Addition: A Sanskrit example of s-mobile would be the coexistence of a root tan- and a root stan-, both meaning ‘thunder’

Dear Madhav and All,

There is also pari-ṣkṛta-. Unfortunately, Mayrhofer could not find any convincing parallels outside Sanskrit. However, there is a general phenomenon in Indo-European, called s-mobile (the varying presence or absence of a root-initial s). The Wikipedia entry "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-European_s-mobile” has a useful summary, as well as some relevant references. (An alternative, but more speculative explanation would be that in structures like namaskṛ the s was reinterpreted as a simplification of earlier ss (similar to asi ‘you are’ for expected as-si, not also the Vedic external sandhi for -s#st etc.) and that this led to the notion that there is an alternative root form skṛ-.)

All the best,

Hans

On 29 Oct2020, at 16:58, Madhav Deshpande via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info> wrote:

Dear colleagues,

In R̥gveda 10.127.3 there is a verb form askr̥ta showing the trace of the root skr̥.  The Padapāṭha of Śākalya presents this form as akr̥ta, indicating that the root skr̥ as an independent root is no longer recognized. What is going on? Can one presume that forms like saṃskaroti where Pāṇini prescribes the insertion of "s" are actually survivals of this earlier root skr̥.  Please suggest references that I can look up.

Madhav M. Deshpande

Professor Emeritus, Sanskrit and Linguistics

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Senior Fellow, Oxford Center for Hindu Studies

[Residence: Campbell, California, USA]

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