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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011
One of the major advantages of the study of synonyms is that it provides a link between descriptive and historical linguistics. In Professor Ullmann's words: “Synonymic structure implies the formation of associative groups between senses on the ‘langue’ level. The firmness and constancy of such associations can best be gauged from the diachronistic developments which they may initiate.” Among the first words to be studied from this point of view were the Middle English adverbs which meant “swiftly” and later “immediately”. Words of this meaning are of interest also in Middle Indo-Aryan where they form a closely-knit group. This is proved by their formal as well as their semantic development.
page 39 note 1 Ullmann, S., The Principles of Semantics (Glasgow, 1951), p. 111Google Scholar.
page 39 note 2 Stern, G., “Swift, swiftly” and their Synonyms. A Contribution to Semantic Analysis and Theory. Göteborgs Högskolas Årsskrift, xvii (Göteborg, 1921)Google Scholar.
page 39 note 3 For a similar semantic change cf. Buddhist Sanskrit pratiyaty eva quoted by Renou, L., J A., ccxlvii (1959), p. 261Google Scholar.
page 39 note 4 Pischel, R., Grammatik der Prakritsprachen (Strassburg, 1900), § 113Google Scholar.
page 39 note 5 Vajjālaggaṃ, ed. Laber, J., Bibliotheca Indica (Calcutta, 1944), v. 388Google Scholar.
page 40 note 1 Wackernagel, J., Altindische Grammatik, 2nd ed. (Göttingen, 1957), vol. ii, pt. i, p. 8Google Scholar.
page 40 note 2 Turner, R. L., A Comparative and Etymological Dictionary of the Nepali Language (London, 1931)Google Scholar, s.v. jhaṭṭa or jhaṭ.
page 40 note 3 Mayrhofer, M., Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen (Heidelberg, 1953 ff.)Google Scholar, s.v. jhaṭiti.
page 40 note 4 The possible Munda origin of some of these onomatopoeia has often been stressed by ProfessorKuiper, F. B. J., e.g. in Zeitschr. Indol. 8, p. 241Google Scholar.
page 41 note 1 See Gurjararāsāvalī, ed. Thakore, B. K., Desai, M. D., and Modi, M. C. (Baroda, 1956)Google Scholar, glossary s.v. dhasaiṃ.
page 41 note 2 Two Prakrit Versions of the Maṇipati-Carita, ed. Williams, K. (London, 1959), p. 363Google Scholar.
page 42 note 1 Paumacariu by ed Svayambhūdeva, , ed Bhayani, H. C., vol. ii (Bombay, 1953), p. 299Google Scholar.
page 42 note 2 R. L. Turner, op. cit., s.v. jharkanu.
page 43 note 1 R. Williams, op. cit., p. 362.
page 43 note 2 Harivaṃśapurana, ed. Alsdorf, L. (Hamburg, 1936), p. 372Google Scholar.
