Page:Sanskrit Grammar by Whitney p1.djvu/491

 questioned whether they are not, aat [sic] least in part, primary derivatives from the beginning, are especially the gerundives, together with action-nouns coincident with these in form; in the later language, the gerundive-formation (above, 963) comes to be practically a primary one.

a. In RV. occur about forty instances of gerundives in, of tolerably accordant form: the root usually unstrengthened (but ; also ); the accent on the radical syllable when the word is simple, or compounded with prepositions: thus, (but usually on the final after the negative prefix: thus, ) — exceptions are only  and the doubtful ; the  resolved into  in the very great majority of occurrences; a final short vowel followed by  (in , and the reduplicated , beside : not in  and ), and  changed to  (in  only). If regarded as secondary, they might be made with, in accordance with other formations by this suffix, in part from the root-noun, as , in part from derivatives in , as (from ).

b. The AV. has a somewhat smaller number (about twenty-five) of words of a like formation; but also a considerable group (fifteen) of derivatives in with the same value: thus, for example,  eatable,  to be done,  to be obtained,  to be overpassed,  to be carried in the apron,  to be first worn. These seem more markedly of secondary origin: and especially such forms as to be avoided,  not to be gotten rid of, where the guttural reversion clearly indicates primitives in  and  (216 h).

c. Throughout the older language are of common occurrence neuter abstract nouns of the same make with the former of these classes. They are rarely found except in composition (in AV., only and  as simple), and are often used in the dative, after the manner of a dative infinitive. Examples are:. Of exceptional form are (√) and  (√); of exceptional accent,. And AV. has one example,, with circumflexed final.

d. Closely akin with these, in meaning and use, is a smaller class of feminines in : thus,, etc.

e. There remain, of course, a considerable number of less classifiable words, both nouns and adjectives, of which a few from the older language may be mentioned, without discussion of their relations: thus, (with