A Gujarati Reference Grammar [Reprint 2016 ed.] 9781512801224

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A Gujarati Reference Grammar

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH ASIA REGIONAL STUDIES, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA

A Gujarati Reference Grammar By George Cardona

Philadelphia

The University of Pennsylvania Press

(g) 1965 by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Published in Great Britain, India, and Pakistan by the Oxford University Press London, Bombay, and Karachi Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 65-28128

The research reported herein was performed pursuant to a contract with the United States Office of Education, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, under provision of the Language Development Program, NDEA.

Printed in the United States of America

Preface

As the language of Gandhi, Gujarati has a claim to our interest. As the mother tongue of merchants throughout India and on to East Africa, it spreads far beyond the limits of Gujarat State. The need for an up to date treatment of Gujarati was recognized by a committee which met at the University of Pennsylvania in January 1960: see Resources for South Asia Language Studies in the United States (ed. W . N . B r o w n ) , p. 12. This grammar was begun to fill that requirement. It is basically intended for use in teaching Gujarati by the aural-lingual method under the guidance of a linguist, though I hope it will be useful to anyone interested in Indo-Aryan languages. My work on this grammar was done under contract with the U. S. Office of Education from September, 1962, to September, 1964. I spent the academic year 1962-63 in the Gujarat and the grammar was written at the University of Pennsylvania during the year 1963-64. I wish to thank all those who aided me in my work. My principal informants were: D. M.Joshi (Porbandar, Saurashtra), P. J.Mistry (Phansa, Southern Gujarat), S. Parkeh (Baroda), and A. D.Parikh (Surat). D. M. Joshi was also my research assistant during the year 1963-64. I am indebted also to Prof. B. J . Sandesara and Dr. U. P. Shah, Director and Deputy Director, respectively, of the Oriental Institute, M. S. University of Baroda, who made available to me the facilities of their Institute while I was in Baroda. Travelling through the Gujarat with my family would have been considerably less pleasurable without the generous hospitality we received from some missionary families. I would especially thank Dr. and Mrs. L. Blickenstaff of Ankleswar and Rev. and Mrs. R. Boyd of Ahmedabad. L. Lisker and F. Southworth, my colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania, have placed me in their debt by reading and offering comments on the grammar. I am especially indebted, however, to P. B. Pandit. Frequent discussions with him while I was at Ahmedabad helped me in my analysis of the language, and his detailed comments on all but §10 of the grammar contributed to the correctness of the description. I would not fail to mention with gratitude the excellent job of typing done by Mrs. C. Jones. Finally, I would express my warmest appreciation to W. Norman Brown, 5

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Chairman of the Department of South Asia Regional Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Without his support I could not have carried out this work. T h e publication of this work was made possible by a generous subvention from the U.S. Office of Education, and I wish to thank Mr. J a m e s Alatis of that department for his wholehearted cooperation.

Introduction

Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language. It is spoken by approximately twenty-one million people, and is the official language of Gujarat State. This study is a reference grammar of the standard language as taught in schools and universities and used by educated speakers. T h i s standard language coincides in general with the major dialect spoken in the area extending from Baroda and its environs northwesterly to and including Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat State. T h r e e other major dialects are traditionally recognized: Surati (after the Southern Gujarati city of Surat) ; Kathiawari, spoken in Saurashtra (Kathiawar) to the southwest of Ahmedabad; and a northern dialect (or Pattani after the city Patan), spoken to the north of Ahmedabad. These are not precise dialect descriptions, and none of these traditional dialects is unitary, but a detailed study of Gujarati dialects is not available. T h e fairly frequent reference to 'some speakers' in the present work is therefore to be understood as indicating what I consider to be dialectal variation, and the vagueness of the expression is due to the lack of precise information about Gujarati dialects. Previous studies of Gujarati are not lacking. However, the only reasonably comprehensive grammars written have all fitted Gujarati into the Sanskrit mold. Of the grammars written in English, two must be mentioned: 1. Taylor, G. P.: The Student's Gujarati Grammar; third edition, revised by E. R. L. Lewis. Surat: 1944. T h i s is a detailed grammar written in the Sanskrit mold. Many usages illustrated, however, are old-fashioned, and there is a clear penchant toward biblical translation. A comprehensive list of older Gujarati grammars is given on pp. xvi-xviii. 2. Tisdall, W. St. Clair Towers: A Simplified Grammar of the Gujarati Language; 1892; reprinted, New York: 1961. T h i s grammar does not follow the Sanskrit mold, but it is little more than a series of paradigms. Short reading selections are included. T h o u g h it is not technically a grammar, I think this group of references best accommodates: 3. Grierson, G. A. : Gujarati, in Linguistic Survey of India, Vol. IX, Pt. 2, pp. 323-477.

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T h e f o l l o w i n g is a list of studies t r e a t i n g specific f e a t u r e s of G u j a r a t i , n e a r l y all restricted to phonology. I i n c l u d e some articles w h i c h are historically o r i e n t e d because they i n c l u d e discussions p e r t i n e n t to the synchronic d e s c r i p t i o n of G u j a r a t i . All articles e x c e p t P a n d i t e) a r e in English. I am i n d e b t e d to Ashok Kelkar f o r some references. 1. Dave, T . N . : N o t e s o n G u j a r a t i P h o n o l o g y . Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, 6. 673-8 (1930-2). 2. G r i e r s o n , G. Α.: O n the Stress Accent in M o d e r n I n d o - A r y a n . Journal of the Royal Asiastic Society, 1895. 139-47. 3. Master, Α.: a) Stress Accent in M o d e r n G u j a r a t i . Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, N e w Series 1. 76-94 (1925) . b) Some English L o a n - w o r d s in G u j a r a t i . Bulletin of the School of Oriental Studies, 10. 25-30 (1940-2) . 4. P a n d i t , P. B.: a) E a n d O in G u j r a t i . Indian Linguistics, 15. 14-54 (1955-6) . b) Nasalization, A s p i r a t i o n a n d M u r m u r in G u j a r a t i . Indian Linguistics, 17. 165-72 ( 1 9 5 7 ) . c) D u r a t i o n , Syllable a n d J u n c t u r e in G u j a r a t i . Turner Jubilee Volume I (Indian Linguistics). 212-18 (1958) . d) Historical p h o n o l o g y of G u j a r a t i vowels. Language 37. 54-66 (1961) . e) g u j r a t i n u N d h w a n i t a n t r a . j o u r n a l samskrti, O c t o b e r , 1962. 374-84; N o v e m b e r , 1962. 420-8. 5. F i r t h , J . R.: P h o n e t i c O b s e r v a t i o n s o n G u j a r a t i . Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Languages, 20. 231-41 (1957) . 6. T u r n e r , R. L.: a) T h e Suffixes -ne a n d -no in G u j a r a t i . Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1914. 1033-8. b) T h e I n d o - A r y a n Nasals in G u j a r a t i . Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1915. 17-34. c) Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1916. 213-29: discussion of G u j a r a t i in a n article T h e I n d o - G e r m a n i c A c c e n t in M a r a t h i . d) G u j a r a t i Phonology. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1921. 32965, 505-44. e) T h e e a n d o Vowels in G u j a r a t i , in Sir A su tosh Mookerjee Silver Jubilee Volumes, Vol. I l l , Orientalia—Part 2. C a l c u t t a : 1925. pp. 33747. T h e r e is n o very satisfactory G u j a r a t i - E n g l i s h , E n g l i s h - G u j a r a t i dictionary, b u t m e n t i o n m a y be m a d e of a n a d e q u a t e o n e : The Modern Gujarati-English Dictionary. C o m p i l e d by Β. N. M e h t a a n d B. B. M e h t a . B a r o d a : 1925. T h e s t a n d a r d m o n o l i n g u a l G u j a r a t i d i c t i n a r y is t h e jodnikoL T h i s is n o t in p r i n t a n d h a r d l y available, b u t a n a b r i d g e d version is available: winit jodnikos. g u j r a t w i d y a p i t h . a m d a w a d : 1954. Pp. 5-12 give the spelling r u l e s usually followed.

INTRODUCTION

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T h e best i n t r o d u c t i o n to the G u j a r a t i writing system appears in: Lambert, H. M.: Introduction to the Devanägari script; L o n d o n , 1953. T h o u g h I am not c o n c e r n e d with G u j a r a t i literature in this work, it seems a p p r o p r i a t e to refer to the few English treatments for those who may take an interest in the l i t e r a t u r e of the G u j a r a t . K. M. M u n s h i : Gujarat and its Literature (from early times to 1852) ; seco n d edition. B o m b a y : Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1954. K. M. M u n s h i in Literatures in Modern India. New Delhi: 1957. pp. 67-73. M. J h a v e r i : G u j a r a t i L i t e r a t u r e , in Contemporary Indian Literature; seco n d edition. N e w Delhi: 1959. pp. 59-77. M. Joshi in Literatures in Modern India, pp. 179-96.

Contents

Preface Introduction §1. Phonology Inventory of phonemes §1.1. Vowels 1.1.1. Qualitative variants 1.1.2. Quanitative variants 1.1.3. Distributional limitations 1.1.4. Illustrations of contrasts §1.2. Consonants 1.2.1. Stops a. Released and unreleased variants b. Spirantal variants c. Flapped d d. Illustrations of contrasts 1.2.2. Spirants 1.2.3. Nasals 1.2.4. Laterals 1.2.5. Flap 1.2.6. Semivowels

i· /y/> Μ §1.3.

§1.4. §1.5. §1.6. §1.7. §1.8.

2. / h / 1.2.7. Summary of consonant contrast Syllabification, transition, and accentuation 1.3.1. Syllabification 1.3.2. Internal open transition 1.3.3. Rules of accentuation 1.3.4. Semiopen transition, close transition, the word Vowel sequences in a word Tautosyllabic sequences of vowel plus semi-vowel Consonant clusters in a word Terminals Pitch levels and intonation contours

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§1.9. Emphatic stress, drawl, and sentence emphasis 1.9.1. Emphatic stress 1.9.2. Drawl 1.9.3. Utterance emphasis §1.10. Abbreviations of contours §2. Morphophonemics A. Phonologically conditioned a. Compulsory b. Facultative B. Morphologically conditioned a. Compulsory b. Facultative §3. Writing system §3.1. Free forms 3.1.1. Vowels 3.1.2. Consonants §3.2. Conjunct forms 3.2.1. Vowels 3.2.2. Consonants 3.2.3. Other conjunct forms §3.3. Spelling rules and examples 3.3.1. Vowels 3.3.2. Consonants §3.4. Additional symbols 3.4.1. Vowel and consonant symbols 3.4.2. Numerals 3.4.3. Punctuation marks §3.5. Conversion from written to spoken form §4. Nominal system §4.1. Substantives 4.1.1. Variable substantives 4.1.2. Invariable substantives 4.1.3. Gender correlations 4.1.4. Gender signalling 4.1.5. Variation in assigned gender 4.1.6. Pluralization 4.1.7. Optional deletion of plural marker 4.1.8. Subclasses of substantives 1. Mass substantives 2. Measure substantives 3. Personal names 4. Grammatical plurals §4.2. Adjectives 4.2.1. Marked adjectives 4.2.2. Unmarked adjectives

CONTENTS

4.2.3.

Distribution of base, direct, and oblique forms in attributive construction 4.2.4. Marked adjectives in predicate construction 4.2.5. Schemes of attributive and predicate construc tions, examples 4.2.6. Bracketing of phrases 4.2.7. Marked adjectives in construction with more than one substantive 1. Adjectives in construction with conjoined substantives or substantives in series 2. One adjective in construction with two or more disjoined substantives 4.2.8. Neutral function of neuter marked adjectives 4.2.9. Plural forms of marked adjectives in construction with unpluralized substantives 4.2.10. Subclasses of adjectives 4.2.11. Additional members of subclasses of §4.2.10 1. Deictic 2. Quantitative 3. Interrogative 4.2.12. Indefinite adjectives 4.2.13. Pronominal adjectives 4.2.14. Numerals 1. Cardinals 2. Ordinals 3. Fractions 4.2.15.-4.2.17. Sequences of adjectives in n o u n phrases 4.2.18. Constructions used for comparison of adjectives 4.2.19. Constructions used for superlative §4.3. Pronouns 4.3.1. Personal pronouns 4.3.2. Deictic pronouns 4.3.3. Pronominal adjectives 4.3.4. Pronominal adjectives followed by clitics 4.3.5. Interrogative pronouns 4.3.6. Relative pronoun 4.3.7. Indefinite pronoun 4.3.8. Reflexive pronoun 4.3.9. Distributive pronoun sequences §5. Verbal system Outline of simple and complex forms, temporal auxiliaries §5.1. Personal endings §5.2. Paradigms 5.2.1. Simple forms 5.2.2. Temporal auxiliaries

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5.2.3. Complex forms 5.2.4. Summary of forms §5.3. Examples of usage 5.3.1. Simple forms 5.3.2. Auxiliary forms not members of complex forms 5.3.3. Complex forms §5.4. Verb forms in conditional sentences §5.5. Habitual present §5.6. Complex habitual present §5.7. Inceptive §5.8. Transitive and intransitive verbs §5.9. Agential and subject constructions §5.10. Impersonal use of verbs §5.11. Verb root variation §5.12. Variant perfective suffixes §5.13. Causatives §5.14. Second causatives §5.15. Passives §5.16. Modal auxiliaries §5.17. Modal sequences §5.18. Modal auxiliaries used with the imperfective §5.19. Modal auxiliaries used with the perfective infinitive §5.20. Modal auxiliaries used with the inflected infinitive §5.21. Modal auxiliaries used with the verbal adjective §§5.22.-5.24. Modal auxiliaries used with the verb stem §5.25. Summary of modal sequences with verb stem §5.26. Nominal forms of the verbal system 5.26.1. Verbal adjective and extended verbal adjective 5.26.2. Perfective verbal adjective 5.26.3. Imperfective 5.26.4. Infinitives 5.26.5. Verb stem §5.27. Negation §5.28. Summary of negative commands §5.29. Verb phrases §6. Adjuncts §6.1. Adverbs 6.1.1. Nonderivative adverbs 6.1.2. Derivative adverbs §6.2. Clitics and enclitic adverbials §6.3. Particles §6.4. Connectives 6.4.1. Conjunctives 6.4.2. Disjunctives 6.4.3. Correlatives

CONTENTS

§7.

§8. §9. §10.

6.4.4. Adversatives 6.4.5. Explicatives 6.4.6. Causal §6.5. Adverb phrases Nominal derivation §7.1. Substantive deriving suffixes §7.2. Adjective deriving suffixes §7.3. Prefixes Composition Compound-like sequences Summary of syntax Indexes Subject index Item index

A Gujarati Reference Grammar

1. Phonology I N V E N T O R Y OF P H O N E M E S A. Vowels: T h e r e are eight vowels, as shown in the chart below. T h e r e are three-way contrasts of vowels at mid and low positions among front, central, and back vowels, while at high position, there is a two-way contrast between front and back vowels. Lip rounding is not distinctive: back vowels are rounded; front and central vowels are unrounded. Front Central Back High i u Mid e a o Low E a O Β. Consonants: T h e r e are twenty-four consonants classed according to six types of articulation and seven points of articulation. T h e articulatory types are: stop, spirant, nasal, lateral, flap, and semivowel; according to points of articulation, consonants are: laryngeal, velar, cacuminal, palatal, alveolar, dental, labial. In addition, the points of articulation of two consonants are termed unmarked. For no single articulatory type is there a complete set of contrasting units at all points of articulation. T h e maximum n u m b e r of contrasts occurs in the stop class, for which five points of articulation are distinctive. Stops are further distinguished by the contrast between voiced and voiceless. This contrast occurs nowhere else in the system except in the spirants, which call, however, for special comment. Phonemes enclosed in parentheses in the chart below are peripheral and will be specially commented on. r JS