Kannada grammar
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The Kannada grammar (Kannada: ಕನ್ನಡ ವ್ಯಾಕರಣ) is primarily based on Keshiraja's Shabdamanidarpana (c. 1260 AD) which provides the fullest systematic exposition of Kannada language.[1][2] The earlier grammatical works include portions of Kavirajamarga (a treatise on alańkāra) of 9th century, Kavyavalokana and Karnatakabhashabhushana both authored by Nagavarma II in first half of the 12th century.[2]
Various grammatical aspects of Kannada include, tatsama–tadbhava, vibhakti pratyaya, kāla (tense-forms), linga (gender-forms), sandhi, samāsa, chandassu, alańkāra; and different poetrical metres such as vritta, tripadi, kanda (also called, choupadi or chaturpadi), shatpadi, sāngatya and others.
The name given for a pure, true letter is akshara, akkara or varna. Each letter has its own form (ākāra) and sound (shabda); providing the visible and audible representations, respectively. Kannada is written from left to right.[3] Kannada alphabet (aksharamale or varnamale) now consists of 49 letters.[4]
Each sound has its own distinct letter, and therefore every word is pronounced exactly as it is spelt; so the ear is a sufficient guide. After the exact sounds of the letters have been once gained, every word can be pronounced with perfect accuracy. The accent falls on the first syllable. [3]
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[edit] Terminologies
- Word - pada or shabda
- Letter - akshara
- Vowel - swara
- Consonant - vyanjana
- Noun - nāmapada
- Verb - kriyāpada
- Pronoun - sarvanāma
- Adjective - guṇavāchaka
- Sentence - saalu / vaakya
- Case termination - vibhakti
- Verbal theme - dhātu
- Gender - linga
- Numeral - anki
[edit] Kannada Alphabet
Kannada alphabet is called as aksharamale (also, akkaramale) or varnamale. The script is an abugida type syllabary of the Brahmic family[5] There are 49 letters in the alphabet; 13 are vowels (swaras), 2 yōgavāhakas and 34 consonants.
[edit] Vowels (swaras)
| Kannada | Phonetic Equivalent | Commonly used transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| ಅ | a | a |
| ಆ | ā | aa / A |
| ಇ | i | i |
| ಈ | ī | ee / I |
| ಉ | u | u |
| ಊ | ū | oo / U |
| ಋ | r̥ | Ru |
| ಎ | e | a~ |
| ಏ | ē | ea |
| ಐ | ai | ai |
| ಒ | o | o |
| ಓ | ō | Ō |
| ಔ | au | au / ou |
[edit] Yogavaahas
The yogavaahas (part-vowel, part consonant) include two letters:
- The anusvara: ಂ (am)
- The visarga: ಃ (ah)
[edit] Consonants
Consonants are called Vyanjanas (Kannada: ವ್ಯಂಜನ in Kannada. There are two types: Structured Consonants (Kannada: ವರ್ಗೀಯ ವ್ಯಂಜನ and Unstructured Consonants Kannada: ಅವರ್ಗೀಯ ವ್ಯಂಜನ.
[edit] Structured consonants
| voiceless | voiceless aspirate |
voiced | voiced aspirate |
nasal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velars | ಕ (ka) | ಖ (kha) | ಗ (ga) | ಘ (gha) | ಙ (nga) |
| Palatals | ಚ (ca) | ಛ (cha) | ಜ (ja) | ಝ (jha) | ಞ (IAST ñ, Unicode nya) |
| Retroflex | ಟ (IAST ṭa) | ಠ (IAST ṭha) | ಡ (IAST ḍa) | ಢ (IAST ḍha) | ಣ (IAST ṇa) |
| Dentals | ತ (ta) | ಥ (tha) | ದ (da) | ಧ (dha) | ನ (na) |
| Labials | ಪ (pa) | ಫ (pha) | ಬ (ba) | ಭ (bha) | ಮ (ma) |
See place of articulation for more information on tongue positions.
[edit] Unstructured consonants
The unstructured consonants are consonants that do not fall into any of the above structures:
ಯ (ya), ರ (ra), ಲ (la), ವ (va), ಶ (IAST śa), ಷ (IAST ṣa) ಸ (sa), ಹ (ha), ಳ (IAST ḷa)
[edit] Formation of letters
Whenever consonant is followed immediately by one or more other consonants, that set of two or more consonants is written one group (samyōga), resulting in double or compound consonants (dvitvakshara, ottakshara). When two consonants are compounded, the latter consonant is written below the former; or is subscribed. When three consonants are compounded, the third is written below the second one. When four are compounded, the fourth is subscribed to the third. In true Kannada (ಅಚ್ಚ ಕನ್ನಡ) a combination of more than two consonants does not occur.[6]
While reading, the upper consonant that is capped is pronounced as a half consonant, and the short vowel [like 'a' (ಅ) or 'i' (ಇ)] is sounded with the lower consonant. When three consonants are compounded, the middle one too is pronounced as a half consonant, and the short vowel [like 'a' (ಅ) or 'i' (ಇ)] is sounded with the lowest one; and so forth.[6]
Eg 1: kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ). One consonant na (ನ) is followed by another instance of the same consonant, resulting in the compound consonant nna (ನ್ನ).
Eg 2: lakshmi (ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ). Consonant ka (ಕ) is followed by another consonant Sha (ಷ), which in turn is followed by third consonant ma (ಮ). First consonant appears in the top, second one underneath the first one, third one underneath the second one; ಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ. The vowel associated with the last consonant is 'i' (ಇ).
[edit] Compound bases
Compound bases, called as samāsa in Kannada, are a set of two or more words compounded together.[7] There are several types of compound bases, based on the rules followed for compounding. Eg: tangaaLi (ತಂಗಾಳಿ), hemmara (ಹೆಮ್ಮರ), immadi (ಇಮ್ಮಡಿ)
[edit] Genders
According to Kesiraja's Shabdamanidarpana, there are 9 gender forms in Kannada. However, in modern Kannada literature, only three gender forms are in practice; Masculine, Feminine and Neuter.[8]
- Masculine
Words that denote males, are considered as masculine gender.
- Feminine
Words that denote females, are considered as feminine gender.
- Neuter
All the words that do not belong to either of the above two genders, are considered as neuter gender.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Studies in Indian History, Epigraphy, and Culture – By Govind Swamirao Gai, pp. 315
- ^ a b A Grammar of the Kannada Language F.Kittel (1993), pp. 3
- ^ a b A Grammar of the Kannada Language F.Kittel (1993), pp. 5
- ^ BhashaIndia.com :: Kannada. Retrieved on 2008-05-01.
- ^ Campbell, George L. (1997-11-06). Handbook of scripts and alphabets, 1st Ed., Routledge, Newyork, 84–5. ISBN 9780415137157. OCLC 34473667.
- ^ a b Ferdinand Kittel, pp. 20
- ^ Ferdinand Kittel, pp. 30
- ^ Ferdinand Kittel, pp. 39
[edit] References
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