Five uses of  -v:al:a:
 1.  -v:al:a works as a multipurpose "linker", joining two nouns in such a way that the first modifies or delimits the scope of the second, as if in a noun-noun compound:

1a.	Ok AaúK: v:al:ð Aadm:i kað kan:a kht:ð hòø.	'They call a one-eyed man  kan:a .'
1b.	us:ð j:ðb:aðø v:al:i qm:iz: c:aehO.	'She wants a shirt with pockets.'
1c.	Aaj:v:al:a K:an:a p:s:nd Aay:a ?	'Did you like today's food?'

      Notice that as a linker -v:al:a is both a postposition, requiring the oblique form of the noun it follows, and an adjective, agreeing in gender, number, and case with the noun it precedes:

1d.

c:l:að,  hm: kp:_ðv:al:i dÜkan: m:ðø c:l:ðø.

'C'mon, let's go to the cloth store.'

2.  -v:al:a can be used as a way of characterizing human beings, usually by their occupation, but also by other distinguishing features, such as where they live or where they come from:

2a.

dÜD:v:al:a raðz: Aat:a hò.

'The milkman comes every day.'

2b.	Pl:v:al:ð kñ p:as: n:aery:l: hòø ?  s:nt:rð hòø ?  Aam: hòø ?
	'Does the fruitseller have coconuts?  Tangerines?  Mangoes?'

2c.

g:aúv:v:al:ð Vy:a khðøg:ð ?

'What will the villagers say?'

3.  When used with an infinitive and a form of  haðn:a,  -v:al:a can indicate the future in a way comparable to the English 'be going to V':

3a.

n:I dØkan: K:Øl:n:ðv:al:i hò.

'A new store is going to open.'

3b.	l:_ki eg:rn:ð hi v:al:i T:i j:b: v:h b:c:an:ð p:hØúc:a.
	'The girl was about to fall when he got there to save her.'

4.  Another use of -v:al:a is as an alternant to the relative clause, especially when it expresses habitual action or situations in progress (see discussion of participles):

4a.	es:t:ar es:K:an:ðv:al:a Aadm:i Aaj: G:r p:r Aaram: kr rha hò.
cf:	j:að Aadm:i es:t:ar es:K:at:a hò v:h Aaj: G:r p:r Aaram: kr rha hò.
	'The man who teaches sitar is relaxing at home today.'
4b.	s:am:n:ð s:ð Aan:ðv:al:i m:aðXr m:ðri m:aðXr s:ð Xkra g:I.
cf:	j:að m:aðXr s:m:n:ð s:ð Aa rhi T:i v:h m:ðri m:aðXr s:ð Xkra g:I.
	'An oncoming car collided with mine.'
4c.	RaúX K:an:ðv:al:ð kam: . . .
cf:	kam: j:að krn:ð s:ð Aadm:i RaúX K:at:a hò . . .
	'Things which a person gets scolded for doing...'
	( from Chapter 7 of  m:nn:Ü B:NRari's novel  Aap:ka b:øXi )

5.  -v:al:a may be used with the non-oblique form of adjectives, especially when the speaker is pointing to something:

5a.

v:hv:al:i qm:iz: diej:O.

'Give me that shirt (over there).'

5b.	y:ðv:al:ð Aam: n:hiø c:aehy:ðø.  v:h p:il:ðv:al:ð dað !
	'I don't want these mangos (here).  Give me those yellow ones (there).'

Exercise.

To index of grammatical notes.

To index of m:lhar.

Keyed in and posted 9-10 Sept 2001.