General “Rules” for Compounds

General “Rules” for Compounds¶

1. the first member can be a noun, adjective, participles, pronoun, number, adverb or prefix.

2. nouns, adjectives, pronouns, numbers and participles occur in the stem form / dictionary form / vocative singular.

3. some stems ending in -a change their final vowel to -ī when compounded with √bhū and √kar

missa + bhāva > missībhāva (mixed state = mixing)

yāna + kata > yānīkata (made a vehicle = mastered)

bahula + kata > bahulīkata (frequent made = practiced a lot)

4. masculine stems ending in -ū, ā, ī get shortened to -u, a, i

viññū + garahita > viññugarahita (blamed by wise)

cattālīsā + danta > cattālīsadanta (forty teeth)

hatthī + damaka > hatthidamaka (elephant tamer)

5. go- (cow) remains unchanged before a consonant, but becomes gav- before a vowel.

go + maya > gomaya (made of cow = cow dung)

go + pāla > gopāla (cow protector = cowboy)

go + assa > gavassa (cows and horses)

6. feminine stems ending in -ī often get shortened

dāsī + dāsa > dāsidāsa (maid and manservant)

7. ratti (night) sometimes gets changed to ratta in compounds, normally when it means “day/time”.

dīgha + ratta + aṃ > dīgharattaṃ (for a long time)

8. mātar and pitar occur in mātu- and pitu- form in some compounds, and sometimes in the form matti- and petti-

mātar + gāma > mātugāma (woman, womankind; lit. collection of mothers)

pitar + rakkhita > piturakkhita (protected by a father)

mātar + pitu > mātāpitaro (mother and father)

pitar + maha > pitāmaha (grandfather)

mātar + sambhava > mattisambhava (born from a mother)

9. the numeral 2 often occurs in unusual forms in compounds. dvi- dve- di- du- duv-

dvi + pada > dvipada (two footed)

dvi + ti > dveti (two or three)

dvi + ja > dija (twice born = bird or Brahman)

dvi + vidha > duvidha (two-fold; of two kinds)

10. the numeral 4 often occurs in unusual forms in compounds. catu- cātu- catur-

catu + vidha > catubbidha (four kinds; fourfold)

catu + aṅgula > caturaṅgula (four fingers)

catu + mahanta + patha > cātumahāpatha (4 great roads = crossroads)

11. the numeral 6 often occurs in unusual forms in compounds. cha- chaḷ- saḷ-

cha + tiṃsā > chattiṃsā (thirty six)

cha + abhiñña > chaḷabhiñña (six higher knowledges)

cha + āyatana > saḷāyatana (six sense fields)

12. compounds follow the normal rules of sandhi

suñña + āgāra > suññāgāra (empty dwelling)

mahanta > mahā + ogha > mahogha (great flood)

anu + addhamāsaṃ > anvaddhamāsaṃ (every half month)