[Y-Indology] Short explanation of sandhi

[Guest guest]

A short non-scholarly explanation of the Sandhi in Sanskrit

 

Like Cresis in Greek, the point is to be as epigrammatic as possible.

Sanskrit is a language where is it possible to say a lot in a very few words.

In order to achieve this one uses Cresis or Sandhi.

 

Sandhi is of three types

phonetic, syntactic, semantic

 

One reason for phonetic Sandhi is that it makes the two joined words easier to

pronounce.

 

For instance,

 

Sat + Guru = Sadguru

 

The letter "da" and the letter "ga" in Devnagri are known as "ghosh" letters.

The letters "ta" and "ka" are "aghosh" letters. Phonetically, ghosh letters

combine well in conjunction with other ghosh letters. They are easier to

pronounce. Like, it would be difficult to pronounce Satguru, it is easier to

pronounce Sadguru. -

 

Another common example is taken from our national emblem.

 

"Satyam ev Jayate" is written correctly after Sandhi as "Satyamev Jayate."

Again it is easier to pronounce as well as shorter to use "Satyamev" than

"satyam ev".

 

Arabic also uses the phonetic Sandhi. For example,

 

Abdul Samad becomes Abdussamad.

 

Azhar al Din becomes Azharuddin.

 

Shams al din becomes Shamsuddin.

 

 

Manish

 

HINDI GRANTH KARYALAY

www.hindibooks.8m.com

[Guest guest]

Sanskrit words change due to sandhi for euphony. This is also the case

in English,

for example, "in-" in the sense of "opposite of","not" (e.g. inactive,

inequality,inimitable,

inoperative etc) becomes

(a) "il-" ,e.g., illegal, illogical etc.

(b) "im-", e.g., immovable, impossible, impure etc.

© "ir-", e.g., irregular, irrelevant etc.

 

Regards.

 

Narayan Prasad

 

-

"Harry Spier" <harryspier

<indology>

Wednesday, October 16, 2002 7:52 AM

[Y-Indology] Short explanation of sandhi

 

 

> Dear list members,

>

> Someone who is editing an english book that has a large number of quotes

and

> translations from sanskrit sutras and with explanations/translations of

the

> individual words or phrases of the sutras has asked me to come up with a

> short (2 or 3 sentences at most) explanation of why sanskrit words change

> due to sandhi. The audience of the book would in general not be people

who

> knew sanskrit but were interested in the sutras for religious reasons.

Try

> as I may I've been unable to come up with anything that would be short,

> simple, ACCURATE and understandable to people (non-linguists) who didn't

> know Sanskrit.

>

> Any suggestions?

>

> Thanks,

> Harry

>

>

>

> Harry Spier

> 371 Brickman Rd.

> Hurleyville, New York

> USA 12747

>

>

>

>

> _______________

> Internet access plans that fit your lifestyle -- join MSN.

> http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/default.asp

>

>

>

>

> indology

>

>

>

> Your use of is subject to

>

 

 

 

 

Everything you'll ever need on one web page

from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts

http://uk.my.