Page:Sanskrit Grammar by Whitney p1.djvu/57

 The Prātiçākhyas distinguish and name separately the circumflexed tones arising by different processes of combination: thus, the circumflex is called

(quick), when an acute or vowel (short or long) is converted into  or  before a dissimilar vowel of grave tone: thus,  from,  from.

(native) or (own), when the same combination lies further back, in the make-up of a stem or form, and so is constant, or belongs to the word in all circumstances of its occurrence: thus,  (from ), ,  ,  , ,  ,.

The words of both the above classes are in the Veda, in the great majority of cases, to be read with restoration of the acute vowel as a separate syllable: thus, etc. In some texts, part of them are written correspondingly, thus,

when the acute and grave vowels are of such character that they are fused into a long vowel or diphthong (128 c): thus (RV. AV. etc.), from  (TS.), from  (ÇB.), from

when an initial grave is absorbed by a final acute  or  (135 a): thus,  from  from

But further, the Hindu grammarians agree in declaring the (naturally grave) syllable following an acute, whether in the same or in another word, to be or circumflex — unless, indeed, it be itself followed by an acute or circumflex; in which case it retains its grave tone. This is called by European scholars the enclitic or dependent circumflex.

Thus, in and, the syllable  and word  are regarded and marked as circumflex; but in  and  they are grave.

This seems to mean that the voice, which is borne up at the higher pitch to the end of the acute syllable, does not ordinarily drop to grave pitch by an instantaneous movement, but descends by a more or less perceptible slide in the course of the following syllable. No Hindu authority suggests the theory of a middle or intermediate tone for the enclitic, any more than for the independent circumflex. For the most part, the two are identified with one another, in treatment and designation. The enclitic circumflex is likewise divided into a number of sub-varieties, with different names: they are of too little consequence to be worth reporting.