Page:Sanskrit Grammar by Whitney p1.djvu/463

 1161. तु. The great mass of the words of this formation are the infinitives — accusatives in the later language, in the earlier likewise datives and ablative-genitives: see above, 970 b, 972. But a few are also used independently, as action-nouns or with concreted meaning; and an extremely small number, of somewhat questionable character, appear to have the value of agent-words. They are of all genders, but chiefly masculine. The root has the -strengthening.

a. The infinitive words are accented on the radical syllable when simple, and most of the others have the same accent; but a few have the tone on the ending.

b. Examples are: of the regular formation, masc. share, - birth, element,  thread,  counsel,  weft,  receptacle,  tie,  pressure; also  capacity, and grits; fem. morning; neut, thing,  abode; — with accent on the ending,  ray, being,  way and song,  (?) demon,  cause,  banner (all masc.); — with unstrengthened root,  season,  drink,  birth, and apparently  (in  times); with -strengthening,  (above). Agent-nouns appear to be drinkable and  jackal.

c. The infinitives in have (968) often the union-vowel  before the suffix, and this in a few cases is lengthened to. In other use occur also - and - (both with ), - (with ); seems of the same formation, but is obscure.

d. In a few instances, the suffix appears to be added to a tense- or conjugation-stem in ; thus,  and ;  and ; and. The accent of the last is paralleled only by that of life, which is further exceptional in showing a long ; it is used sometimes in the manner of an infinitive.

1162. नु. This suffix forms a comparatively small body of words, generally masculine, and having both the abstract and the concrete value.

a. The accent is usually on the ending, and the root unstrengthened.

b. Thus: jerk,  light (later sun),  sound,  son,  (with irregular accent) m. f. demon, n. drop, dew;  f. cow; —  hasty,  burning,  fearful,  bold; — and  Vishnu, and perhaps  pillar. Compare also suffix, 1196 a.