One of the more elusive kinds of compound verbs
in Hindi-Urdu are those formed with vector p:_ :
(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:
2. s:hs:a D:en:y:a ka kkýS: sv:r
kan: m:ðø Aay:a. hira ki g:rj: B:i s:Øn:
p:_i.
(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'?):
3. haðri kað y:ð S:bd
z:-rt: s:ð zy:ada kYaðr j:an: p:_ð.
(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:
(from Section Three of Chapter Two
of c:ndÓkant:a by
dðv:kin:nd K:t*:i .)
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)]:
(from Chapter Ten of g:aðdan:. See context.)
6. kar ,k g:y:i. m:al:t:i ut:r
p:_i Aaòr eb:n:a haT: em:l:ay:ð c:l:i g:I.
(from Chapter Fifteen of g:aðdan:. See context.)
Notice that in these uses with verbs of motion there is
very often a downward direction:
7. Es: ev:j:y: ka us:ð Et:n:a
Aan:nd hØAa ek b:ap: ki g:aðd m:ðø rh n:
s:ki. z:m:in: p:r
(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.
(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.
(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:_ :
(from Chapter Twenty-seven of
g:aðdan:. See context.)
Verbs of more salient appearance seem to prefer vector
uY- :
(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:
12. v:h eg:r p:_i Aaòr uYkr
raðn:ð l:g:i. s:aðn:a B:i
daút:aðø kñ en:Saan: dðK:kr rað
p:_i.
(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.
(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':
(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.
(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:_ .
16. " t:Øm: B:i b:_ð
m:Ørhð hað, m:ØJ:s:ð kha B:i n:hiø ek l:aòX
j:aAað. "
' "You are also a sneaky guy.
You didn't even tell me to go 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:
17a. kB:i-kB:i Eet:has: m:ðø Oðs:ð Av:s:r
Aa j:at:ð hòø, j:b: D:n: kað Aaødaðl:n: kñ
s:am:n:ð n:ic:ð dðK:n:a p:_t:a hò
...
(from Chapter Thirteen of
g:aðdan:. See context.)
17b. t:Øm: m:ØJ:s:ð
)ðm: krt:ð hað ... Aaòr m:ØJ:ð B:raðs:a hò ek
Aaj: Av:s:r Aa p:_ð t:að t:Øm: m:ðri rx:a
)aN:aðø s:ð kraðg:ð.
(from Chapter Thirty-three of
g:aðdan:. See context.)
While use of vector p:_ is dissonant with main verb
Aa to express the coming
of good things, the use of vector j:a with Aa to express the coming of bad things
is by no means excluded:
17c. J:g:_a Et:n:a b:`a ek
Al:g:aòJ:ð ki n:aòb:t: Aa g:y:i.
(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.
(from Chapter Twenty-four of
g:aðdan:. See context.)
18b. m:at:adin: ...
b:aðl:a, " kb: t:k raðy:ð j:aOg:i,
es:el:y:a ! raðn:ð s:ð v:h ePr t:að n: Aa
j:ay:g:a. y:h kht:ð-kht:ð v:h Q:Ød rað p:_a.
(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 ...
(from Chapter Twenty-three of
g:aðdan:. See context.)
19b. m:at:adin: kað dðK:kr
v:h hús: p:_a.
(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:
20. Aha ! AaEy:ð, AaEy:ð. Aaj: rast:a kós:ð
B:Ül: g:y:iø ?
(from Dialog dað s:hðel:y:aðø ki
b:at:ðø by kÙs:Øm: j:òn:. See context.)
21. D:en:y:a n:ð us:ð es:r
s:ð p:aúv: t:k Aal:aðc:n:a ki
AaúK:aðø s:ð dðK:kr kha, "
Aaj: ED:r kós:ð B:Ül:
p:_iø ? "
(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?
22. ... v:ð m:al:t:i kñ
c:rN:aðø ki t:rf J:Økñ Aaòr
m:Øúh kñ b:l: fS:ü p:r eg:r p:_ð.
(from Chapter Six of g:aðdan:. See context.)
23. ... j:y:dðv:
... kaúp:t:i t:T:a
x:m:aT:i ý Aav:az: m:ðø b:aðl: p:_a,
" s:r, m:ðri kaðI ^:l:t:i n:hiø T:i.
"
(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 ! )
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.
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.'
'All of a sudden Dhaniya's shrill
voice reached (Hori's) ears. Hira's shouting could also be
heard.'
'To Hori these words seemed
unnecessarily harsh.'
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.'
( 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.
5. y:h g:D:i us:kñ s:aT: c:l:
p:_i.
'This little fool went with him.'
'The car stopped. Malati got
out and walked away without a by-your-leave.'
'She was so happy with this victory
that she couldn't remain in her father's lap. She jumped
to the ground ...'
'Krursingh leapt with joy.'
'Mehta turned back and with one hand
caught hold of Malati (before she was carried away by the
current).'
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.'
11. K:nn:a kñ
c:ðhrð p:r edl: ki Q:ØSai c:m:k uYi.
'Heartfelt joy shone on Khanna's
face.'
'She fell down and began to wail.
Sona, too, seeing the marks of teeth, burst into tears.'
'Sensing someone's approach she
suddenly started.'
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?'
'You fell upon (her) like a
hungry jackal.'
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 :
y:h khkr v:h l:aòX
p:_i.
' Saying this she turned back.'
' Occasionally there are times in
history when money has to give way to (the power of) a social
movement...'
'You love me ... and I'm confident
that today if (bad) times were to befall me you would defend and
protect me to the last.'
'The fight got so bad that in the
end separation (of the joint family) could not be avoided.'
'Seeing his empty crib she would
burst into tears.'
'Matadin ... said, "How long will
you go on crying, Siliya! Crying won't bring him back (to life).
While saying this he began crying himself.'
'Now people just laughed at her
curses ...'
'He laughed when he saw Matadin.'
'Aha! Come in, come in!
How come you forgot where you were going today?"'
'Dhaniya gave her a critical look
from head to foot and asked, "How did you lose your way (and
wind up) over here today?"'
'He leaned towards Malati's feet and
fell on his face on the floor.'
'... in a trembling, pleading voice
... Jayadev blurted out, "Sir, it wasn't my fault."'
3. Vector
Ral: .
4. Vector b:òY .
5. Compound-compound verbs ( g:m:i ý m:arkr rK: dðt:i hò.
)