Karnatakabhashabhushana 1

Now begins the formation of Kannada words.

Here the word "atha" is used at the beginning for the purpose of auspiciousness, according to the well-known dictum: "Treatises with auspicious beginnings flourish." Or it has the sense of a governing rule. The meaning is: the formation of words in the domain of Kannada is being undertaken by me.

[1] The phonemes beginning with *a* are well known.

The phonemes beginning with *a* and ending with *ha* are indeed to be understood as well established. Since they are established from beginningless time, they need not be taught otherwise.

[2] Among them, the first fourteen are vowels.

Among those phonemes beginning with *a*, the fourteen phonemes situated at the beginning receive the technical term "vowel". Which are they? *a ā*, *i ī*, *u ū*, *ṛ ṝ*, *ḷ ḹ*, *e*, *ai*, *o*, *au*.

[3] Having one, two, or three morae, they are short, long, and protracted.

The employment of that word "they" (*tē*) is for the sake of individual instances. Among the individual instances of vowels beginning with *a*, those phonemes having one, two, or three morae are, respectively, short, long, and protracted.

*a*

*ā*

*ā3*

*i*

*ī*

*ī3*

and so forth.

From the standpoint of generality, the count also is not contradicted.

[4] *e* and *o* are also short.

Both *e* and *o* are also short in some instances in the language. This statement is made because of the instruction that "diphthongs are always long."

*ele*

*ēle*

*sele*

*sēle*

*ole*

*ōle*

*gole*

*gōle*

[5] The thirty-three beginning with *ka* are consonants.

Those phonemes beginning with *ka* and numbering thirty-three individually receive the technical term "consonant". Which are they? *k kh g gh ṅ*, *c ch j jh ñ*, *ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ*, *t th d dh n*, *p ph b bh m*, *y r l v ś ṣ s h*.

[6] Those ending in *ma* are five consonant classes of five each.

Furthermore, those phonemes beginning with *ka* and ending with *ma*, grouped five by five, are to be known as five consonant classes. Which are they? *k kh g gh ṅ*, *c ch j jh ñ*, *ṭ ṭh ḍ ḍh ṇ*, *t th d dh n*, *p ph b bh m*.

[7] The fifth of these are nasals.

The phonemes situated at the end of those consonant classes receive the technical term "nasal". Which are they? *ṅa*, *ña*, *ṇa*, *na*, *ma*.

[8] Optionally, *ya*, *va*, and *la* [are nasals].

These phonemes—*ya*, *va*, and *la*—are optionally given the technical term "nasal".

For example:

*saṁyutaṁ*

*samyutaṁ*

*sēṁve*

*sēve*

*kaṁlene kanaldu*

*kallene kanaldu*

*yaṁlōkaṁ*

*yallōkaṁ*

*jaṁvaṁ*

*javaṁ*

*gāṁve*

*gāve*

*ōṁvaṁ*

*ōvaṁ*

*kāṁvaṁ*

*kāvaṁ*

*oṁlaneyonaldu*

*ollaneyonaldu*

and so forth.

[9] *la*, *ra*, and *ḍa* become *ḷa*, *ṟa*, and *ḻa* through dependence on articulatory effort.

These phonemes—*la*, *ra*, and *ḍa*—become *ḷa*, *ṟa*, and *ḻa* on account of a particular articulatory effort. This rule is undertaken because they are fit for distinct usage in the vernacular.

For example:

*vole*

voḷe,

kale,

kaḷe,

more,

moṟe,

mare,

maṟe,

kaḍal,

kaḻal,

kūḍi,

kūḻi,

and so forth.

In Sanskrit words, however, they are identical:

salilaṁ,

saḷiḷaṁ;

khaḍgaṁ,

khaḻgaṁ.

[Sūtra 11:] Here [in Kannada], the second and fourth [consonants] of consonant classes generally do not occur.

In this domain of Kannada, the second and fourth letters of the consonant classes—kha, cha, ṭha, tha, pha and gha, jha, ḍha, dha, bha—generally do not occur. By the statement "generally," they are seen in some instances, such as in numerals, onomatopoeia, and so forth. How so?

First, in numerals:

irchāsiraṁ,

eṇchāsiraṁ,

nūrchāsiraṁ.

In onomatopoeia:

khammene,

ghaḻelene,

challene,

paṭhilene,

duḍhummene,

thokkene,

dhoppene,

bhōṅkene.

From the mention of "and so forth," elsewhere also:

ghaḻiyaṁ,

jhaḷaṁ,

ṭhakku,

ḍhokkaraṁ,

dhaḻaṁ,

bharam.

[Sūtra 12:] And śa and ṣa [do not occur].

Both the phonemes śa and ṣa do not exist in this domain of Kannada.

sasi,

sisu,

sēse.

[Sūtra 13:] The four vowels beginning with ṛ [do not occur].

These four vowels—ṛ, ṝ, ḷ, and ḹ—also do not exist in the domain of Kannada.

risi,

basavaṁ,

and so forth.

[Sūtra 14:] The anusvāra dot is the anusvāra.

The dot resembling a perfectly round, prominent pearl receives the technical term anusvāra. Because this dot cannot be used alone, the letter a is placed near it, as: aṁ.

[Sūtra 15:] That [dot placed] above and below is the visarga.

That very dot, arranged above and below, receives the technical term visarga, as: aḥ.

[Sūtra 16:] An inflected word is that which ends in a case inflection.

Whatever word form ends in a nominal or verbal inflection receives the technical term of inflected word.

keyvolaṁ divadante sasiyindesedattu.

[Sūtra 17:] Continuous phonological text is mutual proximity.

The mutual, reciprocal proximity and close contact of adjacent phonemes is called continuous phonological text or euphonic combination.

Thus ends the first chapter, called "Rule of Technical Terms," in the Commentary on Kannada Grammar.