One of the more elusive kinds of compound verbs
in Hindi-Urdu are those formed with vector p:_ :
1. s:hs:a D:en:y:a n:ð . .
. J:p:Xkr hira kað Et:n:ð
z:aðr s:ð D:Vka edy:a ek v:h D:m: s:ð eg:r p:_a.
'All of a sudden Dhaniya lunged .
. . and knocked into Hira with such force that he fell like a
sack of potatoes.'
(from Chapter Four of g:aðdan:. See context.)
Perhaps because of their relative antiquity compound verbs in p:_ display a disconcerting variety of functions and associations. Developing an account of which function developed into which is not easy. The attempt here will be limited to setting out those functions and arranging them into groups.
One of the oldest uses of vector p:_ is as a marker of the passive of verbs of perception:
(from Chapter Four of g:aðdan:. See context.)
This use of vector p:_ is now mostly limited to the very common set phrase j:an: p:_ 'seem' (from 'be known'?):
(from Chapter Four of g:aðdan:. See context.)
In older and / or more rural forms of Hindi vector
p:_ figures as part of a
phrasal passive:
4. s:b:-kñ-s:b:
dðK:t:ð rh g:O. eks:i kñ eky:ð kÙC n: b:n: p:_a.
'Everyone looked on helplessly.
No-one could do anything.'
(from Section Three of Chapter Two
of c:ndÓkant:a by
dðv:kin:nd K:t*:i .)
( See notes for more on the b:n:aO n: b:n:-construction. )
More typically vector p:_ is used with the following four
groups of intransitive verbs: A. verbs of motion, B. verbs of
appearance, C. verbs of expression of emotion, and D. verbs of
struggle and attack.
A. Verbs of motion include
c:l: 'walk', l:aòX 'return', kÝd 'jump', G:Øs: 'enter', ut:r 'get down', b:rs: 'rain (down)', PÝX 'break out; divulge',
ZØl:k 'roll; slip;
drop', en:kl: 'exit', and
(perhaps most commonly) eg:r
'fall' [example (1)]:
5. y:h g:D:i us:kñ s:aT: c:l:
p:_i.
'This little fool went with him.'
(from Chapter Ten of g:aðdan:. See context.)
(from Chapter Fifteen of g:aðdan:. See context.)
Notice that in these uses with verbs of motion there is very often a downward direction:
(from Chapter Three of g:aðdan:. See context.)
but the downwards component is not always present:
8. #Ýres:ùh m:arð Q:ØS:i kñ uCl:
p:_a.
'Krursingh leapt with joy.'
(from Section Sixteen of Chapter One of c:ndÓkant:a by dðv:kin:nd K:t*:i.)
9. m:ðht:a l:aòX
p:_ð Aaòr m:al:t:i kað Ok haT: s:ð p:k_
el:y:a.
'Mehta turned back and with one hand
caught hold of Malati (before she was carried away by the
current).'
(from Chapter Seven g:aðdan:. See context.)
In (9) the use of p:_ rather than j:a as vector allows the action of turning to be understood as towards Malati rather than as a movement away from her.
(NB: As vector p:_ never occurs with main verb p:_ .)
B. Verbs of appearance may occur with vector p:_ :
10. g:aðb:r kñ
m:ØK: p:r AaSaa ki rðK:a J:l:k p:_i.
'A line of hope showed on Gobar's
face.'
(from Chapter Twenty-seven of g:aðdan:. See context.)
Verbs of more salient appearance seem to prefer vector
uY- :
11. K:nn:a kñ
c:ðhrð p:r edl: ki Q:ØSai c:m:k uYi.
'Heartfelt joy shone on Khanna's
face.'
(from Chapter Fifteen of g:aðdan:. See context.)
C. Verbs of emotional expression occurring with vector p:_ include rað 'weep', hús: 'laugh', m:Øskra 'smile', c:aòøk 'start' (= 'be startled)', etc. With p:_ as vector there is an implication of sudden onset:
(from Chapter Twenty-one of g:aðdan:. See context.)
13. s:hs:a eks:i ki AahX p:akr
v:h c:aòøk p:_i.
'Sensing someone's approach she
suddenly started.'
(from Chapter Thirty-four of g:aðdan:. See context.)
Here, too, there is competition with vector uY used for more violent reactions and outbursts. (See remarks in R.S. McGregor's Hindi-English Dictionary, p. 331, under c:aòøkn:a .)
D. verbs of struggle and attack commonly occurring with
vector p:_ include
l:_ 'fight', XÜX 'attack; light into',
ul:J: 'tangle with':
14. Aaj:
s:b:ðrð-s:b:ðrð
dada s:ð Vy:aðø ul:J: p:_ð ?
'Why did you have to tangle with
Dada first thing in the morning?'
(from Chapter Twenty-one of g:aðdan:. See context.)
15. t:Øm: t:að
B:ÜK:ð es:y:ar ki t:rh XÜX p:_ð.
'You fell upon (her) like a
hungry jackal.'
(from Chapter Twenty-nine of g:aðdan:. See context.)
Like j:an: in the sense of
'seem' XÝX in the
sense of 'attack, fall upon' is rarely if ever seen without its
vector p:_ .
Competition. Depending on
which set of main verbs is in play other vectors compete with
p:_. With verbs of motion
the main competitor is j:a :
16. " t:Øm: B:i b:_ð
m:Ørhð hað, m:ØJ:s:ð kha B:i n:hiø ek l:aòX
j:aAað. "
y:h khkr v:h l:aòX
p:_i.
' "You are also a sneaky guy.
You didn't even tell me to go back."
' Saying this she turned back.'
(from Chapter Five of g:aðdan:. See context.)
In (17a) the Av:s:r 'time, occasion' referred to is neutral, while in (17b) Av:s:r is understood to refer to bad times or to misfortune:
(from Chapter Thirteen of g:aðdan:. See context.)
(from Chapter Thirty-three of g:aðdan:. See context.)
17c. J:g:_a Et:n:a b:`a ek
Al:g:aòJ:ð ki n:aòb:t: Aa g:y:i.
'The fight got so bad that in the
end separation (of the joint family) could not be avoided.'
(from Chapter Twenty-five of g:aðdan:. See context.)
With verbs of expression of emotion vector p:_'s main competitor is uY :
18a. us:ka s:Ün:a K:Xaðl:a
dðK:kr v:h rað uYt:i.
'Seeing his empty crib she would
burst into tears.'
(from Chapter Twenty-four of g:aðdan:. See context.)
(from Chapter Thirty-four of g:aðdan:. See context.)
For a subset of verbs of expression of emotion p:_ competes with dð :
19a. Ab: us:ki g:ael:y:aðø
p:r l:aðg: hús: dðt:ð T:ð ...
'Now people just laughed at her
curses ...'
(from Chapter Twenty-three of g:aðdan:. See context.)
19b. m:at:adin: kað dðK:kr
v:h hús: p:_a.
'He laughed when he saw Matadin.'
(from Chapter Thirty-four of g:aðdan:. See context.)
Is the laughter louder in (19a) or in (19b)?
Occasionally what appears to be competition among vectors actually serves to distinguish competing meanings of the main verb. For instance, the verb B:Ül: has two senses: the familiar one of 'forget (something)' and the less common one of 'err; become lost, lose ones way'. Vector j:a occurs with B:Ül: in the first meaning; vector p:_ with B:Ül: in the second:
(from Dialog dað s:hðel:y:aðø ki b:at:ðø by kÙs:Øm: j:òn:. See context.)
(from Chapter Twenty-six of g:aðdan:. See context.)
* * * *
For further reflexion: How do we get from easily explained instances of the use of vector p:_- like that in (22) [where falling is a salient feature of the event] to uses like that in (23) where there is no element in the situation which can be thought of, even metaphorically, as falling?
(from Chapter Six of g:aðdan:. See context.)
(from Narendra K. Sinha's story ev:Rmb:n:a. See context.)
Bridges and branches. (coming...)
Effect of point of view?
Other sections of m:lhar dealing with compound verbs:
1. General functions of compound verbs .
2. Marked compound verbs ( khð dðt:a hÜú ! )
3. Vector
Ral: .
4. Vector b:òY .
5. Compound-compound verbs ( g:m:i ý m:arkr rK: dðt:i hò.
)
To index of grammatical notes.
To index of m:lhar.
Keyed in 9 Jul 2004. Augmented 10 Jul. Augmented again and linked 13-19 & 21-22 Jul 2004. Corrected 23 & 25 Jul 2004. Augmented ("further reflection") 19 Aug 2004.