Reconstruction:Ashokan Prakrit/𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀝

This Ashokan Prakrit entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Ashokan Prakrit

Etymology

The variety of forms reflected in the descendants point to a substrate borrowing. Although the disparities in the reflexes are somewhat problematic, these terms have no clear Old Indo-Aryan etymology—Sanskrit नष्ट (naṣṭá, “destroyed”) does not do a good job of explaining the varieties nor is it semantically optimal (it would require a generalization of "destroyed" in many different directions across descendants). The geminate ṭṭ word-medially is also very non-native Indo-Aryan; an aspirated ṭṭh would be expected.

Adjective

*𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀝 (*naṭṭa)

1. defective, lesser: vague meanings pertaining to being lesser in e.g. height, strength, prestige

Descendants

• *𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀝 (*naṭṭa)
  • Sauraseni Prakrit: *𑀡𑀝𑁆𑀝 (*ṇaṭṭa)
    • Hindustani:

      Hindi: नाटा (nāṭā, “short, dwarf”)

      Urdu: ناٹا (nāṭā)

    • Punjabi:

      Gurmukhi script: ਨਾਟਾ (nāṭā, “short, dwarf”)

      Shahmukhi script: ناٹا (nāṭā)

• *𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀞 (*naṭṭha) (perhaps influenced by Sanskrit नष्ट (naṣṭa, “destroyed”))
  • Magadhi Prakrit:
    • Odia: ନାଠା (naṭha, “dwarfish”)
  • Sauraseni Prakrit: *𑀡𑀝𑁆𑀞 (*ṇaṭṭha)
    • Nepali: नाठो (nāṭho, “bachelor”) (derogatory)
  • ⇒ Ashokan Prakrit: *𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀞-𑀭 (*naṭṭha-ra)
    • Maharastri Prakrit:
      • Marathi: नठारा (naṭhārā, “useless”)
    • Sauraseni Prakrit:
      • Gujarati: નઠારું (naṭhārũ, “wicked”)
• *𑀦𑀟𑁆𑀠 (*naḍḍha)
  • Sauraseni Prakrit: *𑀡𑀟𑁆𑀠 (*ṇaḍḍha)
    • Punjabi:

      Gurmukhi script: ਨੱਢਾ (naḍḍhā, “old person”), ਨੱਢੀ (naḍḍhī, “old woman”)

• *𑀦𑀡𑁆𑀠 (*naṇḍha)
  • Sauraseni Prakrit: *𑀡𑀁𑀠 (*ṇaṃḍha)
    • Sindhi:

      Arabic script: نَنڍو (naṇḍho, “small, short”)

      Devanagari script: नंढो (naṇḍho)