Page:The history of the Bengali language (1920).pdf/317

Rh take ইনী, when they signify a class or a trade-guild. The examples are:

(1) From words having অ final.—নির্লজ্জী (শ্রীকৃষ্ণকীর্ত্তন), রামী (চণ্ডীদাস), বাঁদরী, শয়তানী, etc. Here we notice two exceptions, viz., সাপিনী from সাপ (ভারতচন্দ্র) and বাঘিনী from বাঘ, which is usual in our speech; in respect of these two exceptions, I should say, that they are due to euphonic reasons. In বোনাই from বোন, and নন্দাই from ননদ perhaps we get the ই to denote masculine from the ending of জামাই by false analogy. It may also be supposed that the words were compounded with পতি which was reduced first to পই and then to অই.

(2) From words having আ final.—কাকী, খুকী, ছুঁড়ী, বেঙ্গমী (from বেঙ্গমা), বুড়ী, চন্দ্রমুহী or -মুখী (from Prākṛta চন্দমুহা), পোড়ারমুখী (mas. is not -মুখো but virtually -মুহা or মুখা), আদুরী (really from আদুরিআ, which is only reduced to আদুরে; আদরিনী is a pseudo-Bengali form coined by Jatrawalas to make the word dignified). Like আদরিনী, পাগলিনী is a pseudo-Bengali term, for in our speech the word পাগ্‌লী (be it from পাগল or পাগ্‌লা) is in universal use.

N.B.—As the feminine forms of words of আ final have the suffix ঈ, the masculine words, formed grammatically from feminine words, with ঈ final, have been made words with আ final; for example, from মাসি and পিসি (orig. মাউসি, and পিউসি), we have got মাউসিআ (মেসো) and পিউসিআ (পিসে). Similarly when from ব্যক্তি the অপভ্রংশ form বেটি was formed, a new regular masculine word was coined as বেটা.

(3) The words signifying class or trade-guild must take ইনী (or its variant আনী or নী), no matter whether the final is হসন্ত or has অ or আ or any other vowel. The examples are: বৈদ্য—বইদ্যানী, নাপিৎ—নাপ্তিনী or নাপিতানী, কামারনী, গোয়ালা—গোয়াল্‌নী, ময়রানী, ধোবানী, বাগ্‌দি—বাগ্‌দিনী, তেলিনী, কলু—কলুনী, মালো—মালুনী etc. We have also