Odd Bits And Bobs

Question 1

How are comparative and superlative adjectives form?

Answer 1

Tara-/tama-
(Ī)yas-/ișțha-
Ugra/ugratara/ugratama
Priya/preyas/preșțha
Tara/tama more common
Not possible to predict form

Question 2

What are common uses of the comparative and superlative?

Answer 2

Superlative with gen/loc: preșțhah narānām/nareșu: dearest of men/amongst men
Comparative with ablative:
Simhah aśvāt śīghratarah - the lion (is) faster than the horse

Question 3

How do the comparative and superlative differ from English in meaning?

Answer 3

Comparative can mean ‘rather or quite X’ if no comparison is being made and the superlative can mean ‘excessively X’

Question 4

How do you commonly form adverbs in Sanskrit?

Answer 4

Acc Sg Neut of an ADJECTIVE or sometimes a NOUN to form an indeclinable Adverb. Nitya- eternal and nityam- eternally/always or nakta - night and naktam ‘at night’

Question 5

What does gam with an abstract noun in the accusative mean?

Answer 5

He becomes X (idiomatic lit. Goes to X): śāntim adhigacchati lit. He goes towards peace/he becomes peaceful.

Question 6

Which vowels have external vowel to vowel sandhi that differs from their internal sandhi?

Answer 6

E/ai/o - they become a/ā/ā respectively with a hiatus before the next vowel. Exception:
E/o + a = e/o + avagraha

Question 7

What are the exceptions to vowel sandhi?

Answer 7

Long i/u and e of N/V/A duals
N pl masc duals ending in i
Final vowels of interjections such as ā/he/aho/