Wilson Philological Lectures on Sanskrit and the Derived Languages c7.17.2

c7.17.2

Thus, भक्त if pronounced in the manner I have described becomes भक्-त, but, if the previous vowel sound is weak, it becomes भ-क्त, in which case, in consequence of the absence of momentum, the pressure cannot be strong, and the conjunct character is not fully brought out. What we find in the Pâli, therefore, is that the passage from one vocal position to another is avoided, and the more distinct sound only, whether of the first member or the second, is pronounced with this forcible previous vowel breath and the succeeding strong contact and pressure; that is we have a conjunct as before, but it is made up not of two different letters, but of two of the same kind. Hence the instances noted above and also धम्म for धर्म, जम्म for जन्म, यञ्ञ for यज्ञ, सद्द for शब्द, दुद्ध for दुग्ध, खग्ग for खड्ग, सुग्ग for सुहृ, अब्भुत for अद्भुत, लद्ध for लब्ध, उक्का for उल्का, अप्प for अल्प, तप्पण for तर्पण, अय्य for आर्य &c. But an attempt is made to pronounce the other sound also, and such of its elements as can go in with that which is uttered without involving change of position are transferred to it, that is, in effect the Pâli speaker treated a conjunct consonant as one sound possessing the characteristics of both. Thus the heavy *s'vâsa* or simple breath of स्, श, and ष in the conjuncts स्क, ष्क्, श्र, श्च, स्त, स्प and ष्प is combined with the distinct sounds क्, च्, ट्, त्, and प् and we have ख, छ, ठ, थ, and फ for those conjuncts;