? " ^Vhatever business he has, therein he is able to proceed in an excellent manner,'' <i)-?i^f iJt^ yj " such a man." Sometimes £K-TC<1 and i£T^T^ are used instead of ^^t and ^i^f after the words j). $. (7\. (Tf. f%. c-t-«J»J. C^T^ and CF(w, as ^rffir OTSffi^r f^-^T^lT? or f^-^^f TTTtTS *rrf? " how can I go there ?" ^^f . <^¥^ and •^Tp'ST? in most instances, and ^f^TTt in some, correspond with the English adverbial ter- mination ly, as '5T7it'^-?i^?>f " beautiful///," fa^iT ^T^% or <y^i7r? " huml)///," sr^-^f<jin "bad/y." When ^^"^ is compounded with verbal nouns in w or <i, or with any other Sanskrit verbal noun,
70 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
then the compound words are commonly taken in the same sense as the conjunctive participle of the respective verbs : for example, is equivalent to sfrR 3Ff?T?Tl "having gone/' TP^ 4^ <?r<iyl " having collected," ^^ ^^ = ^Hl " having been or become."
(/. Many of the adverbs are repeated twice, partly to add the idea of plurality to their meaning, and partly to convey a different signification. In repeating an adverb composed of an adjective pronoun and ?u:*t, <£t^t<r? or a like word, only the principal word (i.e. the first member of it) is doubled, as <f^ ?n:^f "in this man- ner," <jj^" <£& ^z^i " iu these various ways." The other adverbs ending in ?iE*f , etc. arc not found in their duplicated forms. Of the adverbs in ^-f^rl, only that which is formed by prefixing WIH, (3SR or t£|5R to ^fVlHj i* doubled by repeating the first member, as (TrsK-csr^R-^f^ri. The adverbs formed by affixing <3§ ($T) or «^w are not used in their duplicated form. The Persian word ^tSTfiaf " a thousand," is often idiomatically used as an adverb signifying " in the utmost degree, or a great many times." But it is to be observed that ^"f^TtlT is used in the first clause of a sentence, the next clause of which is commenced with \5T. " yet," and generally ended in a negative verb, as
»r| 1 "Teach a heron a thousand (i.e., ever so many) times, yet he will not repeat like a parrot. Hide an evil action ever so much, still it will not remain concealed."
OF PREPOSITIONS.
GO. The part of speech which we call a preposition does not, strictly speaking, exist in the Bengali language. It is true there are several prefixes corresponding to the pre- positions of the Greek and Latin, but then they are all purely Sanskrit, and used in composition with other words, but not prefixed separately to substantives and pronouns,
PREPOSITIONS. 7 1
and governing certain cases, as in the two former tongues ; hence we may call them inseparable prepositions. They are chiefly used in composition with simple verbs, verbal and some other nouns, to form the compound or derivative words which constitute the hulk of the Sanskrit language, and consequently of those also of which Sanskrit is tin 5 parent. The words thus compounded sometimes retain the meaning of the original, or more frequently have the sense of their component elements, but in many instances they express significations which widely depart from those which they might be expected from their composition to convey. The full explanation of them is the province of a Dictionary or Vocabulary. All that can be attempted here is to hint briefly: 1. The principal purport of each prepo- sition, or the idea which it most frequently gives or adds to the signification of the word to which it is prefixed. 2. The equivalents by which it is usually translated into English and the classical languages. 3. Its exemplifica- tions by words compounded of one or more of these prepo- sitions, and of frequent occurrence in Bengali, as in the following alphabetical list.
beyond, excess, as ^ Hi -$»'*! " transgression," ^rfjf^s* or
«T3" " superabounding," " excessive."
over, possession, as wfwf? "possession," ^rf*f*f, ^rfV^tsi
/ L / J.
"a king or ruler," ''srfo'fl-s "come at," "known," "ac- quired."
97 after, sequence, imitation, as ^t(E><l " a follower." wg~^Tf1" "an imitator," ^t^tf "repentance," ^^^jfi "permis- sion."
or w^o within, ccntricity, as ^5r^s^«i "the heart," •the heart-searcher," ^-^<j«f "a relative."
••
72 BENGAL! GRAMMAR.
taldny away, privation, badness, as ^^f?t< " defect," " sin," ^*T?t^ " detraction," " accusation," ^offit^ " dis- grace." This preposition is identified with the Greek
O, the Latin and German ab, and the English off.
to, addition, exceeding, as ^rfsTF " moreover," (literally "and in addition"), 'srfcfsrR "a covering," " covered with armour."
towards, tendency to, superiority in place, etc., as approach to," ^rfVgrst "facing," ^q-f^Tf^ "self-esteem,
pride."
doivn, degradation; Latin, de, dis, ex, as ^Wl "deteri- orated," "bad," ^5r^5t<r "incarnation" (literally "coming down"), ^<<;s=i1 " disrespect."
/ / ^ -I-
unto, extent, limit, as ^srt? u a receiver," ^K-M4! " at- tracting," ^srT^nra "unto or as far as the sea." The Greek grammarians have something similar, called the a intensivum.
iip, elevation, excellence, as ^*tf% " production," ^^^x " excellent," ^fs " elevation," ^Tt?t " industiy."
near, secondary state, hence inferiority, as ^fft^f " a small island," ^5t^r4 " a bye- way," %Wfs " a paramour." It is identified with the Greek OTTO, and the Latin sub. r hard, difficult, deterioration, as fc^lbU " wicked," ^i*t "trouble," ^fsr "hardly passable," ^^ "hard to be done." It is identified with the Greek ou£, the Latin (It's, and the Gaelic do. ~si duh, vf dusk, ^ dus/i, ^f[ dm, are forms which it must assume according to the consonant with which the word to which it is prefixed may begin, as we shall hereafter explain. down, cntirc-ne.^, as f^rts "a. fall," "death," fsraT?6! "entire prohibition," firju "ceased," fsiftf "entirely engaged in."
PREPOSITIONS. I o
ji out, freedom, as fa<it<M? "without form," frsTT5 "gone out," frvfa " faultless," frfaFS " thoughtless."
lack, re-action, as "^fir^ " opposing power," <T<rT^nr " defeat," *l<H<£i "return," *Hrr*r*f "advice," " caution." It is identified with the Greek trapa..
round, completeness, as <ff?r^<i "quite full," *ff?rfa " cir- cumference," *ff?T£ff¥u tired out," " completely wearied." It is identified with the Greek Trzpi. forth, progression, as £f^t*T "display," <±T^T^ "march," £fTf*f " majesty," «2T«irr " affection," " acquaintance." It is identified Avith the Greek Trpo, the Latin pro and prae, and the English for or fore.
re, reiteration, as ^rf^Sffr "echo," ^HiTS? "reply," a reflection," or "image," £ff5^5T "retribution." in, un, mis, vicissitude, as foy "barter," f^^fw "misfor- tune," ft^5 "undone," "altered," f?*f*nnr "inversion." or TT° ivith, conjunction, as "sr0^ " association," -5T0(^rt^f "union," •yr^T^ "offspring," 7p3s>tf% "wealth." It is identified with the Greek <rw and the Latin cum or con. well, excellence, as -s^Hi "well disposed," ^d w "easily obtained, ^*tJTf% " fame," " good report," "^RtFT? " good news." It is identified with the Greek eu and the Gaelic so.
a. The following prefixes, viz.. ^ a} ^ kn, "^ su, and f^r| bind, though not strictly prepositions of the same kind as the preced- ing, may, for the sake of reference, be here inserted as well as anywhere else. ^T is equivalent to the English negative not, or to the particles in, nn, r//,v, and fr.v.v, and sometimes to u-itnout and not, as ^fabt? '• ///justice," ^r?T«rt«f " ?u?just," ^>i ys; •• r//,v- honour," ^^y^ir^ " child/(v,v," ^TrT? " without substance,'' ^wg " not destroyed/' " not spoiled." Prefixed to a word, which is the name of anything, it will convey the sense of deprivation, a<
74 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
"not (having) a stain," "without stain." Added to an epithet, it marks deterioration, as ^^P< " not a poet," " a bad poet." Put before any noun which implies the result of an action, it reverses the sense, as ^<-«1*R1 "not a contrivance," " improper contrivance." It is identified with the Greek a alpha, privitivum. 'SR'W an : the same as the last, but only pre- fixed to words beginning with a vowel, to prevent the hiatus in sound attending the concurrence of two vowels, as ^r»rf*K5 " not arrived," from ^rf?f^5 " arrived." This form is identified with the Greek av, the Latin in, and the English un.
The word 3? stands opposite to ^, as TS£$,*t "beautiful," " good-looking," ^W5^ " ugly," " bad-looking." Placed before substantives or after adverbs, ^ and ^ stand as adjectives, as •^TJJJ- « a good action," ?F^5T " a bad action," f^fsr ^fs ^ " he is verv good," ff^ ^5 3? " he is very bad." "^r and 3? are some-
• ~ • (X • ^ 6-
times used in the absolute manner, having hardly anything understood after them, as ^t^t? ^f% "^, ^ITt? $T>\ 3?« ^ is variously modified before different words : it becomes ^W (or ^5) in composition as the first member with a word beginning with a vowel or with 3«( " a chariot," as WiTf? " ill-shaped," (^ -f <3p«t) = ^pf^ « a bad horse," 3Fflfh^f«( " a bad medicine," <-<jq<l8t "a bad •jst." It is optionally changed into ^| before ^f«t " a path," and ^(^ " a man," as <F*f«T or <3Ft*f«i: " a bad road," ^^C^T or ^t<^^ " a mean worthless man," " a coward."
The prefix TT so, is a contraction of the Sanskrit particle TT^ " with," and seems to contrast very well with the preceding ^ a. Prefixed to a noun, it will imply either possession or association, as TT^fa "with life," "alive." It often governs the instrumental case, as Tf^ff^f^ "with a family," "accompanied by a family;" or the word it is joined to may take the letter ^ after it, which is equivalent to the genitive case, as "Vijft^ " with a wife." The word f^ is elegantly used only after the nominative form of a Sanskrit word, as fsfr iffRTf? T^
" lie, along \vith his family, has made a pilgrimage to the
PREPOSITIONS. / 0
(shrine of) Pumsliottarna," i.e., "Vishnu." ^T is used instead of 7T3", but always as the first member of a compound, as f%ft Tf-
^Ttflf
I). The \vord ftwl hind, " without," appears to be a preposi- tion in our sense of the term, and generally governs the third or instrumental case : thus, *rfif lift ft^T| *t?f vj"*TC 4 C^t5* 3PJT ^? " If you shall undertake any enterprise without advice. The par- ticles £ffs and ^>«T<T are also, not unfrcquently, used as postposi- tions, like those enumerated in § OS, and govern the genitive case, as may be seen in the following examples : fsft "^rf^rfa <±ff% or " he (is) very kind to me," '^(T*Jt<l <£tf^5 or " he bears a great affection towards me," (
"he ran against me," f^fsr ^TSTfil fepS or " he is angry with or enraged at me," f^fsr or ^<>f<f T^ ^ff« " he (is) much pleased ivith me," or £ffs ^^ftTf 1^ ?tf<I^ " look upon him with kindness."
67. Let us now adduce a few examples in illustration of the mode in which the preceding particles are applied. The student will bear in mind that they are used only with Sanskrit verbal nouns, etc. ; and even then they are not indiscriminately used with every noun, etc., from the latter language. Practice and the use of the dictionary can alone enable the learner to form correct ideas on this point.
a. The word srfa " honour," " measure," is compounded with several prepositions. Example : £T3Tf«l " a proof," isr^fsrfa " dis- honour," vtMjH " honour," ^j^nt^ " a guess," " an inference," fsrerH " a making," " creating," f<wH " a chariot," (5lf^rf«l " a measure," -^Ps^H " self-honour," " tenaciousness of honour/'
a weighing," etc.
b. The particles £f, ^r*f, ^°, ft, ^ff^, ^£ff^, ^*f, ft, ft^, and are used in composition with sff? '• taking," a verbal noun
76 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
from the root ^f " take/' and cause it to convey various signifi- cations, as <2T$>T<[ " a beating-/' ^r*fs~f? " a taking- away by force or unfair means/' 7T°ft? " a killing," f^t? " a walking for amusement," " a pastime," ^ff^T^ " a confutation," " a repulse," <±rf5^r? " a taking back," ( tffs + ^Tl + ^T?) = ^r«rf^T? " a re- sumption," ^j*n^T<r " a present to a superior," " a complimentary gift," fs^t? "frost," "dew," ^rf^T? "food," "a meal," (*PT + '3T| -f ^T<r) = Trsrf^Hr " aggregation," " a collection," (: an assem- blage," (f^ + ^Tl + ^t?) =fsr?T^t? "without food."
c. The particles £f, TT°, ^r^, ^*f, ^f, ft, fr, fsr^, ^fis, ^, ^TT, "^fk, «tf^j *tf^3 and ^Tl are used in composition with several verbal nouns from the root ?? "do," viz., ^f?T, ^T4! "a doing," ^F§, faplTi " an action," ^t?^, ?rt?t or Wl " a doer," ft^ " a hymn;" and the compound words and their principal significa- tions are ^T^Tt<T, " an imitation," 7{0"^t? " consecration," " puri- fication," "initiation," ^"^r^T<T "'an injury," "harm," ^f^t<f "a benefaction," fwf<[ " a change," " a disease," " the change which takes place in a person when dying." (fsr<r 4-^4. ^t?) "without form," ^fwf<[ "possession," "dominion." "a returning of an action," "a remedy," ^TtTf<r "a form." i*t<F£«i "a section of a book," "a prologue," "manner;" -*( ^ <• <i«t " an imitation," ^f^?^ " anything superadded to perfect a thing," "a supplemental oblation," (»r^ -j- ^rj + ^TR) = f^T^?4! " certainty." '^sjfw^q " the act of possessing," " the locative case of a noun." (&§ 4- fw$] ] = ^f^n «a bad action," nfjr>i]1
\ S b-v
" a good action." ^ST^fs " original and unformed matter," " na- ture," " disposition," " a crude noun or verb before it has taken any inflection," ^T^f^ " form," " shape," ft^f^ " a change from the natural state," "transformation," "a bad shape." m^sl " an injurer," "injurious," ^W?< "'a benefactor." ^f^nft '"' :i i)ossessor/' "one who has a riht to a thin." TT° + ^tlR = >i *?( Q^ " a hmn."
08. In the Bengali language, strictly speaking, there
POSTPOSITIONS.
does not exist any simple preposition such as our " to," "for," "by," "with," etc. Such relations as the pre- ceding are expressed in Bengali by terminations or cases, as we have already seen. Such expressions as our "be- fore," "behind," "above," "beneath," etc., arc expressed by substantives which we may call diptotcs, because em- ployed only in two cases ; or we may call them postposi- tions, because they always follow the words they govern, which are put in the genitive case. They are mostly of Sanskrit origin, and are used chiefly in the locative case, and sometimes in the nominative. "When they have not a genitive case under government, they arc understood to be in a state of composition with the substantive which precedes them. The following is an alphabetical list of the more ordinary postpositions.
in front, before exceeding, beyond l in conformity
*/
on account, for the sake st in front, before <l above, upon ^or^1z^7$attheside,near w, ^Ft?^, 3F3J, wz^J be- cause, on account, for or Mf^3 in the place, from at the bottom, beneath similar, like a side (of the horizon) a side (of the horizon) , WTr<[ at the door, by means
frw, fwCT? at the side, in the vicinity, near
on account, for. at the bottom, below after
^ up to, as far as , *TT*t at the side, near in the rear, behind to, for, towards sT in exchange for, instead f%r<r on the outside, without
f«-6<:<t on the inside, within
in the manner, conform- ably
78 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
in the midst, in ^Ffr^f in the vicinity, near exactly on, at the instant *P3[*J, ^Parz*! before the face, in company, with in the presence, opposite
in the vicinity, near nf^-i accompanied, along with at the time ^"ft^ in the place, from
, ^wtZ^ like, equal
CONJUNCTIONS.
C9. Conjunctions in Bengali differ not in their nature and use from those of our own language. I divide them here into the two well-known classes of copulative and disjunctive, with this protest, however, that a disjunctive conjunction sounds to my ear marvellously like a contradic- tion in terms. Perhaps the term oppositive or adversative conjunction would be the more appropriate ; but we need not waste time upon this, as the reader no doubt knows the import of the word, which is simply this, that the dis- junctive conjunction, while it connects the clauses of a sentence, at the same time disjoins their meaning. The following list contains the more ordinary conjunctions of both classes.
, "
if," K3
Copulative Conjunctions. — -s<°, ^ "and," "both,' "moreover," TJP "rather," ^T5-£R "therefore," s
/ / /
•sra "then," T£, csi "then," "consequently," ^r*[
• / • / • * ^- O *
"namely," "even," *r«n "as for example," Wt? "also," TtrHrs "thereby," "consequently," C% "that," C*R "in order that,'1 C<-*H1, Wte i<? "because," C^^T^ "as," (^7iT
/ <x '
" so," ^5T5 r?T " so that," <4~5fre/ or ^"i^f^^/ " on this account,"
/ / /
"hence," ^•JW^^T? "after this," ^3T?£'4 "for wliich reason,"
f \ t
sttf^Bi " l)esides this," " besides."
CONJUNCTIONS.
Disjunctive Conjunctions. — foir "but," fa, T|,
"whether," "cither," "or," wfrf,
"although," wrfrt "yet," "nevertheless," *rs, srpn (for T|, Wf) "if not," "then," "otherwise," Trfif *1 "if not," "unless," Wfrf, WF, ^arrfn, ^3fF, ^T, "yet," "never- theless."
a. The conjunction «, like the Latin 6Y, i.s elegantly employed to express our word " both," as well as its consequent "and:" thus *i £TtT5 ^2 7TWJT3 " both morning and evening," et mane et vespere. In some instances the *? thus repeated gives the sense of "both" only, and with a negative they are equivalent to our words '-neither" and "nor," as may be seen in the following examples : <rfa-^G (*fcT *2Tfa-^ (*fcT " Ram and Shyam both arc gone," J)-« spff, *?->« srsjf "both of them (arc) bad," ^fsr-<? C^f^T, "he came just after or the moment after you went." r 'arfsj'-^ sp^ snr "neither Ram is bad nor Shyam," *J1$ < -Tlj flf^-^ ^irii6<»< »r| "neither I shall go nor he will come."
1). In Bengali there is no word corresponding with the English "whether;" but when f% is placed before one noun, and again before another noun signifying a different thing, then the first f% is translated by "whether," and the second by "or," as f% fr^ f^ \[>l!ilH " -whether Hindu or Musalman.
c. When f% »r| is used in the second member of a sentence, it is generally translatable by " whether or not," as ^T^~fi^ f&SaT^n 3? f*f*Tf£=r ^TC4»' f<£ ^1 " ask him u'hether he will go there or not,'1'' 3~?T f^fsf »nr ^t? »t^ sJtC^ "either he or his brother will go." When »rj or »nr is used before one noun, and again before another signifying a different thing, then the first -fl or sr?r con- veys the signification of "neither," and the second of "nor," as •T| Ut=T srj sp'T or ^T?r r«t=T •T? SRt "' neither good nor bad." But here this is also to be borne in mind, that ?~?r signifies " either" only when it is followed by •*'$. And sqr or »rl conveys the idea
80 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
of "neither" only when followed by srsr or sr|, and of "nor" when preceded by WTT or «r| respectively, as in the above examples. d. irj. and (^1 are often mere expletives, and confined chiefly to conversation, as \5i;f% ? " what then ? " ^rffsr TrT^" C^l or C5\ ^Tf^" "then I will go (and see what that will do)," ^fsr CS\ flrf*l •Ti^" " I did not see a single person." The particle (\5l, as we shall hereafter point out, is elegantly used in an idiomatic sense, like the French done.
INTERJECTIONS.
TO. The interjections most commonly used before the vocative case are, c^, C^l, f«1, (?, C«r|, (T>, fe, si's?, and c^T? " 0 !" The first three are applied mostly to superiors, c? to equals, c^r) to an inferior woman, c^" to a young woman, fe to a child, and the last two to common people. When the person addressed is at a distance, ^n, ^, or ^, is pre- fixed to the above interjections, as ^?c^ ^r^ f^Tss " 0 Heavenly Father!" ^c$\ ^Ts\ "0 mother!" When the person is present, the interjection is often put after the noun, as <rW c*t1 " 0 father !"
«. Beside the above there are other interjections used to express different emotions of mind, as — Of distress and culling for relief — ^*rj, Tft?, TtC^tl " O mother ! " * T|T|, Tf*ft?, TtTlT? «O father!" arrf^^. "save! save!" ftTT^. "alas! alas!" Of pain — 1"8 , ^3 " oh ! " Of pity — ^rt^l or ^§ " alas ! " Of ,wr- prise or encouragement — TfoTfg "surprising!" "well done!" Of joy and admiration — ;Tfir ^fir "hurrah!" TlT! Tt?" Tf^"!
\ N V
<Tt^1 TT^"1 ! Tf^1 Tf^1 Tf^1 ! ^TlTl"5 ^t?T ! (Hindi, /.-//a « /) " O admirable ! " " wonderful ! " " surprising ! " q$j \ %$}
brave ! " " huzza ! " "bravo ! " ^IT^I C^t? Tt^l, Tt*f , or ^T^. Of
OF EXPLETIVE PARTICLES. 81
vexation — '-*rf$ ! ^8 ! jfrsi ?t^ ! "confound it!: Of surprise or astonishment — ^sr| ! "() mother!" ^^T) (~ST fa ! "O mother, what is this ! " etc. ^W\ <3 fa ! f^fa ! sr^Tf^f ! fa ^srfF&fj "amazing!" Of sudden recollection — <j ! $(5~\ ! " hy-t he- bye!" Of driving out — •££ ! '%$ *%$ \ "away with!" JHS r! •*Tl "§3T ^ ! " begone ! " Of contempt or aversion — f^i ! T?T|8 ! or f^ f^ ! " fy, fy ! "
b. In common conversation the interjections are used after verbs, or in connection with them, as ~zfy (^r ~$~\ «r) c»r| ? or (?£•* Cft\ ^«T »ri ? "why don't you speak ?" ^<r (T •• act," "^rf ^ •• speak." Gffa or (Jrftt is added to verbs to call attention., as CfrfsJ or "see!" "now then!"
OF EXPLETIVE PARTICLES.
71. The following words arc often employed in a familiar way in a sentence ; but practice alone can give any certain rule for their correct application. — T?1 Avhen subjoined to a word erives the idea of exactness or limitation, as J)W| sff?r
O /
"a single purse." — te gives the idea of diininutiveness, as 4^> ^^ " the smallest mouse." — c*ttT>1 " altogether," when prefixed, conveys the idea of indefinite number or quan- tity.— sTfa " a piece," when subjoined to a habitation or
*/ •'
instrument, adds nothing to the original force of the word, as &ft «TR ^fft '' a house." — *rffr " a piece," cives the idea
N * j. / C-/
of parts, or members of a whole bodv, as "5"9~ «TTf^ ^fw "the
i i/ /
two feet." — <nf^ and Ffa "a little," subjoined to any- thing divisible into minute parts, implies u some," as feTi^fa "some water." — ^^1, ^fa, ^f%^. ^^, "a heap,"
(X \ ' d*n '
u set," etc., are often prefixed to plural nouns, and seem to convey little more than the idea that the number was indefinite, as 3F53F ^f% ^P^J^ "some letters. — ^"^T? "some," is added to divisible things, as Ff^sT t3^t? "some rice,"
n
82
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
"some straw." — ^ is an expletive frequently added to words of one syllable, as ^rt<n5 "further." — c§\ "in- deed," "in fact," "truly," gives emphasis to any asser- tion, and thereby conveys the idea of doubt or hesitation to the remaining complement of the sentence, which is commonly understood, as
i "I didn't do
it indeed (but some one else may have done it)." Occa- sionally it is found subjoined to the second person of the imperative, precisely like the French done, as <<nc^1 " tell," or " speak," or " pray speak," dites done. — frrel is added in familiar conversation to the indefinite tense, in a nega- tive way, as <«rffsr ^frfaw-1 " I have not done it."
OF THE NUMERALS.
72. The following columns contain the Bengali cardinal numbers, and the figures by which they are represented ; and as the Sanskrit cardinal and ordinal numbers are fre- quently met with, they arc likewise given.
|
FIGURES. |
CARDINAL NUMBERS. |
ORDER. |
ORDINAL NUMBERS. |
||
|
BENGALI. SANSKRIT. |
SANSKRIT. |
||||
|
1 |
^ |
V |
1st |
*TO |
|
|
2 |
^ |
fir |
2nd |
fipft? |
|
|
3 |
\ |
fai |
3rd |
^ftir |
|
|
4 8 Fff? |
F^ N |
4th |
^5^ |
||
|
P* ^ |
^fsp |
5th |
^^^T |
||
|
6 |
5, ^ 5PET |
6th |
¥^ |
||
|
7 i ffts |
TT^ |
7th |
TT^ST |
||
|
8 V ^5T|T? |
^r^ |
8th |
^5T%^" |
||
|
9 ?5> •T5T ! "T^ |
9th |
5J^T |
NUMERALS.
•5.8
FIGURES.
10
11
12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
9n
5(8
Vi
CARDINAL NUMBERS.
ov
10th 11 til
12th
13th
14th
15th
16th
17th
18th
19th
20th
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
25th
26th
27th
28th
29th
30th
31st
32nd
33rd
34th
35th
36th
37th
38th
ORDINAL NUMBERS.
KANSK HIT.
84
BENGALI GRAMMAE.
CARDINAL NUMBERS.
39 40 41
42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
56 57 58 59 GO 61 G2 63 64 G5 GG 67
83 8d
8V 8*
a\D
d3
dV dJs
ORDER,
ORDINAL NUMBERS.
39th
40th
41st
42nd
43rd
44th
45th
46th
47th
48th
49th
50th
51st
52nd
53rd
54th
55th
56th
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
G4th
65th
66th
67th
NUMERALS.
n
<*?!>
FIGURES.
G8 G9 70 71 72 73 74 75 7G 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96
CARDINAL NUMBERS.
V-8
vv
ORDER.
ORDINAL NUMBERS.
SANSKRIT.
94th 95th 96th
86
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
FIGURES.
97
98
99
100
1000
CARDINAL NUMBERS.
ORDER.
97th
98th
99th
100th
1000th
ORDINAL NUMBER
SANSKRIT.
a. When the Sanskrit ordinal numbers and F^ qualify a feminine noun, they take ^ after them, as £f«f$r| ; and all others, from five to at housand, inclusive, assume 3(, as ^fs^^t, etc., thus according with the analogy of other adjectives. See § 30. The termination ^[% may be optionally employed from the nineteenth to the fifty-eighth of the Sanskrit ordinal numbers ; but the usual way by which they are repre- sented has been followed in the foregoing columns.
73. A particular form of ordinal numbers is expressly employed to designate the days of the solar month.
the first day.
the second day.
the third day. the fourth day. the fifth day. the sixth day.
the seventh day.
the eighth day. the ninth day. the tenth day.
the eleventh day. the twelfth day. the thirteenth day. the fourteenth day.
the fifteenth day. w > the sixteenth day.
the seventeenth day. the eighteenth day. the nineteenth day. the twentieth day.
ORDINAL NUMBERS. 87
the twenty-first day. ?Tl4to *t1 the twenty-seventh the twenty-second day. day.
the twenty-third day. ^ f $ 1 £ *t 1 the twenty-eighth day Ffr*fl the twenty-fourth day. ^far*n the twenty-ninth day. the twenty-fifth day. fapfl the thirtieth day. the twenty-sixth day. J)<ffa*n the thirty-first day.
(t. The preceding ordinals are used in mercantile and revenue accounts. They appear to have been introduced into the Bengali from the Urdu or Hindustani by the Musalman rulers of the country. According to the anonymous author of the Bengali Grammar alluded to, § 21, a, "the Sanskrit names of day and night are neither elegantly expressed nor understood after them ; but instead thereof the Persian word ;., (?tSF 'a day,' or the Arabic word f^Jtt ^3T?t^ ' date, ' is generally understood or expressed;" and this, by the way, is a proof of their Muslim
origin. " Those ending in ^srl are borrowed in their masculine,
^ and those in ^, in their feminine forms, modified (from ^.*}.
They, however, do not undergo any further change in Bengali, whether to agree with a masculine or feminine noun." The rule for their formation appears to be this, viz., when the cardinal number ends in a consonant without the inherent short a, the termination ^sr) (sometimes j)) is added, as f?~*T| or f^Z*f "the
twentieth." If the cardinal ends in the short a, the latter is
, ,«/
changed into ^ and the termination ^ is added, as it is when
the cardinal ends in any other vowel beside the short a.
1). The learner must be prepared to find occasional deviations in the orthography of Bengali words, and particularly in the numerals. In this respect many anomalies are even* day met with ; but these generally arise from the indiscriminate use among the vulgar of *f, 3", and TT, or from the different modes by which the diphthongs may be represented. The Sanskrit cardinal and ordinal numbers, being employed chiefly by the
88 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
learned, and their orthography being established, are rarely misspelt.
Of Collective Numbers,
74. The number ten being multiplied by itself, and the product being again multiplied by ten ; and the same pro- cess being repeated till the amount is one thousand tril- lions, the sums so obtained are denominated as beneath.
ff"*T ten. *fa billion.
hundred. *r^"f*rf ten billions.
thousand. "*l^f hundred billions.
ten thousand. sr^t^T^r thousand billions.
hundred thousand. ?1^1 ten thousand billions.
million. ^t^tfl hundred thousand
ten millions. billions.
hundred millions. *f«T trillion.
S <K N
^T^TT thousand millions, srrfasf ten trillions.
\ N O^. V
ten thousand millions. ^c-^f^t hundred trillions.
^rsr hundred thousand mil- ^ ^T^f^qt thousand tril- lions. lions.
a. The above collective numbers show us, en passant, the extent to which the Hindus, the inventors of the decimal scale, carried their enumeration table. The numbers themselves, with the exception of the first half-dozen or so, are rather an object of curiosity than of real practical utility. Their values are, in some instances, occasionally explained rather differently: thus, ^T^T is sometimes represented to he ten billions. The word ^f^ " a score," is often used instead of fr*f " twenty." Reduplica- tivcs are formed by subjoining ^«i "a twist," "fold," to any Sanskrit cardinal number, as f%^«i " two-fold."
FRACTIONAL NUMBERS. 89
Of Fractional Numbers.
75. Quarters and halves of any whole number are thus denoted. If a quarter more than one of the units of any number is to be expressed, the word •*r*nfl is prefixed to it, as ^r^irl "5^" " two and a quarter" (2^). If a half more, Trlfs or Tft^s is prefixed, as 3Tff?r Fff^ "four and a half" (4|); but if three quarters is to be expressed, as in " four and three quarters" (4f), they then say "a quarter less than five." The word c*n^r denotes a quarter less : thus,
V \2/
C*T)sw *tfv is "four and three quarters" (4f); literally "a quarter less five." When ^Tlf?, T^TTI, and c*T)<^ are em- ployed with "*T5 " a hundred," or >i^^ " a thousand," these last are taken as whole or collective numbers, and the compound will therefore imply a half more, or a quarter more or less than the hundred or the thousand : thus, TT^TTI *T5 " a hundred and a quarter (of the hundred)" (125), c*h^ *te " a quarter less than a hundred" (75).
a. The term c*tlTl by itself implies " a quarter" (5), ^ or
is "a half" (J), Or5 "one and a half" (U), ^T^t "two and a half" (2 3) ; and these are to be considered' as used in an absolute sort of way. In the common concerns of business it is seldom that any number requires to be divided into more than sixteen parts ; consequently the ^rfal unit, or sixteenth part of a rupee, is assumed to denominate fractional numbers, whose denominator is two or any multiple thereof by itself: thus, f^w ^rfw| implies ^ths, *r$ ^rfal ^ths, etc. If any more minute fraction is required, such, for example, as -b^th, it is only neces- sary to say ('TUT! ;;5rf»rl " a quarter ana"
90
SECTION V.
ON TEE JUNCTION OF LETTERS, AND THE DERIVA- TION AND COMPOSITION OF WORDS.
76. In the Sanskrit language, which enters so freely into the Bengali, certain rules have been established for avoid- ing the concurrence of harsh or incongruous sounds, or the unpleasing hiatus which might arise from keeping sounds apart that are disposed to coalesce. For example, when two or more words arc united together, either as sentences or as compounds, some alteration may take place in the final letter of the leading word, or in the initial of the succeeding words, or by both of them suffering some change — as is sometimes the case in Greek, Latin, and some other polished languages, though not so systemati- cally as in Sanskrit. This euphonic change is called ^rf% i.e. "junction," or "union," and is employed on three occasions, viz. on the adding of the affixes to nouns or verbs ; on the joining of two or more words so as to form a compound word ; and lastly, on the simple joining of words one to another as they occur in a sentence.
77. Junction of Vowels, etc. — It is a principle in Sanskrit composition, that when two vowels come together in a com- pound word or in a sentence, — as, for example, when one word ends, and the next begins with a vowel — a coalition or modification of the vowels takes place, so as to avoid a
JUNCTION OF VOWELS. 91
hiatus. In order to explain the rules to that effect, a con- stant reference to the following Table of the Vowels, and their cognate elements, will be of considerable service.
1. Short Vowels ... vfa^i^unri ^ Iri
2. Long Vowels . . . ^r| a ^ I ^ u ^ rl $ Irl
3. Guna Elements . 4 e ^ o ^r<T«r ^r al
4. Vriddhi Elements . ^rl d $ ai ^ au ^rt^ dr "srl^T dl
5. Semi-vowels ... *r ya ^ va <r ra sr la
a. The term gttna denotes conversion or change in the quality of the vowel ; vriddhi a further extension or augmentation of the same. Observe further, that the five short vowels in the first line are similar, respectively, to those immediately under them in the second line ; thus a and a, i and ?, u and u, etc., are said to be similar, only differing in quantity. The vocal sounds e and o, as well as ai and au, are considered by Sanskrit grammarians to be diphthongs. Lastly, the four semi-vowels in the fifth line bear a close relationship, as we shall immediately see, each re- spectively, to the four vowels, etc., directly above them.
78. Junction of Similar Voiuels.— When a word ends with any one of the ten vowels, short or long, in lines first and second, and the following word begins with the same yowcl, short or long, the two vowels always coalesce into one long vowel. For example : ^r -f ^r, or ^r + ^d , or ^r| •f ^ , or ^rj + ^r) , all make ^1 d : thus, f^n and ^T*t?tW coalesce into f?«rl*t?TC*t "without offence." In like man- ner, ^ + ^, or t" + ^, or ^ + ^-, or ^ + ^, make ^ I ; and so on with the rest.
79. Of the Junction of Dissimilar Voivcls. — Dissimilar Vowels are those which are pronounced by different organs,
92 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
as <sr and ^; or ^ and ^r, etc. When a word ends in any vowel but ^r or ^H , and the next begins with a dissimilar vowel, the final vowel of the first word is changed to its own semivowel; thus in srfff and ^^ the ^ of srfff is changed to TT, which is the semi-vowel of ^: thus, wf*t " although." The same rule holds with regard to the remaining vowels, as may be seen in the following ex- amples, viz. :
or ^ becomes TT as in £T«Jlj? from «£tfo and
„ „ „ „ „
„ U> „ ? „ fW „ frf? „
80. Modifications of ^r and ^RTI, followed ly Dissimilar Vowels, etc. — When a word terminating in ^ or ^rl is fol- lowed by a word beginning with a dissimilar vowel, they produce the change called Guna, and when followed by a diphthong, that called Vriddhi, as *nrsr + ^^ = *f?W$t? " the great God," ^ + ^^j = ^^Tsnr " great glory." So in the following examples: viz., F^ + ^PT^T = ^755lW "the rising of the moon," s[^1 + ^ft = sr^ft " a great sage," v5'^^ a good Likiir," ^^f + ^^ = ^c*ti<^ u the
one and only God," ^4-^t*rj=3r^*fj "your supremacy," ^n^-t + ^•STTI = ^^-^-sfTT " a little light," ^^ + >^fk = STPJTl^fst " a bad medicine."
81. Conversion of the Diphthongs. — When a word ends with the diphthongs 4, *?, ^, or ^, and the next word begins with any of the ten vowels in lines first and second, then the diphthongs are respectively changed as follows :
JUNCTION OF CONSONANTS. 93
becomes ^r*r as in •TJR from c*f and
„ „ „
„ „ *Tir* „ br „
•& „ <*mi „ vtf*$ „ csl „
a. This rule is not of much importance to the Bengali student. It is inserted here chiefly on account of the philosophic inge- nuity it displays. In Sanskrit the diphthong Jj e is considered to he made up of the two vowels a and i, as in our words " hair," "fair," etc. The diphthong ^ is made up of a and u, as in the French words "haute" and "faute." Again the vriddld diph- thongs J? and ^ are supposed to be made up of the long a and the i or u combined ; and this accounts clearly and satisfactorily for the changes above mentioned; which consist merely in a reso- lution of the diphthongs into their primary elements, and then the conversion of the final vowels into their corresponding semi- vowels.
82. Junction of Consonants. — In order clearly to com- prehend tlie following rules, the student is particularly requested to make himself thoroughly acquainted with the following classification of the consonants, which, like the vowels, are subject to certain euphonic permutations, when coming in contact with each other. The thirty-three con- sonants are divided into five classes, when taken hori- zontally. Each class is named after the organ by which its letters are uttered, with or without the aid of the tongue : thus,
1 Gutturals ^ k *r kh *f g *r gli <8 n ^ h
2 Falatials F ch T% ch/i ~§i j ^jh *& n *r ?/a *f s/i
3 Cerebrals T> t $ ill "S d u dh «i n ? r *r sh
4 Dentals 3 t <t th if d % dh * n «r I f\ s
5 Labials * p t$ ph ^ I ^ Ih *r m ^ v
94 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
a. The letters of the first class are uttered from the throat ; those of the second, by the tongue and palate ; of the third, by the tip of the tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth ; of the fourth, by the whole edge of the tongue pressed against the upper row of teeth ; lastly, those of the fifth class are uttered by means of the lips only. The letters of each of the five classes are also named after the leading letter of each class : thus, instead of guttural, etc., we may say the 3? ka-class, the F cha- class, etc.
b. The first two letters in each of the five classes are called hard consonants, the second being the aspirate of the first ; the third and fourth are the corresponding soft consonants, the fourth being the aspirate of the third; the fifth is the corre- sponding nasal of each class ; the sixth and seventh are called semi-vowels and sibilants respectively, and arc here arranged under the classes to which they naturally belong.
c. Besides the above classification, there is another of a more simple and general kind, to which we shall have occasion to refer. In this latter classification the whole of the letters of the alphabet are divided into two different orders, called surds and sonants. The ten hard consonants, together with the three sibi- lants, that is, <F, *f; ^, •§•; i>, £; s5, «t ; *f, *P ; *f, *, ?T, are called surds; the rest of the consonants, together with all the vowels, are called sonants.
83. We now proceed to lay down a few general rules respecting the junction and permutation of consonants. The subject, in fact, belongs more to the grammar of the Sanskrit language ; but as the latter enters so freely into the Bengali, it would be improper in us here to overlook it.
Rule First.
"When a word ends with any of the five hard aspirates, and the next begins with a hard letter, aspirated or other-
JUNCTION Of CONSONANTS. 00
wise, the final letter of the first word is changed into its own corresponding unaspirated letter : thus ft-^r^^ ^flfs chitralikh Jcaroti becomes chltralik karoti, li the painter exe- cutes."
Rule Second.
If a word terminates in any hard letter, and the next begins with a soft letter, the hard is changed into its own unaspirated soft, as wfa^ + Jf*TI = "^twTI "a living con- dition;" so <1<K IT <t vdk-devl becomes vdg-dcvi, "the god- dess of speech."
Rule Third.
When a word ends with any of the ten soft consonants, and the next begins with any of the ten hard, the soft is changed into its own corresponding hard : thus, <JT3[W w&fs kumud phullati becomes Jcumut phullati, "the lotus blossoms."
Rule Fourth.
When a word ends with a letter of the ^ class, and the next word begins Avith a letter of the F class, the final of the first word is changed into the F class ; when followed by the i? class, into the T? class; and when followed by ef, into cT, as *r?^ + F^" = •»! ^^ "the autumnal moon," ?T^ + ^T5 = *((^1^ " a good pupil," w^s. 4- w* = ^tfTW^ " people of the world," ^ + vffr=^|fa "flying," ^<t + f%fcf = ^fwf^ " that writing,"
Rule Fifth.
"When the leading letters of each of the five classes, viz., ^, F, F, v5, and ^ arc followed by any sonant letter, that
96 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
is, by a vowel, semi-vowel, nasal, 9f, ^, ^, IT, ?:, or their aspirates, they become *t, 3F, ^, w, and ^ respectively, as ^fst^jf^ = f^9tfst5ff% "lord of the region," ^ + ^= " the six seasons," ^ + ^*Tff = ^5^*f¥ " sprung from it," v5«, + tffo = sw*fi% "that state." "When a nasal follows any of the above letters, the latter are usually changed into nasals of their own class to agree with it, as Tfa + srir = ^t^ "wordy," ^ + frftd'-G = ^fsfwr^ "on that ac- count ;" but the final of the first word may also follow the general rule ; hence there are two forms : thus, ^50, + s^3J may become either ^fci^iu or ^s^J " that man."
Rule Sixth.
If a word ends with ^s or if, and the next begins with *f, the ^ and w become F, and »t is changed to ^, and both are then united, as ^ + •*ft"35' = ^5^1^ "that shastra." If a word ending in ^, ^ or Pf be followed by ^, the ^ and \5 assume their soft sounds, and the ^ is changed into the corresponding aspirate, as Tt^ + ^t^ = Tf*> ^t»r "destitute of speech."
Rule Seventh.
? preceded by *»,•$«,?, S1, becomes «i; but =r preceded by any other short vowel and followed by a vowel, is doubled, as g|- + srfa = «2Nif " shout of applause," ^ + ^rt^n = 7r^t^n " a good spirit." In the same circumstances, ^, ^, and «i are doubled, as W + ^t?Tl == ^"^tTl " shadow of a tree."
Rule Eighth.
~s\ initial preceded by any vowel except ^, ^rl, by a semi-vowel, or any consonant of the first or ^ class, is changed to *r ; and ^ followed by the F class becomes *t ;
•irxcTiox OF CONSONANTS.
followed by the T? class, it becomes 3", as fr -f "prohibited, "srsrJT 4- FtiF-5Rx(?11P "graceful-minded," s F^T? - 5f^«^T? "twang of a bow." If <r iiiuil is followed by any letter of the fourth or "5 elass, it changes that letter to its corresponding one in the third or T? class, as <r*r -f '4 = *& "the sixth."
a. Let us now briefly recapitulate the substance of what we have stated in the preceding eight rules, together with a tew additional remarks. It appears that if two aspirated consonants should meet according to rule tirst, the first must be changed to its own unaspirated letter. The letters ^, T>, T?, and v\. when they open on a nasal, are occasionally changed to their own nasals, but they may retain their own unaspirated soft sounds, as Tf3> + sr*T = ^t^ir or Tt^nr "wordy." Any dental letter opening on a palatial or a cerebral, must be changed to a palatial or a cerebral, as ^s^i, + F = isr^w , and ^s, -f w^J = *>'s&w . When a dental letter opens on the letter «T, it should be changed to oT, as 3T1?, + C^ffa = ^ eff^ • The nasals \g. «i, ^, preceded by a short. vowel, when silent at the end of a word, and followed by a word commencing with a vowel, should be doubled, as ^f^r-f ^"f% = <rt5ffrf% . The letter ^, when beginning a word and pre- ceded by a word terminating in a short vowel, should be doubled, as ~3^f> 4. "grfirj = 3" -if ^Hrl • -^ letter over which a C?"^? *•<•'•> the symbol _ r, is written may be optionally doubled ; thus it is cor- rect either to write <£Tl or ''3, though custom has established
that it should be generally doubled.
b. The letter "3T is both the dental and the labial sibilant ; *f is the palatial, and sr the cerebral and guttural ; that is. when TT opens on a palatial, cerebral, or guttural letter, it must be changed in due order to the sibilant of the same class, as ^T + fF<^ = ^f»5s,, where the letter "3T has been converted into the palatial *f, to agree with the palatial F of f%5,. Further, the letter f{ is convertible into ^ when preceded by any semi- vowel,
98 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
the aspirate, or any vowel but ^ or <3fl. The letter «| is gener- ally substituted for *f, when in the same word it is preceded by 3 or ^, but not if the ^ should be silent at the end of a word, as ^ « do" + ^r = <F£1 " the act of doing."
Of the Symbol Anuswarah and Visargah.
84. Strictly speaking, the anuswarah and visargah ought not to be classed as letters of the alphabet. They are mere symbols or substitutes, representative of other letters, viz., the anuswarah that of one or other of the five nasals, and the visargah that of ? or ~s\. I here, however, follow the practical rules respecting their conversion as laid down by native grammarians. It is a rule, then, that anuswarah followed by a vowel is changed into ^ : thus, "3T° and ^"t^f when combined become ^rsrf^i . "When the anuswarah opens on any letter of the five classes of consonants, it may be changed to the respective nasal of the class, as f what are you doing?"
85. The character s, or visargah, is susceptible of three changes under certain circumstances. First, when fol- lowed by any surd letter, it is changed to ^, as <r^s -f «>fp5 = <r?^tn5 "Jupiter." Second, the visargah is changed to ^ <9, when preceded by the inherent vowel, and fol- lowed by any sonant letter, as 5^?+?^ = ^^?^ ua wish." Third, the visargah is changed to ? when preceded by any vowel but ^ or ^r|, and followed by a sonant letter, as sr^"8 + tFs = ^r^f ~s . "When visargah -is followed by either of the first two letters of the five classes, i.e., by ^ *f, ^ ^, T? %, x5 «T, ^ f$, or by a sibilant, it becomes a sibilant, as ^1§ 4- ^<r = ^^^ " UK^ sun," fr§ +
VISA TIG AIL 0!)
" thoughtlessness," f*%+ »ff%=f5r?rfe " completion." When <$ <t, ft >5, or a sibilant follows, there are two forms, as + ^t«? = f5W§^C8? or c^Sfsra? " glorious," 3IW8+-*rtf%-S or 3r5r**rtf% " peace of mind." When the 8 is preceded by the inherent vowel ^, and followed by ^r or any consonant not included in the preceding rule, it becomes *?, as ^s + ^rfe = "^rtfe "older," C53t8 + *nr = reratsnr "glorious." When any other vowel than ^ follows, it is dropped, as + 4?- = ^SFSJR u therefore."
a. It appears, then, from what we have just stated reaper! ing; the changes undergone by the anuswarah and the i-ixarga/t, that it merely consists in their re-conversion into the letters for which they were originally adopted as conventional symbols.
b. In the older Latin compositions we find the final .v of the nominative case of the second declension occasionally suppressed, on a principle somewhat similar to that which in Sanskrit con- verts it into a viaargah ; with this difference, however, that, in Sanskrit Prosody the short vowel preceding the risarguh is long- by position, whereas in Latin the vowel preceding the suppressed 5 is short. In fact, the >v in Latin seems to have been sup- pressed, in order to have a convenient short vowel on an emergency. This shews, however, that the final A- must have been but slightly sounded, otherwise the Poet would not have taken so much liberty : thus, in the Fragments of Ennuis :
Suavis houio, fanmilii', suo contcutii', bcatus,
Sceitu' secunda lofjiiens in teinpore, commodu', verlniui
Paucuin, etc.
c. The final * in the French words lex Las may be considered as a species of visarguh : and the r in a vast number of Knglish words is very nearly uttered like the same symbol: llius. the /• in the word dark, as we pronounce it, is scarcely perceptible to a foreigner; and a Brahman would probably write the word \5t8^. The Scotch and Irish pronounce the r pure, like the
100
BENGALI GHAMMAR.
natives of Persia and India; a Frenchman, when he pounds the r, perhaps overshoots the mark, particularly if he happens to be in a state of excitement. The final >• in a great many French words (for instance, Infinitives and Nouns of Agency ending in er] may be considered as a visargah.
DERIVATION OF WORDS.
80. In Bengali the derivative words consist principally of substantives and adjectives. They are divided by native grammarians into tvro classes, viz., those derived from sub- stantives, and those derived from verbal roots ; a divi- sion of little practical use. Before we proceed further, however, we would request the student to form a clear notion of the terms Guna and Vriddhi already alluded to in § 77, which he may the more easily do by referring to
the following Table : viz.
^«1 is the change of
or
to
as when
becomes
55 ^ 5;
<»f% is the change of
to
as when wz becomes ^
5,
*
n
55
••
55 ^\ 55
87. Derivative Nouns may be classed under eight heads, viz. — 1. Gentiles; 2. Patronymics; 3. Abstracts; 4. Amplificatives ; o. Diminutives; G. Verbals j 7. Denomi- natives ; 8. Miscellaneous.
DERIVATION OF \OVNS. <)
(t. (h')itilcs, or such nouns as denominate a people or race from the country or city in which they live, are formed by (•hanging the first vowel of the country's name by f'ridd/ii, or by adding some termination, or both together, as from fsrf'snn comes tsjfsT-T "a man of Mithila;" ^t, ("SH^t? "a man of Tudi." The most, common terminations of Gentiles are ^~w and •sfcr, as SrTfq " IVihar," srf^fff (f%FT) "a man of Maghadha or of Bihar," T^", <JtptV "a man of Bengal." Instead of these the words OT^t and C?*TV*r may be added, as '<] y (M *Tt or <T^<>*rtlT- If the name of the country ends in ^T, ^r), ^ or %, the termi- nation1^ is added: thus, •ffa "China," makes cF^t "a Chinese." !>ut if the name of the country already terminates in "5f , the letter IT must be subjoined : thus, from ^t*ft " the city of Benares/' comes ^t^ftlT " an inhabitant of Benares."
l>. Patronymics, or such nouns as mark the descent of a person, are formed from the original word by lengthening the first syllable of it by /"/vV/r////, as fTftT^T " name of a celebrated sage," CH}T3 - a descendant of Gotama;" f*T3", ^^ "a votary or follower of Shiva;" SfSfj Tr'R " a descendant of Mann;" (fi^Tf~s ua man's name," tTRTtfl! "a son of Devadatta." In addition to lengthening the first syllable, some words take a termination like J)TT or IT, and sometimes change their final letters, as '•a descendant of Nara ;" PT*r?^, Ff»T?f«r •'• a descendant of Dasharatha;" ^sfa. "^IT^T "'a descendant of Atri;" ^t^f, f^U "a descendant of Garga;" ^tSf| , ?tT5f?r "a descendant of a kin;" 5", ^^"J "relatin to Indra."
c. jJhsfrfictti, which arc equivalent to English words ending in -s-.v, hood, ship, etc., arc generally formed by the addition of ^TT| or TT, as ^T "long," ft^T^I -•length;" ^5 -good." "goodness;" srf*^ "a man," 511^^" ••manhood;" -£f~5
Cv, (>^ ^
"a lord," £T^ "lordship;" ?$& "white," ^f^Tj (%*(} "white- ness;'-' ~g~5 "'a messenger." ~%aJ or OtW " a message." Sometimes they arc formed by lengthening the fn>t syllabic of the word by
102 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
Friddhi and changing the last; and at others by lengthening
it and adding IT, as <3<F "great," C$}J3 "greatness," "glory;" 5T^ "mild," STfJR "mildness;" f^<[ "steady/' fc^aj "stcdfast- ness;" STsr? "sweet," ^Tf^r "sweetness;" •^•H<l "beautiful," " beaut."
r/. Amplificatives, which convey the idea of increase or multi- tude, are formed by lengthening the first syllable of the word by Vriddhi and occasionally adding ^ or TT, as C=TjT "people," C^)^ " many people ;" C^F^F " a field," c^F5 " many fields ;" <3^R" "a man," (<Tl<FWsr "many men;" (3T*f "hair," kpsr "much hair." The most common way of forming them, however, is by simply adding ^"^t, 3|, or IT!, as *T% "a lotus," stf^Tt "a col- lection of lotuses ;" w^ "a man or person," ^fsnsl "a multitude of persons ;" ^<| " grass," 3^/1 " much grass."
e. Diminutives, which are expressive of something small or contemptible, arc formed by adding to the word the termination
^, ^*r, 3?, ^ft, *ft*T, or 3, as <T5p "a tree," <P5FF "a small tree;" ^f^: "a poet," ^fe:^r "a poetaster;" ^s^ "a horse," ^"•Si"^, ^T«f"5ft " a mule ;" f»^^ " a doctor," f^^sfK " a quack or a miserable doctor ;" <$\ "a hut," ^fcfa " a poor or miserable
Os. dK "
hut," "a cabin."
/. Verbal Pfoiins arc such words as are formed from verbal roots, and signify cither the simple act of the original verb, or the instrument by which the act may be effected. The termination ^w is added to a root, generally converted by gnua, to form verbal nouns implying the act of whatever the root ex- presses : thus, ^je\ "the act of doing," from ^f "do," and ^^ . Tbe termination 3f is added to roots converted by ^«i to form nouns implying the instrument or vessel by which any act is accomplished, as (^3 "the eye," from ^t "to lead;" C^fT^l "the ear," from ££ '-hear." The terminations fs and iri form nouns
VKItHAL NOUNS.
103
denoting the result of an action: thus, ^gtfs •• the action or done," from ^f "do;" frwi "knowledge," from fsw "know." The termination ^srl when suhjoined to a root forms nouns which often imply the result of an action : thus, ^$~] " a search," from 3($f "seek;" but occasionally the noun thus formed has a more general acceptation: thus, TS7T1 "old age," from "ST "waste away;" and \5t?T! "a star," from 35 "pass." There are also several other terminations, as may be seen in the following list : —
ROOTS.
^•T to shine. ^5 to cross, to see. *t to pierce, to hold. ^ to surround.
speaking. ; to speak. i to be angry, to be splendid, to move, to be drunk, to breathe.
X
' to bear.
to sound.
to bind, j to break down,
to tame.
to hear. I to know.
to understand. r to produce.
to crv.
TERMINATIONS.
3
gold. a wave.
the eye.
pain. virtue, justice. an orb, circle.
murmuring. a word. ^T man of low caste.
lightning.
conduct.
wine. T air. the arm. c»r iR a bow.
tx
a wife.
a sword. a rod, punishment.
the ear.
a relation. understanding. an animal. the throat.
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
TERMINATIONS.
to sleep.
to request. ^»1 to shine. < to screen, f to cut.
\VORDS.
a sleep, a dream.
a petition, the sun. armour.
a hole.
g. Denominatives, or nouns of agency, are formed from verbal foots by various terminations like the preceding. The termina- tion \51 is added to a root converted by ^«| to form a concrete noun implying an agent, as ^u1 " a doer, maker, or agent," from ^f " do." Observe, however, that when words formed by ^51 arc in a state of composition, this termination takes the original crude form ^, as when ^ir^ " agency " is formed from ^ul " an agent." The terminations ^5RF m. q^] /. when added to roots augmented by 3"f% also form concrete nouns implying agency, as
F " who causes to do," from ^ "do." The terminations^ m.
/. are, in like manner, added to roots augmented by <rf% to form nouns of agency, as ^t^t »*• <ttf?^t/. " a speaker," from ^ ••speak." The terminations ^s^ in. W^t/. are likewise added to roots to form concrete nouns of agency, as <lSi<? )ji. " a washer- ma:!," <nr^t/. --'a washerman's Avife," from <r§^ "colour." The syllables w\~$ m. ^tft/. are likewise terminations deduced from •§f "do," and added to nouns to form concrete epithets, as ^[^t^ '•' a blacksmith." A few other modes of forming derivatives of this sort may be seen in the following; lL<t : viz.
TERMINATIONS
to do. »r to produce.
to beg. to rejoice, to receive, to bind.
an agent. it father. ? a beggar. a son.
(ft] a receiver, friend.
0- V
DERIVATIVE ADJECTIVES. 105
TERMINATIONS. VOU1;S.
to bark. ^ ^T3 a dog.
<^<X'
^«cT to kill. ^^ ^«7i^ or N»f^<t- a bear.
ff^T to go. v51 *T$1 a traveller.
Two nouns, or a noun and verbal adjective, are often used to form nouns of agency, as "•j^ffo, "$*ft3, ~*£$?, ^^s?, "if^^f "a
//. Miscellaneous. — There are many nouns which cannot be classed under any of the preceding denominations, and which 1 have therefore called miscellaneous, as sr<t, srfu^rl "earth;" ^Jj<j " undying," " ever-living," ^ V fi'fa^st " the immortal place," " heaven," etc. The rules hitherto given refer to words either purely Sanskrit, or at least of Sanskrit origin. The following remarks apply to native words or those used in an idiomatic sense. When the mutual performance of the same thing is to be expressed, the verbal noun ending in ^STI denoting the result of the action is reduplicated, and the letter ^" is substituted for the final ^rl to end with, as^t^tfe "a mutual cutting;" srHrfrtf^ "a mutual beating." Substantives arc also reduplicated in a similar manner, as ^j^t^Tf^ "from ear to ear;" ^3[*rf^[f*t '-face to face." A sound of no perceptible meaning is often made to rhyme with a word to denote such things as generally accompany it : thus, !f5nj5T *• water," etc., the same as ^f«T " water." A svl-
" N \
lable is often reduplicated to imply an imitation of certain sounds, as ^rwqrw "anv pattering sound;" ^r^T "the tinkling of bells."
\ \ • •» V S
The following example will show how such reduplicated words are used : viz. ^rfosfl'^ *ft^ (FT& ^r? ^rf^ffr 1 ^^W STT3 '»rf5T n " \Vounds fall without ceasing and inflict
<X
gashes ; I hear only the din and clanking sound of the battle." DERIVATIVE ADJECTIVES.
88. Derivative adjectives are of two kinds, those formed from nouns like our adjectives ending in able, iblc, ate, cut,
106 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
ous, y, ly, ful, some, etc. ; and those formed from verbs like the English participles ending in ing. The terminations ^T m. Tl /• form adjectives, but the ^r of the masculine is generally dropped in Bengali, though retained in San- skrit: thus, fsrersTw. fsrefsrl/. "pure," "immaculate." The terminations <sr m. ^ /. are of frequent occurrence ; but generally the ^ of the masculine is altogether dropped in Bengali, though retained in Sanskrit : thus, "37»n| m. -y.'kfft1 /. "beautiful." The terminations <ST m. $ f. when joined to nouns whose first syllable has been augmented by <rf%, form adjectives with a meaning implying a rela- tionship to what the noun implies : thus, srfsra " marine," from *mjq "the sea." The terminations ^ m. ^t/. are added to nouns, to imply the being possessed of what the noun signifies: thus, ^lift in. <J?tP^^l /. " lustful," from sefT " lust." The terminations ^ m. Tit/, or *rt^ m. *rft/. also form adjectives denoting the possession of what the noun to which they are added implies : thus, <J(^Tt^ m. ^C^T^ft f- "holy," from <£9f "holiness;" iT^fa in. Tf^rsrft /. "intel- ligent," from "5J% "intellect." The terminations v^ m. ^ft/. are added to nouns augmented by <rf% to denote the possession of what the noun implies : thus, sflfsfe m. " pious," from w " piety." The terminations tr in. or ^ir m. ^rrl /• or <£[$ m. <£($} and ^Tft /. or TT m. ^rl /. are added to nouns to form adjectives implying some kind of re- lationship, either general or particular, with the word which they qualify. The words to which they are added are often augmented by <rfw, as (*t1<K4iy " male," from <itW^ " a man." The terminations ^o and^t^ arc often found joined to roots and nouns to form adjectives denoting the having a ten- dency to what they imply : thus, vif^a having a tendency to sii/cr: "patient," from ^ "bear or endure,"
DERIVATIVE ADJECTIVES. 107
"compassionate," from inn "pity." The terminations ?? and ^ form adjectives denoting possession or propensity ; as ^T? "a lord," from ^*f "power;" fs^ "a beggar,"
from f^sp "beg."
«. A very great number of adjectives expressive of having or possessing the thing indicated by the substantive, is formed by affixing -^, SR, ^TT, *rT^fr, «Ttf?w "holder," and the Hindustani termination ^TrfcTl ; and a few by affixing faw, ^r, ^?r, '^its? , cT, ^cT, ^r, ^r, *f, 3 to nouns: tlius, -$*t "beauty," 3»«t-3^ "beautiful;" ^fsf "a wave," %f?T-3R "wa\T;" wf^T "know- ledge," wff^W "possessing knowledge," "sapient," "wise;" ^cT "strength," ?^T-*rt1%^ "possessing strength," "strong;" TjfH "a cap," gf*f-vS^Tt?n "wearing or holding a cap" (a tcmi applied to Europeans and Christians in general); c^^Tl "memory," CTiTl-f^3* or csrfk? "possessing a good memory," "having capacity to learn;" 3Tf^ "an arrow," ^|4t<[ "having an*ows;" tf-g" "a tooth," w^<[ "tusked;" ffiH "kindness," inrtfj "kind;" "matted hair," snft-cT " having matted hair," " a devotee ;" " hah-," ($ft-*t " hairy."
b. Adjectives formed by adding f3f*f« " having," " possessed of," ^^5 1C^ "joined or connected with," ^psi^ "possessed of," 'STf^Ta' " having," " seized or affected by," and •Spg " swallowed by," "involved in;" though not literally or directly, yet in effect, are of this class, as <Q«i "quality," <Q«l-f%f*r«, WfiW,
"having or possessing qualities ;" <rf?f "anger," "possessed of, or seized by anger." ^rt^T and -^'|^<i " distressed," are generally annexed to nouns signify- ing passions or consequences thereof, as CS^t5^^ " distressed by anger," c*Tf^tfcT "distressed by grief."
c. The following Past Participles arc often employed to ex-
108 BENGALI GEAMMAE.
press the existence in some individual or thine;, of what the noun implies, viz.,, "g^, -535,, ^f^5, f^f^^s, •STS^, ^l^FS or <j»(|^x«. all signifying "joined or attached;" ^f^"93s» possessed of faith: "confiding;" %535 possessed of glory, etc. : "glorious;" *f^r|f^5 jwssessed with fear : " afraid ;" (^•jyiyff^S possessed of youth : " youthful ;" £TSi?t-£i U.^ possessed of shame : " ashamed ;" ^CTtC^S possessed of good qualities : " accomplished ;"
addicted to vice or debauchery : "vicious/' "dissolute;" "turned/' 3TW turned to what is good: "well-disposed;" "pained/' (tftft^j pained by sickness : " sick;" ^f^5 "afflicted," f*TtTff*tf« afflicted with grief: "sorrowful;" £p$ "seized," (-2^4^ seized with love : "in love;" ^Krt^sT "filled," fF^t^T filled with
O^ IK
anxious thoughts- "sad;" ^Tf^lT "attained," f^"^nrW^ over- taken by surprise: "confounded;" Tp^Tg" "gifted," Wt»T5f»^" gifted u'itJi knowledge: "wise;" "^5 "become," T*ft^5 become obedient: "suhmissive ;" ^Tffti^ "filled," C^ft^tf^ filed with splendour: "resplendent;" 3^3 "understood," %£%??$ before un- derstood : " forementioned ;" ^5 " devoted to," ^sr^^T^ devoted to benevoloice : "benevolent;" ~%(~5 "done," ^3~§T5 formerly done: '-former/' "previous;" f^TS "'situated," ST^jf^s situated in the middle: "medial," "central;" ^if^TS "pained," pained at heart : "grieved;" <2fT^| "obtained," lias been changed: "altered," "disfigured;" £T3\ "'acquired,"
acquired through favour : "bestowed;" f^5 "kept," kept u'ithin : "concealed;" W\~s "born," ^^["SfT^ legit i- li mutely born: "legitimate;" f^fir^ '-caused/' f^t^^f^f^r^ caused by prohibition: "preventive;" Wffz53 "moistened," moistened with pity: "affected;" nr^[ " effected,"
effected by proof : "demonstrated;" ^tf^~S or ^5>{Tf^lf"5 " earned," ^"4iTf^f^5 acquired through good works : " deserved/' "merited;" "^f^TJ^rfferS acquired through a husband : -'marital," "conjugal."
DKKIVATIVE KHTHETS. 100
(1. The following epithets imply "fitness": "5*^,
or ^flT5 "lit," thus, fsRff?" deserving of hl<ime: "culpable;" r:«i "fit for empire;" '^qfCOft'® Jit for work : "capable," " active ;" HZ«nf^ as is Jit : " suitable," " much ;" ^| " wished," (is »'.v wished : " sufficient," " satisfactory."
K. Epithets arc very often formed from a past participle and a noun implying a substance, to express some new con- nection of one subject to another : thus, sift's " adorned," <l 3 n f<3~5 adorned with gems : "jewelled;" $jf^5 " inlaid," srft^lfF^ inlaid with gems: "jewelled;" frfsrs "fashioned," C3\$ffiw$ formed of iron : " of iron ;" ^T°^5 " covered," <l<^j^7T0^"3 covered with hark: "dressed in bark;" ^Ti^5" taken place," C^Tt?^ri^5 impregnated with iron : " chalybeate."
/. The absence or loss of whatever the noun implies is often expressed by subjoining the following participles : viz. ^fa " des- titute," fTSTf^fa destitute of knowledge: " illiterate ;" ^f^5 " de- serted," •^5T?<rf^5 without food: " foodlcss/' " destitute ;" ^fsfs "abandoned," "at^T^fsf^ without reflection: "heedless;" ^z " fallen," Wff$^ fallen from hirtlmght : "outcast ;" ^5 "' de- stroyed," WH^4> bereft of consciousness : " confounded."
g. Epithets implying1 similarity are very frequently formed with the following terminations : viz. TfWtsr, ^2T, £ftlT, ^i^f, WT9" or ir*f "like," thus, f^js.TT^Tf'f like lightning: "quick," "nim- ble;" F^"^" moon-like : "lunar," "beautiful;" ^t5flf^?T5f^ftir like an emperor: "imperial;" f^FSl^f like a father: "fatherly," "'paternal;" ^ffetTT heaven-like: "heavenly," "celestial;" ^nv^f like the good : " virtuous," " worthy."
h. The word ^ literally denotes "form" or "'shape," hence, "similitude;" but in composition it further signifies "composed
110 BENGALI GRAMMAR.
of," or "consisting1 of;" hence it is in a very limited degree equivalent to a genitive sign, as thus stated by Dr. Yates : ' The possessive case is supplied by 3^ " form," when the language is not natural but figurative, as *l>§J4»*f ^§f " the cords of death," sff^rt'Wf *rn3 " the cup of salvation," c*ft^W*l' *stf$ " the fire of distress." This word <s*t must not be confounded with its cognate ^3f*f : the former may always be explained by " having or assuming the form of," as C*Tf^?f^f ^f?f " fire having the form of grief;" the latter, ^W*^ may always be explained by "being' a peculiar form of," as ^"f^f^^t C*fft? " grief being a peculiar form of fire," \4t^t? *fjrfa*f ftra^S^T sHT " his advice is poison," that is, " a peculiar form of poison."
i. The subjoined epithets have a word implying an agent as the last member of the compound, and no remark need be made respecting them, except that their feminines arc formed by ^"•ft like other attributives in ^ . See § 88. Wtf\ " making," ^rsDtfs^fft making dishonour: "dishonouring;" ^t^fft "help- ing," ^nr^t^ftFllft helping another: "kind," "humane;" "speaking," fastJlTffft speaking falsehood: "lying;" ' "censuring," ^t^t^t^tft censuring others: "slanderous;" "going," ^sffffsft going before: "preceding;" ^Renft " Ac- pending," ^5^fjt"5cT"^t depending on firmness: "patient;" ^ift "abiding," ST^R^t abiding in the middle: "centra]," "medial;" •"ft^t " disposed to," ^^Ff^Tt^t disposed to assistance,: "bene- ficent;" sp'srt "destroying," ^«t^t?^°"^t destroying kindness: "ungrateful;" tf^t " seeing," ft^HP^t seeing long (before] : "pro- vident," "cautious;" ^twt "desiring," ^T^^t^t^t^s^t desiring at- tachment: " affectionate," "fond ;" ^"|7Tt " staying," ^^ft staying in the atmosphere', "aerial;" ^^t " desiring," desiring food: "hungry," "destitute;" «rf*rt "abandoning," abandoning right: "reprobate;" 3JTft " consuming,"
DERIVATIVE EPITHETS. Ill
consuming ichat\s ascertained: "economical ;" <Tffft " passionate," ^wi^»«|<rffTt passionate from moment to moment : "peevish;" ^^4f6rt " delight ing," ^$*i1t(<l1f?t delighting in his oivn acts: "vain-glorious ;" ^>it^<^t "following," "^fSSTtflft following orders: "obedient;" ^^vil^t "following,"
following the ordinances: "orthodox;" "sr^nfTft "following, ^ t 93'ft^ \ijft following orders: " obedient ; "
-well-wishing: "benevolent."
A-. The following; epithets arc likewise formed by a termination implying an agent: viz. tftlRF " giving," f^^tFf^ g> 'ring alms : "charitable;" ^R? "producing," v» ij §» •) <^ producing fear : "ter- rific;" If *T?F " shewing," ^fVglf*^ .shewing ichat\s not desired: "ominous;" "^"^<f " wishing," ^^CUJi^^ desiring power: "am-
s d-* (S.
bitious," "worldly-minded;" ^<r^ "fulfilling," IftftqfjR fulfilling wishes: "kind," "humane;" STfW "destroying," f^^Tr^rf^ destroying confidence: "treacherous;" ^|lft'»f^ "exhibiting," 7^«15f^t*t<f exhibiting self-qualifications: "ostentatious,," "vain- glorious."
/. The following inseparable terminations serve to form epi- thets, that are of very frequent occurrence ; they are all either past participles, or the contractions of words implying an agent : F<3[ "moving," ^f5TF£ moving in the icuter: "aquatic;" ^ "doing," ^JfCi|'f^<-^[ causing uneasiness: "persecuting;" ^"stand- ing," ?w^ standing in the middle: " medial," " an umpire ;" ft "going," ^5f>5fft "going before: "preceding;" ft "singing," ^TfSTff "singing the Sfima Ved;" w "knowing," Tf^w knowing all things: "'omniscient;" ^ "destroying," '•tsf*^ "killing the foe ;" ^<[ " seizing," sn^Tf^T captivating the heart : " fascinating;" If "giving," ^T^l? giving food: "charitable;" ^f "born," ^-t^TSf arising from lust: "libidinous."
fn. When the inseparable terminations XfiT m. srft/. are added
112 BENGAL! GRAMMAR.
to a substance, it implies the being made up of it, or tlic being filled with it: thus, "srg "composed of," ^W^T made of wood; "wooden." The termination ^ " empty," "void of," seems very much the opposite of 5r?T, and is of common occurrence : thus, "g^J "empty," srjT^W destitute of men: "uninhabited." The inseparable termination -^T implies a natural disposition to any quality to which it is subjoined: thus, •*rt=T "disposed to," disposed to fear : " fearful," " timid."
n. The following adjectives being added to words, form at- tributives : viz. 3T3«R? " having cause," <s^C<rf*r^<r«re effected ly complaisance: "complaisant," "kind;" ^TtlT^ "'inherent," F^irt^r^ consisting of four : " quadruple ;" ^A " being pre- vious," f^TTT^^ with previous humility, "humble;" ^^ "having an agent," ~^&$~Q^ having another for an agent i "done b another."
o. The adjuncts <£T~^ and ^ij^ will require some further illustration, as they are peculiar in their use : they both are em- ployed in place of the instrumental case, as we stated § 23. The first implies the manner how any act was performed ; and the latter describes the agent by whom anything was accomplished, and therefore requires the verb in the passive voice : thus, (^ flrTSl ~*FF3 **>T\Fsf fe^^F frwtH 3f^r5f% 1 "O ye host of Cods ! I make a ]i\nn\lit\-j)receding representation." The above ( x unplc is therefore equivalent to "a representation preceded hy humility," i.e. " an humble representation." Again, ^ff^lRRj^' 1 "that is declared by the Pandit," or "the
Pandit being the agent that is declared."
]>. We now conclude with two lists of adjectives formed in various ways, the first from nouns, the second from verbs.
IiKUIVATIVi: AD.TECTIVKS.
11:5
1. Adjectives fanned from \ouns.
xorxs. 5P lac dve.
TLKM I NATION'S.
knowledge.
end.
hind part, a race.
hell, wind, work, fear.
wisdom, a tooth, honey. 5 coldness, fear. Pf hair.
knowledge. ^ brightness. TTfa" hair, pa work.
'2. Adjectives formed from T'crlis.
The largest class of this sort is that ending in ^ (^w\ as p-w), " standing/' ^T?Tt (9"^), "doing," gfSJTrt ( ^sj ) 'kbc- lieving;" but there are many other ways of forming adjectives from verbs as may be seen in the following table:
*T
r<^ dvod \\-ilh la<-. \\"i<e.
r^r last.
"3 slippery, honourable. rt~5" hollisli. ^t hypochondriac. 3-"*iJ# diligent. ^fr terriiic. ^snr sinful.
wise.
^J dental, sweet. ^ cold. ^t^T^j ^t^^ timid, hairy, wise.
(TSpfj" (^v) bright, glorious, hairy.
f^t diliii'ent.
ROOTS.
to go.
to live, to fear.
•\YOHDS.
^^ moving; a v/>iy. "v living. r terrifyins:.
8
114
BENGALI GRAMMAR.
TERMINATION'S.
tf?r to pity. TT^ to bear.
N
sTff to be soft.
«- \
^^ to break. ^ff? to awake. *W to be bold.
*^ V
to eat. sr to bow.
s
*T to perish. 1 to stand. Sf to conquer.
pitying, bearing, mild.
breaking, brittle.
waking, daring.
ravening, yielding, humble. <[ perilling.
standing, stationary.
conf{ucring.
DERIVATIVE VERBS.
89. We have already explained, § 50, how causal verbs are derived from their primitives ; it remains only to say a few words on the derivation of Bengali verbs from Sanskrit roots. As a general rule, if the Sanskrit root ends with a consonant, the Bengali verbal noun is formed from it by adding '^•r, and sometimes changing the vowel of the root by guna or vriddhi, especially such as end in the anomalous vowel *n n, thus :
VERILVL XOUX.
worshipping.
counting.
taking up.
or C^T^R writing.
vomiting. happening. blazing.
VrilRAL NOUN.
bearing. laughing. doing.
si<r<i taking hold. (-lying. taking by force,
stealing.
COMPOSITION OF WORDS.
11"
Roots ending witli a double consonant, the first of wliieh is a nasal, usually change the latter to *' and lengthen the preceding vowel, as "STST, Nsft^sf " marking," ap7*, ft¥^ "weeping," ^, ^f^ "sharing out," w, Tf'<^ " binding."
The following may be regarded as irregular in their formation, though with one exception regular in their conjugation after they are formed: —
fcr
vfl ^
VERHAL NOUN.
obtainin with
speaking, buying, selling, singing, awaking, knowing, flying,