Contents

 

Vowel Gradation

A scheme of vowel gradation is (in principle) acheived as follows:

 

VAi = a + GAi Yia + a

 

 

(D1)

GAi = a + Ai Yia

 

 

(D2)

Ai = a  ī̆  ū̆  ṝ̆  

 

 

(D3)

 

This can written out (with a few exceptions) as:

 

lengthened (vṛddhi)

ā

ai

au

ār

āl

full (guṇa)

a

e

ya

o

va

ar

ra

al

la

[normal]

ā̆

ī̆

ya

ū̆

va

ṝ̆

ra

la

[samprasāraṇa]

 

 

ī̆

 

ū̆

 

ṝ̆

 

 

Note:

 

are quoted differently having:

1) A = Ai

2) A = Yia.

 

The second kind is capable of weakening as seen above. This is called samprasāraṇa.

 

Notation:

having A in the vṛddhi-row is denoted by V

having A in the guṇa-row is denoted by G

having A in the [normal]-row is denoted by

 

W denotes:

1) of the first kind in the [normal]-row or

2) of the second kind in the [samprasāraṇa]-row.

 

WA denotes the A in W.

 

= 1K A2K which are prosodically long show no gradation