Hindi / Urdu: Intransitive Verbs in "- aanaa"

[Alexu]

As you know, the suffix " -[l]aa" is often used to form so-called causative verbs like 'likhaanaa' from 'likhnaa'.
And what about such verbs as "kahlaana" from "kahnaa" ?

Other similar intransitive verbs ( for Hindi ) are listed in one of the grammars ( in Russian ) :
'chiraanaa' ( = 'biic se cir jaana' )
'bidhaanaa' ( = 'bedhaa jaana' or 'biidhnaa')
'pisaanaa' ( = 'pisnaa')
'pheNkaana' ( = 'pheNkaa jaanaa')
'pakRaanaa' ( = 'pakRaa jaanaa' )
'jagaanaa' ( = jagaa huaa honaa' )
'bikaanaa' ( = 'biknaa' )
'badlaanaa' ( = 'badlaa jaana' )

It is interesting how useful such verbs are in modern Hindi / Urdu? And are there any ideas from where similar forms appeared in the language?

 

[littlepond]

Many of the verbs you are quoting are transitive verbs (and their causative forms you have listed are wrong, mostly).

For example, "chiirnaa" (to pierce, split), "bhedhnaa" (to pierce in a targeting fashion), "pheNknaa" (to throw), "pakRaanaa" (to make someone hold something), "pakaRnaa" (to hold), "jagaanaa" (to wake up someone) are all transitive verbs.

Meanwhile, causatives are, for example, "bikvaanaa," "badalvaanaa," etc.

 

[Qureshpor]

It is interesting how useful such verbs are in modern Hindi / Urdu? And are there any ideas from where similar forms appeared in the language?

I am sorry @Alexu SaaHib. Your query is not clear to me. What is that you are asking about?

 

[Alexu]

Is "pakRaanaa" a transitive verb here?
From मानक हिंदी कोश 3, 350

 

[Qureshpor]

s "pakRaanaa" a transitive verb here?
From मानक हिंदी कोश 3, 350

Yes, "pakaRnaa" is transitive

There is no state zero, so to speak, for this verb. In other words there is no intransitive form.

So, "pakaRnaa" would be the first transitive form.

And "pakRaayaa" would be the second (or doubly causitive) form.

Please let me know if you need illustrative examples.

 

[Alexu]

Or here...

 

[Alexu]

Yes, "pakaRnaa" is transitive

There is no state zero, so to speak, for this verb. In other words there is no intransitive form.

So, "pakaRnaa" would be the first transitive form.

And "pakRaayaa" would be the second (or doubly causitive) form.

Please let me know if you need illustrative examples.

There is the abbreviation "आ " here - that is अकर्मक क्रिया ...

 

[Qureshpor]

Or here...

I don't know what the question is but....

biknaa (state zero) = to be sold --- yahaaN phuul bikte haiN (Flowers are sold here)

bechnaa = (first causative) to sell -- yih dukkaan-daar phuul bechtaa hai (This shop keeper sells flowers)

bikvaanaa would be the second causative of biknaa... (the causative of bechnaa)

merii marzii ke xilaaf us ne merii zamiin bikvaaii (He had my land sold against my wishes)

merii marzii ke xilaaf us ne merii zamiin bechii (He sold my land against my wishes)

 

[Alexu]

I don't know what the question is but....

biknaa (state zero) = to be sold --- yahaaN phuul bikte haiN (Flowers are sold here)

bechnaa = (first causative) to sell -- yih dukkaan-daar phuul bechtaa hai (This shop keeper sells flowers)

bikvaanaa would be the causative of biknaa...to privide the second causative.

merii marzii ke xilaaf us ne merii zamiin bikvaaii (He had my land sold against my wishes)

merii marzii ke xilaaf us ne merii zamiin bechii (He sold my land against my wishes)

Everything is clear here ... But as you can see, the dictionaries also provide meaning with a mark 'अकर्मक क्रिया ' . My question is about those cases.

 

[Qureshpor]

Everything is clear here ... But as you can see, the dictionaries also provide meaning with a mark 'अकर्मक क्रिया ' . My question is about those cases.

What exactly is your question about "intransitive verbs"?

 

[Alexu]

Here's another ... at the 1st meaning there is a mark सकर्मक क्रिया , at the 2nd - again अकर्मक क्रिया ..

 

[Alexu]

What exactly is your question about "intransitive verbs"?

How often are these kinds of verbs used? Where did this usage come from?

 

[Qureshpor]

How often are these kinds of verbs used? Where did this usage come from?

Well, marnaa, biknaa, pahuNchnaa.... etc, if an intransitive verb exists, then it is used. Some verbs may have fallen out of vogue and replaced by other verbs.

Where did this usage come from? Well, if they are part of the language, then the source of usage must be the language itself. If you have etymology in mind, then I am not equipped to answer your question. Apologies.

 

[Alexu]

Where did this question come from... In the book from where I brought these verbs, it is written that in Hindi there are causative verbs in form, but intransitive in meaning. And nothing more... That's how these questions arose

 

[littlepond]

In the book from where I brought these verbs, it is written that in Hindi there are causative verbs in form, but intransitive in meaning.

Then they are not causative. You have given the example of "badalnaa": that is both a transitive and intransitive verb.

"maiN ne use badal diyaa": I have changed him/her. (transitive)
"voh badal gayaa hai": He has changed. (intransitive)

But there is no causative in any of the above. Causative would be "maiN ne us tohfe ko badalvaa diyaa": "I have got that gift changed."

 

[Alexu]

Then they are not causative. You have given the example of "badalnaa": that is both a transitive and intransitive verb.

"maiN ne use badal diyaa": I have changed him/her. (transitive)
"voh badal gayaa hai": He has changed. (intransitive)

But there is no causative in any of the above. Causative would be "maiN ne us tohfe ko badalvaa diyaa": "I have got that gift changed."

Well, that's what I called the topic - " Intransitive verbs in '-aanaa'.
And the verb 'badlaana' (not 'badalnaa') is usually transitive, but as the dictionary data shows, it also has an intransitive meaning. But with this intransitive meaning is a problem - it seems that such a use is not known to anyone.

 

[marrish]

Here's another ... at the 1st meaning there is a mark सकर्मक क्रिया , at the 2nd - again अकर्मक क्रिया ..

They mean that the cardinal meaning is transitive, but the old usage (probably extinct) is intransitive.

बदलाना ——स॰=बदलवाना।

† अ॰=बदलना (बदला जाना)।

 

[littlepond]

And the verb 'badlaana' (not 'badalnaa') is usually transitive, but as the dictionary data shows, it also has an intransitive meaning. But with this intransitive meaning is a problem - it seems that such a use is not known to anyone.

I have never heard of "badlaanaa." And even if it were there, it would be transitive, not intransitive.

 

[Alexu]

I have never heard of "badlaanaa." And even if it were there, it would be transitive, not intransitive.

That is, in your opinion, the verb "kahlaana" is also always transitive?

 

[Alexu]

They mean that the cardinal meaning is transitive, but the old usage (probably extinct) is intransitive.

बदलाना ——स॰=बदलवाना।

† अ॰=बदलना (बदला जाना)।

It may very well be ... I just asked "How often are these kinds of verbs used?" It turned out that no one had ever seen or heard such forms ...

 

[marrish]

Unless it's about something like मैंने कपड़े बदलाए maiN ne kapRe badlaa'e or perhaps ज़माना बदला गया = ज़माना बदल गया, zamaanaa badlaa gayaa = zamaanaa badal gayaa.

 

[littlepond]

That is, in your opinion, the verb "kahlaana" is also always transitive?

No, because it is not that same suffixes lead to the same meaning.

 

[Qureshpor]

And the verb 'badlaana' (not 'badalnaa') is usually transitive, but as the dictionary data shows, it also has an intransitive meaning. But with this intransitive meaning is a problem - it seems that such a use is not known to anyone.

badlaanaa does not have an intransitive meaning.

They mean that the cardinal meaning is transitive, but the old usage (probably extinct) is intransitive.

बदलाना ——स॰=बदलवाना।

It may very well be ... I just asked "How often are these kinds of verbs used?" It turned out that no one had ever seen or heard such forms ...

badalnaa, badlaanaa and badalvaanaa, all are current in Urdu. badlaanaa & badalvaanaa carry the same meaning.

bachche ne apne kapRe badle -- The child changed his/her clothes.

maaN ne bachche ke kapRe badlaa'e / badalvaa'e -- The mother got the child to change his/her clothes.

خود مجھ سے تو بدلی ہی نہیں جاتی کروٹ
ہاں دل کی تڑپ ضُعف میں بدلاتی ہے

شوق قِدوائی

xvud mujh se to badlii hii nahiiN jaatii hai karvaT
haaN dil kii taRap zu3f meN badlaatii hai karvaT

Shauq Qidvaa'ii

I myself can't turn on my own accord from side to side
But in infirmity my heart's restlessness turns the side

 

[Alexu]

No, because it is not that same suffixes lead to the same meaning.

Can you give more intransitive verbs with the suffix " -[l]aa " ? (I hope that the fact that "kahlaanaa" is still formed from a verb " kahnaa" - does not cause you any doubts?) In addition, "kahlaanaa" can also be a transitive verb with a normal "causative" meaning.
Probably, those verbs, along with the normal "causative" meaning, also had an intransitive meaning.

P.S. Another interesting question - from where did the author of the book get the information about these verbs. All the verbs I have given are taken from two dictionaries ( Brhat Hindi kosh and Maanak Hindi kosh ) with an indication of the exact location of these words. Probably, these verbs were already cited in some book that came out earlier - in other words, the grammar of these words was discussed somewhere)

 

[Qureshpor]

That is, in your opinion, the verb "kahlaana" is also always transitive?

In addition, "kahlaanaa" can also be a transitive verb with a normal "causative" meaning.
Probably, those verbs, along with the normal "causative" meaning, also had an intransitive meaning.

kahlaanaa is used in two senses.

1. causing someone to say something, e.g. aap us se kahlaa'iye gaa kih vuh jhuuTaa hai.

Get him to say that he is a liar

2. It has a neuter/intransitive kind of sense as in "to be called" /"known as"/ "named".

raavalpinDii se pishaavar kaa 3ilaaqah Texilaa kahlaataa hai

The area between Rawalpindi and Peshawar is called Texila

Can you give more intransitive verbs with the suffix " -[l]aa " ?

No, I can't think of any.

P.S. Another interesting question - from where did the author of the book get the information about these verbs. All the verbs I have given are taken from two dictionaries ( Brihat Hindi kosh and Maanak Hindi kosh ) with an indication of the exact location of these words. Probably, these verbs were already cited in some book that came out earlier - in other words, the grammar of these words was discussed somewhere)

When were these dictionaries published. Their prefaces must have information on the previous dictionaries the compiler/s had access to.

 

[aevynn]

I think @marrish jii has made an incredibly astute observation in #21 🙏 Hopefully he won't mind if I elaborate on his observation!

It is totally possible and natural in the modern language to say something like

(1) vaqt ke saath log bhii badlaa jaate haiN.​

​

It seems to me that this sentence exhibits badlaanaa as a genuine intransitive; badlaa jaanaa can also be a passive, but it is clear from both the semantics and the morphology of sentence (1) that that is not what's happening here. Semantically, the sentence means "People change with time" and is essentially synonymous with "... badal jaate haiN." There isn't any implication that anything or anyone is changing them and it doesn't "feel" like a passive. Morphologically, note that it is log badlaa jaate haiN. If it was a passive construction, the thing before the jaate would be a participle that agrees with the subject (eg, us ghar ke taale har saal badle jaate haiN, ie, "the locks of that house are changed every year"). This agreement is not exhibited in (1). It looks to me like the badlaa in (1) is in fact the verb stem of a verb who's infinitive would be badlaanaa, and an intransitive badlaanaa is not extinct 🙂

I wonder if the "T" symbol that shows up in the picture in post #11 is not a "archaic" marker, but rather a marker for a word that is only used in compound. @Alexu jii, if the dictionary has an entry for "जुलना" as in "मिलना-जुलना," or other such words that are basically only used in compound, does the same "T" symbol show up there...?

 

[littlepond]

It is totally possible and natural in the modern language to say something like

(1) vaqt ke saath log bhii badlaa jaate haiN.​

I do agree that this is possible and exists as well, however not all that common outside certain speakers' speech.

 

[Qureshpor]

I think @marrish jii has made an incredibly astute observation in #21 🙏 Hopefully he won't mind if I elaborate on his observation!

It is totally possible and natural in the modern language to say something like

(1) vaqt ke saath log bhii badlaa jaate haiN.

It would be nice to cite an example from somewhere that backs this observation. Also, I wonder if another transitive verb can fit this kind of slot to imply it being intransitive, e.g

baRhe baRe ustaadoN ko bhii yih log sikhaa jaate haiN (here of course sikhaa is transitive)

Maybe...

thoRe 3arse ke ba3d hii yih sab kuchh bhulaa dete haiN. (Looks transitive but maybe a hint of intransitivity?)

 

[Alexu]

I wonder if the "T" symbol that shows up in the picture in post #11 is not a "archaic" marker, but rather a marker for a word that is only used in compound. @Alexu jii, if the dictionary has an entry for "जुलना" as in "मिलना-जुलना," or other such words that are basically only used in compound, does the same "T" symbol show up there...?

All 5 volumes of Maanak Hindi Kosh can be viewed here

 

[aevynn]

I wonder if the "T" symbol that shows up in the picture in post #11 is not a "archaic" marker, but rather a marker for a word that is only used in compound. @Alexu jii, if the dictionary has an entry for "जुलना" as in "मिलना-जुलना," or other such words that are basically only used in compound, does the same "T" symbol show up there...?

All 5 volumes of Maanak Hindi Kosh can be viewed here

Thank you! I guess it is not a "T" but probably a bad scan of a dagger, as marrish jii already transcribed in #11. It marks regionalisms.

Which region these intransitives in -aanaa belong to, I cannot say.

Also, I wonder if another transitive verb can fit this kind of slot to imply it being intransitive, e.g

baRhe baRe ustaadoN ko bhii yih log sikhaa jaate haiN (here of course sikhaa is transitive)

Maybe...

thoRe 3arse ke ba3d hii yih sab kuchh bhulaa dete haiN. (Looks transitive but maybe a hint of intransitivity?)

The second example is clearly transitive and there is an explicit object: "sab kuchh." In the first example, it seems to me that the object is left tacit, but the meaning makes clear that the ustaads are being taught something, and it still seems to me to be a transitive sikhaanaa compounded with jaanaa. The example sentence in #26 does not seem to me about people changing something that is left tacit, it's about people themselves changing, and the similar sentence in #21 is also not about the zamaanA changing something left tacit, it's about the zamaanA itself changing.

It would be nice to cite an example from somewhere that backs this observation.

Beyond the dictionary entry that Alexu jii has already shared with us in #11, I do not have anything to quote for you.

 

[Alexu]

Thank you! I guess it is not a "T" but probably a bad scan of a dagger, as marrish jii already transcribed in #11. It marks regionalisms.
View attachment 82552
Which region these intransitives in -aanaa belong to, I cannot say.

👍

 

[Alexu]

Thank you! I guess it is not a "T" but probably a bad scan of a dagger, as marrish jii already transcribed in #11. It marks regionalisms.
View attachment 82552
Which region these intransitives in -aanaa belong to, I cannot say.

I looked at some literature and found some interesting information. Let's take Bhojpuri as an example. In this language, intransitive verbs (including those with a passive meaning) are formed from transitive verbs using the affix "-aa". The verbal roots "sun" - "to hear" to "sunaa" - "to be heard"; "baanh" "to bind" - "banhaa" "to be bound". The same in Magahi - "likh" "to write" - "likhaa" "to be written".
Moreover, similar roots have long been recorded in Avadhi - both in the old language and in modern forms of the language - see shots from Evolution of Awadhi (A Branch of Hindi) by B. Saksena . It can be assumed that such forms in "-aa" with an intransitive and even passive meaning could also get into literary Hindi in some territories - Bihar, the center and east of Uttar Pradesh et al.