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Another consonant assimilation

Another consonant assimilation

  • Regressive Assimilation with prefixes ud- ; dur- ; nir-

When prefixes ud- ; dur- ; nir- combine with roots beginning with a consonant, some regressive assimilation takes place.

prefix root assimilation word meaning
ud √pad d + p > pp uppajjati appears; arises
ud √gah d + g > gg uggaṇhāti picks up
dur √car r + c > cc duccarita misconduct
dur √thūl r + th > tth > ṭṭh duṭṭhulla heavy
nir √kuh r + k > kk nikkuha not deceitful
nir √mal r + m > mm nimmala spotless
sat dhamma t + dh > ddh saddhamma true doctrine
  • Sanskrit influence assimilation

Some roots which in Sanskrit have a double consonant become one consonant in Pāli. The first consonant of such a root may duplicate in combination with a prefix(s) ending in a vowel.

prefix sk root pāli root word meaning
pa √kram √kam pakkamati goes away
upa √sthā √ṭhā upaṭṭhāpeti establishes
pati √grah √gah paṭiggaheti takes; accepts
pati √śru √su paṭissuṇāti agrees; assents

But, as usual, there are exceptions.