Reconstruction:Ashokan Prakrit/𑀙𑁄𑀝𑁆𑀝

This Ashokan Prakrit entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Ashokan Prakrit

Etymology

Of uncertain origin. Turner compares the word to Prakrit 𑀘𑀼𑀮𑁆𑀮 (culla, “small”) and Zebaki čuṭ ("small"), connecting the former to Sanskrit चूड (cūḍa, “small”). Retroflexion and possible variants support a non-Aryan substrate origin.

A discarded theory by earlier lexicographers derived the word from Sanskrit क्षुद्रक (kṣudraka, “small, insignificant”), but from this one would expect: MIA *khuḍḍaga ~ *chuḍḍaga > NIA *khūḍā ~ *chūḍā, with western and central NIA languages generally preferring *kh-.

Adjective

*𑀙𑁄𑀝𑁆𑀝 (*choṭṭa)

small

Descendants

Central-Western:
- Central:
  - Hindustani:
    - Hindi: छोटा (choṭā, “small; young”)
      - → Kashmiri: ژھۆٹ (ċhoṭ)
      - → Marathi: छोटे (choṭe)
    - Urdu: چھوٹا (choṭā)
  - Pahari:
    - Nepali: छोटो (choṭo)
- Northwestern:
  - Punjabi: ਛੋਟਾ (choṭā) / چھوٹا (choṭā)
- Western:
  - Gujarati: છોટું (choṭũ)
Eastern:
- Bengali–Assamese
  - Assamese: ছোট (süt)
  - Bengali: ছোট (chōṭ)
- Odia: ଛୋଟ (choṭô)

References

Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “chōṭṭa”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press
Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “culla”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press

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