CHAPTER II. THE PARTS OF SPEECH

THE PARTS OF SPEECH.

1. As my object is to explain Sindhi Etymology in the manner most likely to be easy and to appear familiar to Europeans, rather than what might be more particularly applicable to the language itself, I shall consider Speech as divided into the same parts as in English, and Shall adopt a like arrangement, as far as practicable, in treating of the different inflections and relations of the words.

OF THE ARTICLE.

2. The manner, in which our English Articles are expressed in Hindostani, will most probably be familiar to all Sindhi students. It is therefore sufficient in this regard to say that precisely the same rules hold good in Sindhi as in that language, the Articles being either considered inherent in the noun, or being expressed, the definite by the pronouns ही هِي ‘this’ or हू هُو ‘that’ and the indefinite by the numeral हिकिड़ो هِڪِڙو ‘one’.

OF NOUNS.

3. In the Sindhi language, Nouns have but two genders and two numbers. They posses nine distinct methods of inflection, and these inflections admit of six cases, as in Latin. A seventh is however added, that of the agent, which from its exclusive form and manner of use, requires a separate classification.
4. Gender, number and case, are shown by the terminations of words. To simplify the explanation of these I shall divide all words capable of being affected by them into seven classes; thus:
5. Those terminating in अ اَ (when following a consonant, not expressed, see Para: 12).
6. Those terminating in आ آ (when following a Consonant, written )

• Those terminating in इ اِ (when following a consonant, written  ).

1. Those terminating in ई اِي (when following a consonant, written ).
2. Those terminating in उ اُ (when following a consonant, written ).
3. Those terminating in ऊ اُو (when following a consonant, written ).

• Those terminating in ओ او (when following a consonant, written )[1].

OF GENDER.

5. The Genders are the masculine and the feminine, and they in Sindhi affect the termination of nouns, adjectives, pronouns, and verbs, as well as of some adverbs, prepositions, and interjections.

RULE FOR KNOWING GENDER.

6. Gender in Sindhi is easily ascertained from the vowel terminating the word. Nouns ending in अ[2] اَ and इ اِ are feminine; in उاُ  and ओ او are masculine; in आ آ, ई اِي and ऊ اُو when signifying males, they are masculine; and when treating of females, or inaminate objects, or abstract qualities, they are feminine.

To this, however, there are a few exceptions, herewith given.

7. Masculine nouns ending in इ اِ .

सहाइ  سهاءِ an Aider.                                   केहरि ڪيهرِ  a lion.

अधोअधि اڌو اڌِ a half sharer.                       हरि هرِ  a name for Vishnu.

विरस्पति وِرسۡپتِ  the planet Jupiter. खजाखिदिरिکاجاکِدِرِ (خواجا خضر)  the deity of the waters.

8. Feminines ending in उ اُ.

वथु وٿُ  a thing.

And several others, a list of which will be found in the Appendix.

22. Exceptions in nouns ending in आ[3] آ.

23. Exception in nouns ending in ई اِي.

     The above are all masculine[4].

24. Exception in nouns ending in ऊ اُو.

These are feminine. The first two are, howevers, often and more correctly, written जुंअ جُونءَ, and लुंअ لُونءَ; and the last two भुंइ ڀُنءِ, and आबिरूइ آبِرُوءِ. To these may be added all imitations of sounds formed by reduplication; as, घूंघूंگھُون گھُون  ‘a buzzing sound’, रूंरूंرُون رُون  ‘a humming sound’.

25. There are no exceptions to the rule for nouns ending in अاَ and आآ .

RULES FOR CHANGE OF GENDER

26. Rule I. Masculine nouns ending in ईاِي to often form the feminine change ईاِي to इणि  اِڻto याणीياڻِي , as दांहीدانهِي  ‘a complainant (man)’, दांहिणिدانهِڻِ  or दांह्याणीدانهياڻِي  ‘a complainant  (woman)’.
27. Rule II. Masculines in उاُ change that vowel to इاِ , as गड॒हुگڏهُه ‘a jackass’, गड॒हिگڏهِه  ‘a jennyass’; but where speaking of any of the classes, castes, &c. of man, also to इणिاِڻِ , इणीاِڻِي  or याणीياڻِي ; as कुंभरुڪُنڀرُ  ‘a potter’ कुंभरिڪُنڀرِ , कुंभरिणिڪُنڀرِڻِ , कुंभरिणीڪُنڀرِڻِي , कुंभर्याणी ڪُنڀرياڻِي, ‘a female potter’[5].
28. Rule. III. Some masculines in ऊاُو have no change for the feminine, and some change ऊاُو to ऊणि  اُوڻِor इणि or have all three forms, as रहाकूرهاڪُو  ‘a male resident’, रहाकूرهاڪُو , रहाकुणिرهاڪُڻِ  or रहाकिणि  رهاڪِڻِ‘a female resident’[6].
29. Rule. IV. Nouns ending in ओاو , change that vowel to ईاِي for the feminine, as घोड़ोگھوڙو ‘a horse’, घोड़ीگھوڙِي  a mare; but where signifying any of the classes, castes &c. of man, also into इणिئِڻِ  or याणीياڻِي ; as सोनारोسونارو  ‘a goldsmith’, सोनारिणिسونارِڻِ , सोनार्याणीسونارياڻِي  or सोनारीسونارِي  ‘his wife’.
30. There are some cases where, as in our own language, the two Genders are expressed by totally different words; as,

OF NUMBERS.

31. The numbers are the Singular and the Plural.

Rules for forming the Nominative Plural.

32. Rule I. Nouns ending in अاَ , change that vowel to ऊंاُون ; as अड॒ اڏ ‘a small water course’, अडूं॒ اڏُون it’s plural. The north people change अ اَ also to आं آن as जाल جال (زال) ‘a woman’, जाला جالا (جالان/زالان) ‘women’.
33. Rule II. Masculine nouns ending in आ آ have the Nominative singular and plural alike; as राजा راجا ‘a king’, राजा راجا  ‘kings’; where feminine, the आ آ  changes into आंऊं آنئُون ; as हचा هچا  ‘murder’, हचांऊं هچانئُون  ‘murders’.
34. Rule III. Nouns ending in इ اِ, change that vowel to यूं يُون; as अखि اکِ ‘the eye’, अख्यूं اکيُون ‘eyes.
35. Rule IV. Nouns ending in ई اِي when feminine, change ई اِي to यूं  يُون; as घोड़ो گھوڙو  ‘a mare’, घोड़्यूं  گھوڙيُون ‘mares’; except where the ई اِي  is preceded by any of the six palatals च چ, छ ڇ, ज ج, झ جھه and ञ ڃ. when the change may be also to ऊं  اُونas भाजी॒  ڀاڄِي ‘vegetable leaves’, भाजूं ڀاڄُون; ताञी تاڃِي  ‘the warp of a web’, ताञूं تاڃُون, ताञ्यूं تاڃۡيُون; when masculine there is no change, as धोबी॒  ڌوٻِي ‘a washerman’, धोबी॒ ڌوٻِي  ‘washermen’.
36. Rule V. Nouns ending in उ اُ when masculine, change उ اُinto अ اَ  (not written when following a consonant, See Para. 12): as अंबु اَنبُ  ‘a mango’, अंब اَنبَ  ‘mangoes’; when feminine, उ اُ  becomes उं  اُن; as वथु    وٿُ‘a thing’, वथूं  وٿُون ‘things’.
37. Rule VI. Nouns ending in ऊ اُو , have no change for the nominative plural; as मिरूं مِرُون ‘a wild beast’, मिरूं مِرُون ‘wild beasts’.
38. Rule VII. Nouns ending in ओ او, change that vowel to आ آ; as लटो لٽو‘a garment’, लटा لٽا ‘garments’.
39. A few from the plural irregularly.

OF DECLENSIONS.

40. There are nine declensions, distinguished according to the diversities of inflection and methods of forming the nominative plural.
41. Although, as stated in para: 16, there are seven cases, the noun itself in each of its numbers admits of but three forms; the nominative, the inflected or oblique, and the vocative. The simple oblique forms the agent Case, and the others are made up by affixing prepositions to it.
42. The following table shows the nine declensions and the different forms the termination of the noun takes in each:

43. where आ آ, or the short vowel sound अ اَ, precedes the ओ او of the 9^th Declension or the उ اُ of the 6^th, the inflection is sometimes in व و ; as माओ مائو ‘a gallnut’, sing. obl. माए  مائي or मावे ماوي, plu. Nom. मावा ماوا, plu. obl. मावनि ماونِ; मउ مئُه  ‘intoxication’,  sing. obl. मव موَ, plu. Nom. मव موَ, plu. obl. मवनि[12] موَنِ. Nouns in यो  يو for the oblique singular generally drop the य ي; as रूपयोرُوپيو  rupee, रूपए رُوپئي, चयो چيو  ‘bidding’, चए چئي.
44. The plural oblique of substantives is often contracted by using एं اٖين instead of the regular terminations, the adjective, where such is used, taking also a like form; thus, थुल्हें वणें सां ٿُلهين وڻين سان ‘with thick trees’, सतें घोड़्यें खे ستيين گھوڙيين کي ‘to seven mares’, घणें माण्हुंएं खे    گھڻيين ماڻهنئين کي‘to many men’.
45. The following examples are given to illustrate the above table. In the 5^th and 9^th declensions I have pointed out the manner in which each of the cases are formed. With the others I have not thought it necessary to go over each case. To represent them, it is only requisite to affix the different propositions to their oblique form, except as regards one of the forms of the accusative which always remains the same as the nominative. The agent Case is used only with the past tenses of active verbs, to express the actor or agent; thus, कछु खाधो जोग़्यनि सिंधु खाधी ठोग़्यनि ڪڇُ کاڌو جوڳينِ سِنڌُ کاڌِي ٺوڳۡينِ ‘Cutch has been eaten up by devotees, Sindh by impostors’[13].

1st DECLENSION

2nd DECLENSION.

3rd DECLENSION.

4th DECLENSION

5th DECLENSION

6^th DECLENSION

7^th DECLENSION

8^th DECLENSION

9^th DECLENSION

46. The prepositions attached to the different cases are with some nouns often omitted by ellipsis, in which case the noun, if of the 1^st, 3^rd, 4^th, and 8^th, declension, remains ismply in the oblique: as,

तुँहुँजे लेखे हे कमु हिँअ हूंदो, पर असां जे लेखे बि॒ए दस्तूरि आहे تُنهُنجي ليکي هي ڪمُ هِينئن هُوندو، پر اسان جي ليکي ٻِئي دستُور آهي (for लेखे मेँ ليکي ۾), ‘in your opinion this matter may be thus, but in ours it is different; बुख मरणु  بُک مرڻُ (for बुख मेँ بُک ۾) ‘To die of hunger); हे घोड़ो घणे वर्तई هي گھوڙو گھڻي ورتئِي (for घणे सां گھڻي سان) ‘For how much did you buy this horse?’;  हो बे॒ड़िअ चड़्ह्यो  هو ٻيڙيءَ چڙهيو(for बे॒ड़िअ मेँ ٻيڙيءَ ۾) ‘He got into the boat’; हो मुंबइअ वेंदोهو مُنبئيءَ وٖيندو  (for मुंबइअ डे॒ مُمبئيءَ ڏي) He will to go Bombay’; बाहि विझींसिباهِه وِجھِينسِ  (for बाहि मेँ باهِه ۾) ‘Throw him into the fire’; पानव जिअ पाबू॒ह मिरूं बी मुस्ताक हुआپانوَ جيءَ پاٻُوهه مِرُون بِي مُستاڪ (مُشتاق) هُئا  (for पाबू॒ह ते ) ‘The wild beasts too were enamoured at the brave man’s smiles’.

47. If of the 6^th declension in the singular, it changes उاُ to इاِ or एاٖي ; as, दस्तूरिدستُورِ  in the first example above for दस्तूर सांدستُور سان  ; also खुहिکُهِه  or  खुहे पिओکُهي پِيو  (for खूह मेँ کُوهه ۾ ) ‘He fell into the well’; पँहँजे घरि پنهنجي گھرِ  or घरे विओگھرٖي وِئو  (for घर मेँ گهرَ ۾) ‘He went to his house’; हो गो॒ठि पहुतो हूंदोهو ڳوٺِ پهُتو هُوندو  (for गो॒ठ मेँ ڳوٺ ۾) He may have arrived at the village’; हे कमि विओ आहेهي ڪمِ وِئو آهي  (for कम लाइ ڪم لاءِ) ‘He has gone on business’; पलउ پلئُه ‘a skirt’ changes to पलइپلئِه  (for पलव मेँ پلوَ ۾); ‘This girl has fallen into the hands (or on the skirt) of a good man’.[16]

[1] Some few adjectives and adverbs end in ए اَي; among these are नवे  نَوٖي ‘ninety’, निहिचे  نِهِچي ‘certain’, सिरे سِرٖي ‘principal’, जिरें جِرٖين ‘very tall’. Where nouns terminate with the compound sounds of ए اي and औ اَو, I have found it better to write these sound thus, अई ائِي and अऊ ائُو, as they are written in Gurmukhi. Such will therefore fall under the 4^th and 6^th classes; thus लई لئِي (not लै لَي) ‘the bastard cypress, गऊ گئُو (not गौ گَو) ‘a cow’.

[2] It must be borne in mind that this short अ اَ  when following a consonant, is not expressed. See Para: 12

[3] There are but few Sindhi masculine nouns ending in आ اَ, and these are chiefly from other languages. To some, too, the vulgar of ten add उ اُ; as खुदाउکُدائُه (خداءُ)  for खुदा کُدا (خدا) ‘God’. The learned do not, but they frequently adopt the Sindhified termination of ओ او as मुलो مُلو  for मुला  گُلا ‘a moola’.

[4] पाकी  پاڪِي a razor is by Musalmans made masculine, by Hindoos feminine; and पिरीپِرِي , सुपिरी سُپِرِي ‘a lover’, ‘a sweetheart’ and some other such like terms, are always masculine, whether referring to man or woman.

[5] ज॒टुڄٽُ  ‘a Jat’ has ज॒टिڄٽِ , ज॒टीڄٽِي , ज॒टिणिڄٽِڻِ , ज॒टिणीڄٽِڻِي  or ज॒टयाणीڄٽياڻِي ; and बां॒भणुٻانڀڻُ  ‘a Brahmin’, makes बां॒भिणीٻانڀِڻِي  or बां॒भिण्याणीٻانڀِڻياڻِي .

[6] हिँदूهِندُو  ‘a Hindu’ has also हिँदुआणी, हिँदुआइणि, हिँदुणि and हिँदिणीهِندُئاڻِي، هِندُئائِڻِ، هِندُڻِ ۽ هِندِڻِي .

[7] Some have the plural oblique of both the regular and irregular forms; as, in पिउ پيءُ, plural oblique पिउनि खे or पिउरनि खे پِئُنِ کي يا پِئُرن کي; भाउ, भाउनि खे ڀاءُ، ڀائُنِ کي or भाउरनि खे ڀائُرنِ کي.

[8] It must always be borne in mind, that where अاَ    is sounded after a consonant, it is not written (See before Para: 12).

[9] The Masculine nouns terminating in आ آ and इ اِ, are so few, that I have not thought it necessary to fix any separate declension for them. They only differ from the 2^nd and 3^rd declensions, in making their nominatives singular and plural alike.

[10] पिउ پِـهءُ ‘a father’, has पिउ खे  پِـهءُ کي &c. And भाउ ڀاءُ ‘a brother’, भाउ खे ڀاءُ کي, but भाउ ڀاءُ ‘love, ‘price’, takes व و. See Para. 43.

[11] Some Musalmans pronounce this ओ او as ऊ اُو, especially when it is preceded by ण ڻ, but the word retains the inflection of this declension.

[12] Where उ اُ  is preceded by आ آ , the inflection sometimes takes अ اَ  also; as, वाउ   واءُ‘wind’, वाअ मेँ واءَ ۾  or ‘in the wind’, वाअ واءَ  or वावواوَ  ‘winds’ &c.

[13] See note to Para. 148.

[14] Or संदो سندو. For the declension and use of these prepositions see para 166.

[15] When the preposition आंآن , ऊं اُون  and अँऊंاَنئُن  ‘from’, ‘out of’ and आकुरآڪُر  ‘from’ are used, they are affixed to the noun; in which case if it e in the singular, the short vowel terminating the oblique in the 1^st, 6^th and 8^th declensions, becomes absorbed, and in the 4^th and 5^th it is either absorbed, or the इअ اِئه becomes य.ي  In the 9^th declension too, the एاٖي  sometimes disappears. If the noun be in the plural, these prepositions either absorb the terminating इاِ , or change it to यي ; as is also the case with the singular of the 3^rd declension.

[16] Several Sindhi adverbs and Prepositions are nothing more than nouns thus used as बा॒हरि ٻاهِرِ ‘without ‘from बा॒हरु ٻاهرُ’ ‘the outside’. There are also in Sindhi many words which would seem to be mere nouns inflected after the above rule, but which are not used as nouns in any other case or form. They may generally be translated as adjectives, but the are not put in agreement with any substantive; and the always require जो جو of the genitive; when a genitive case depends on them.