Reconstruction:Ashokan Prakrit/𑀙𑁄𑀝𑁆𑀝
Ashokan Prakrit
editEtymology
editOf uncertain origin. Turner compares the word to Prakrit 𑀘𑀼𑀮𑁆𑀮 (culla, “small”) and Zebaki čuṭ ("small"), connecting the former to Sanskrit चूड (cūḍa, “small”). Retroflexion and possible variants support a non-Aryan substrate origin.
A discarded theory by earlier lexicographers derived the word from Sanskrit क्षुद्रक (kṣudraka, “small, insignificant”), but from this one would expect: MIA *khuḍḍaga ~ *chuḍḍaga > NIA *khūḍā ~ *chūḍā, with western and central NIA languages generally preferring *kh-.
Adjective
edit*𑀙𑁄𑀝𑁆𑀝 (*choṭṭa)
Descendants
edit- Central-Western:
- Eastern:
References
edit- Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “chōṭṭa”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press
- Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “culla”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press