হ্যাঁ

Bengali

Alternative forms

Etymology

A variant of the now rarer হাঁ (hã), from Prakrit *𑀳𑀸𑀁 (*hāṃ), from Sanskrit आम् (ām, “yes”) a variant of ॐ (oṃ, “om”), with the initial aspiration contaminated from Magadhi Prakrit 𑀳𑁄𑀢𑀺 (hoti, “to be”), from Sanskrit भवति (bhavati), for emphasis. Influence of the verb "to be" occurs in the Prakrit ancestors of other Indo-Aryan languages as well, including Hindi हाँ (hā̃). Doublet of আঁ (ã), a variant unaffected by the contamination.[1]

Pronunciation
  • (Rarh) IPA(key): /ɦæ̃/, [ˈɦæ̃ˑ]
    Audio(file)
  • (Dhaka) IPA(key): /ɦɛ/, [ˈɦɛː], [ˈɦɛˑ]
    Audio(file)

Particle

হ্যাঁ • (hễ)

  1. yes

References
  1. Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “*ām2”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press
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