मराठी बोलींचे सर्वेक्षण

Survey of Dialects of the Marathi Language

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Case Syncretism

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The varients presented in the note below are arranged according to their frequency of occurrence in the survey data-from most frequent to least frequent.

Case syncretism refers to the correspondence between a single inflected form and two or more case functions. Case functions have been identified here based on the criterion of form: a distinct morphosyntactic case is recognised for a language if it is ever correlated with a formal inflectional distinction (Comrie 1991: 44-47).


Syncretism observed in the regional varieties of Marathi predominantly involves the non-core cases (Blake 2001: 119-144). Further, such syncretism was mainly observed in the speech varieties in the Konkan region.


Accusative-dative syncretism is observed throughout the Marathi-speaking region. For example, in the sentences, tyane radhala pahile ‘He saw Radha’ and aine priyala pustǝk dile ‘Mother gave a book to Priya’ the single suffix [-la] marks both the percept (Radha) and the recipient (Priya) respectively. Further, syncretism of the instrumental case and the ergative case (both marked by suffix [-ne] which is noted in the standard variety of Marathi was, however, not observed in all speech varieties of Marathi. For example, in the sentence penakəḍə čitrə kaḍtoy ‘He is drawing a picture with a pen’ recorded in Hateri taluka in Palghar district, [-kəḍə] is used as the instrumental marker while [-ne] is used as the ergative marker.


Case syncretism observed in western Maharashtra in the Konkan belt is described below.


1.0 Dialectal variation in case syncretism patterns

The case suffix [-ši] marks the sociative case in all varieties of Marathi. It additionally marks other cases in particular varieties of Marathi: (1) Ablative and Sociative, (2) Instrumental and Sociative (3) Ablative, Sociative and Instrumental, (4) Ablative, Sociative and Locative and (5) Ablative, Sociative, Locative and Instrumental. Such case syncretism was observed exclusively in the speech of different castes/tribes in the Konkan region. The geographical and social spread of this feature and its examples is given below.


1.1 Ablative and Sociative Case Syncretism
The use of [-ši] to indicate two case functions, namely ablative and sociative was observed in Raigad, Thane and Palghar districts in north Konkan. The geographical and social spread of this variant and examples are given below:


District Taluka and Village
Raigad Alibag - Bodni (Koli community) and Baple (Agri community), Roha - Nagothane (Sonkoli community),Shriwardhan - Bagmandla (Mahadev Koli community), Mahad - Narwan (Muslim community), Murud - Ekdara (Mahadev Koli community)
Thane Murbad - Patgaon (Agri community),Ambernath - Usatane (Katkari community)
Palghar Mokhada - Dandwal (M Thakur community)


1.1.1 Example (District Raigad, taluka Alibag, village Bodni, F51, Koli, 2nd)
ज्याला शिक्षन नाय त्याना कमी केलं धंद्यावरशी [Ablative function]
ǰyala šikšən nay tyana kəmi kelə dʰəndyawərši
ǰya-la šikšən nay tya-na kəmi ke-l-ə dʰəndya-wər-ši
REL.OBL-DAT education.3SGN NEG COREL.OBL-ACC less do-PFV-3SGN business.OBL-PP.LOC-ABL
Those who did not have education were laid off from work.
1.1.2 Example (District Raigad, taluka Alibag, village Bodni, F51, Koli, 2nd)
बोलतान एकीमेकीशी [Sociative function]
boltan ekimekiši
bol-tan ekimeki-ši
speak-IPFV.3PL each other-SOC
They talk to each other.
1.1.3 Example (District Raigad, taluka Alibag, village Baple, M28, Agri, 9th)
टेबलावरशी बाटली पडली [Ablative function]
ṭeblawərši baṭli pəḍli
ṭebla-wər-ši baṭli pəḍ-l-i
table.OBL-PP.LOC-ABL bottle.3SGF fall-PFV-3SGF
The bottle fell from the table.
1.1.4 Example (District Raigad, taluka Alibag, village Baple, M28, Agri, 9th)
एकामेकाशी बोलतात [Sociative function]
ekamekaši boltat
ekameka-ši bol-t-at
each other-SOC speak-IPFV-3PL
They talk to each other.
1.1.5 Example (District Raigad, taluka Mahad, village Narwan, M18, Muslim, SY B.Com.)
डब्बा काडलाय तिनं टिफीन बॅगशी [Ablative function]
ḍəbba kaḍlay tinə ṭifin bæɡši
ḍəbba kaḍ-l-a-y ti-nə ṭifin bæɡ-ši
box.3SGM take out-PFV-3SGM-be.PRS she-ERG tiffin bag-ABL
She has taken the box out of the tiffin bag.
1.1.6 Example (District Raigad, taluka Mahad, village Narwan, M18, Muslim, SY B.Com.)
सर्व्यांशी कोकनीच़ [Sociative function]
sərwyænši koknic
sərwyæn-ši kokni-c
all.OBL-SOC Kokni-EMPH
(I talk to) everyone in the Kokni language.
1.1.7 Example (District Palghar, taluka Mokhada, village Dandwal, F35, M Thakur, 7th)
रनिंग करते हे खांबाशी त ते खांबाला [Ablative function]
rəniṅɡ kərte he kʰambaši tə te kʰambala
rəniṅɡ kər-t-e he kʰamb-a-ši tə te kʰamb-a-la
running do-IPFV-3SG DEM.PROX.OBL pillar-OBL-ABL so DEM.DIST.OBL pillar-OBL-LOC
He runs from this pillar to that pillar.
1.1.8 Example (District Palghar, taluka Mokhada, village Dandwal, M24, M Thakur, S.Y.B.A.)
मी तुझ्याशी बोलतो [Sociative function]
mi tuǰʰaši bolto
mi tu-ǰʰ-a-ši bol-t-o
I you-GEN-OBL-SOC speak-IPFV-1SGM
I talk to you.Instrumental and Sociative Case Syncretism

[-ši] is used to indicate two case functions, namely instrumental and sociative in Palghar district. This syncretism was observed only the Katkari community in Saywan village in Vasai taluka.

[-ši] is used to indicate two case functions, namely instrumental and sociative in Palghar district. This syncretism was observed only the Katkari community in Saywan village in Vasai taluka.


1.2.1 Example (District Palghar, taluka Vasai, village Saywan, M26, Katkari, 4th)
हातरूमालशी नाक पुसलं [Instrumental function]
hatrumalši nak puslə
hatrumal-ši nak pus-l-ə
hanky-INS nose handkerchief
(He) wiped his nose with a handkerchief.
1.2.2 Example (District Palghar, taluka Vasai, village Saywan, M26, Katkari, 4th)
त्या एकामेरीशी बोलतात [Sociative function]
tya ekameriši boltat
tya ekameri-ši bol-t-at
they.OBl each other-SOC speak-IPFV-3PLF
They talk to each other.
N.B. The ablative marker in this speech variety is [-un], as seen in the following example:
1.2.3 Example (District Palghar, taluka Vasai, village Saywan, M35, Katkari, 4th)
पिशवीतून सपरचंद काडलं
pišwitun səpərčənd kaḍlə
pišwi-t-un səpərčənd kaḍ-l-ə
bag-LOC-ABL apple.3SGN take out-PFV-3SGN
(He) took an apple out from the bag.
1.3 Ablative, Sociative and Instrumental Case Syncretism

The use of the case suffix [-ši/či] to mark three case functions, namely ablative, sociative and instrumental was observed in Palghar and Raigad districts. The geographical and social spread of this variant and examples are given below:


District Taluka and Village
Palghar Dahanu - Pimpalshet (Warli community), Vasai - Wagholi (Warli community)
Raigad Karjat - Gaulwadi (Maratha community) and Salokh (Katkari community)


While the ablative, sociative, locative and instrumental functions of the suffixal form [-ši] were noted in various communities in Palghar, the use of [-či] with an ablative usage was noted only in the Warli community in Wagholi village in Vasai taluka.


1.3.1 Example (District Palghar, taluka Dahanu, village Pimpalshet, M45, Warli, 8th)
आता चेंडू घितला हाय तेच्याकडशी [Ablative function]
ata čeṇḍu ɡʰitla hay tečakəḍši
ata čeṇḍu ɡʰit-l-a hay te-č-a-kəḍ-ši
now ball.3SGM take-PFV-3SGM be.PRS he.OBL-GEN-OBL-PP.LOC-ABL
Now he has taken the ball from him.
1.3.2 Example (District Palghar, taluka Dahanu, village Pimpalshet, M45, Warli, 8th)
वारलीशी त वारली भाषा बोलतो [Sociative function]
warliši tə warli bʰaša bolto
warli-ši tə warli bʰaša bol-t-o
Warli-SOC so Warli language speak-IPFV-1SGM
I speak Warli language with Warli people.
1.3.3 Example (District Palghar, taluka Dahanu, village Pimpalshet, M24, Warli, 6th)
हाताशी बाटली खाली पडली आहे [Instrumental function]
hataši baṭli kʰali pəḍli ahe
hat-a-ši baṭli kʰali pəḍ-l-i ahe
hand-OBL-INS bottle.3SGF down fall-PFV-3SGF be.PRS
The bottle is dropped by hand.
1.3.4 Example (District Raigad, taluka Karjat, village Gaulwadi, F42, Maratha, 2nd)
दोनी लोटून दिल्या टेबलावरशी मुलाने [Ablative function]
doni loṭun dilya ṭeblawərši mulane
doni loṭ-un di-l-ya ṭebla-wər-ši mula-ne
both.OBL sweep-CP give-PFV-3PLF table.OBL-PP.LOC-ABL boy.OBL-ERG
The boy swept both the bottles off the table.
1.3.5 Example (District Raigad, taluka Karjat, village Salokh, M25, Katkari, Illiterate)
काय काडं त्यानी फुल पेन्सलीशी [Instrumental function]
kay kaḍə tyani pʰul pensəliši
kay kaḍ-ə tya-ni pʰul pensəli-ši
what draw-PFV.3SGN he.OBL-ERG flower.3SGN pencil.OBL-INS
What has he drawn with the pencil, it’s a flower.
1.3.6 Example (District Raigad, taluka Karjat, village Salokh, M62, Muslim, 10th)
बॅगशी त्यानं किताब काडून देल्ली [Ablative function]
bæɡši tyanə kitab kaḍun delli
bæɡ-ši tya-nə kitab kaḍ-un de-ll-i
bag-ABL he.OBL-ERG book.3SGF remove-CP give-PFV-3SGF
He removed the book from the bag and gave it (to me).
1.3.7 Example (District Raigad, taluka Karjat, village Salokh, M62, Muslim, 10th)
याने याला मारला काठीशी मारला [Instrumental function]
yane yala marla kaṭʰiši marla
ya-ne ya-la mar-l-a kaṭʰi-ši mar-l-a
he.OBL-ERG he.OBL-ACC hit-PFV-3SGM stick-INS hit-PFV-3SGM
He hit him with a stick.
1.3.8 Example (District Palghar, taluka Vasai, village Wagholi, F50+, Warli, Illiterate)
पिशवीची काय काडलं त्यानी [Ablative function]
pišwiči kay kaḍlə tyani
pišwi-či kay kaḍ-l-ə tya-ni
bag-ABL what remove-PFV-3SGN he.OBL-ERG
What did he take out of the bag?
1.3.9 Example (District Palghar, taluka Vasai, village Wagholi, M45, Warli, Illiterate)
एकमेकाशी काइतरी बोलतात ते [Sociative function]
ekmekaši kaitəri boltat te
ekmeka-ši kaitəri bol-t-at te
each other-SOC something speak-IPFV-3PL they
They are saying something to each other.
1.3.10 Example (District Palghar, taluka Vasai, village Wagholi, F50+, Warli, Illiterate)
हाताशी मारलं [Instrumental function]
hataši marlə
hat-a-ši mar-l-ə
hand-OBL-INS hit-PFV-3SGN
(He) hit (him) with his hand.
1.4 Ablative, Sociative and Locative Case Syncretism

The use of the case suffix [-ši] to mark three case functions, namely ablative, sociative and locative was observed in northern Konkan. The geographical and social spread of this variant and examples are given below:


District Taluka and Village
Palghar Dahanu - Bordi (Wadwal community),Talasari - Girgaon (Warli community) and Udhwa (Warli community)
Thane Ambernath - Usatane (Agri community)


1.4.1 Example (District Palghar, taluka Dahanu, village Bordi, F58, Wadwal, 10th)
बुटं काडली त्यान पायाशी [Ablative function]
buṭə kaḍli tyan payaši
buṭə kaḍ-l-i tya-n paya-ši
shoes take off-PFV-3PL he.OBL-ERG leg.OBL-
ABL

He took the shoes off his feet.
1.4.2 Example (District Palghar, taluka Dahanu, village Bordi, F27, Wadwal, M.A., D.Ed.)
वयस्कर त्यांच्याशी वाडवळ [Sociative function]
wəyəskər tyañčaši waḍwəḷ
wəyəskər tyañ-č-a-ši waḍwəḷ
older they.OBL-GEN-OBL-SOC Wadwal
(I speak in) Wadwal language with older people.
1.4.3 Example (District Palghar, taluka Dahanu, village Bordi, F58, Wadwal, 10th)
आज़ सकाइशी उठून च़ूल लाउन पानी तापवलं [Locative-temporal function]
aj səkaiši uṭʰun cul laun paṇi tapəwlə
aj səkai-ši uṭʰ-un cul la-un paṇi tap-əw-l-ə
today morning-LOC wake up-CP stove light-CP water.3SGN heat-CAUS-PFV-3SGN
I woke up in the morning today, lit the stove and heated the water.
1.4.4 Example (District Palghar, taluka Talasari, village Girgaon, M23, Warli, B.Sc.)
त्याहां बाटल्या टेबलावरशी पाडल्या [Ablative function]
tyahã baṭlya ṭeblawərši paḍlya
tya-hã baṭlya ṭebla-wər-ši paḍ-l-ya
he.OBL-ERG bottle.3PLF table.OBL-PP.LOC-ABL fall.CAUS-PFV-3PLF
He pushed the bottles off the table.
1.4.5 Example (District Palghar, taluka Talasari, village Girgaon, M23, Warli, B.Sc.)
लोकांशी संपर्क साधायला पाहिजे [Sociative function]
lokanši səmpərkə sadʰhayla pahiǰe
lokan-ši səmpərkə sadʰh-ayla pahiǰe
people-SOC contact.3SGM achieve-NON.FIN want
(I think) One should make contact with other people.
1.4.6 Example (District Palghar, taluka Talasari, village Girgaon, M23, Warli, B.Sc.)
म्हंजी दुसर्‍या गावात आमच्या गावाशी दुसरा गाव हाइ ना थ होता [Locative function]
mʰəñǰi dusrya ɡawat amča ɡawaši dusra ɡaw hai na tʰə hota
mʰəñǰi dusrya ɡaw-a-t am-č-a ɡaw-a-ši dusra ɡaw hai na tʰə hota
means other.OBL village-OBL-LOC we.EXCL-GEN-OBL village-OBL-LOC other.3SGM village.3SGM be.PRS DM that.3SGM be.PST.3SGM
There was another village near our village.
1.4.7 Example (District Thane, taluka Ambernath, village Usatane, F55, Agri, Illiterate)
पिशवीशी काय कारलं सपरचंद [Ablative function]
pišwiši kay karlə səpərčənd
pišwi-ši kay kar-l-ə səpərčənd
bag-ABL what remove-PFV-3SGN apple.3SGN
What did he take out of the bag, it’s an apple.
1.4.8 Example (District Thane, taluka Ambernath, village Usatane, F55, Agri, Illiterate)
बोलतान एक्यामेक्याशी [Sociative function]
boltan ekyamekyaši
boltan ekyamekyaši
speak-IPFV-3PL each other-OBL-SOC
(They) talk to each other.
1.4.9 Example (District Thane, taluka Ambernath, village Usatane, F55, Agri, Illiterate)
शेतावर गेलू तिथशी भात खुनला तितून डबल शेतावर जेलू तिथशी भात पेरला [Locative function]
šetawər ɡelu titʰəši bʰat kʰunla titun ḍəbəl dusrya šetawər ǰelu titʰəši bʰat perla
šet-a-wər ɡe-l-u titʰə-ši bʰat kʰun-l-a tit-un ḍəbəl dusrya šet-a-wər ǰe-l-u titʰə-ši bʰat per-l-a
farm-OBL-PP.LOC go-PFV-1SGF there-LOC rice reap-PFV-3SGM double farm-OBL-PP.LOC go-PFV-1SGF there-LOC rice sow-PFV-3SGM
I went to the field and reaped rice there; I went to another field and sowed rice.
1.4.10 Example (District Palghar, taluka Talasari, village Udhwa, F50, Warli, Illiterate)
पळत सुटली घरातशी [Ablative function]
pələt suṭli ɡʰəratši
pələt suṭ-l-i ɡʰər-a-t-ši
run leave-PFV-1SGF home-OBL-LOC-ABL
(I) started running out of the house.
1.4.11 Example (District Palghar, taluka Talasari, village Udhwa, M30, Warli, B.Com.)
म्हंजे कोनाशीबी बोलायच़ा हा त च़ांगलाच़ [Sociative function]
mʰəñǰe konašibi bolayca hã tə caṅɡlac
mʰəñǰe kona-ši-bi bol-ayca hã tə caṅɡla-c
means who.OBL-SOC-PRT speak-NON.FIN be.PRS then good-EMPH
If you want to talk to anyone, talk well.
1.4.12 Example (District Palghar, taluka Talasari, village Udhwa, F50, Warli, Illiterate)
तिकडं ती नवरी बसवायची च़ौकाशी [Locative function]
tikḍə ti nəwri bəswayči cəwkaši
tikḍə ti nəwri bəs-(ə)w-ayč-i cəwka-ši
there DEM.DIST.3SGF bride.3SGF sit-CAUS-NON.FIN-3SGF square.OBL-LOC
The bride is made to sit there near the courtyard.
1.5 Ablative, Sociative, Locative and Instrumental Case Syncretism

The use of the case suffix [-ši] to mark four case functions, namely ablative, sociative, locative and instrumental was observed only in the Muslim community in Kondiware village in Sangmeshwar taluka of Ratnagiri district.


1.5.1 Example (District Ratnagiri, taluka Sangmeshwar, village Kondiware, F30, Muslim, 5th)
घडी काडलान हाताशी [Ablative function]
ɡʰəḍi kaḍlan hataši
ɡʰəḍi kaḍ-lan hat-a-ši
watch remove-PFV hand-OBL-ABL
He removed the watch from his hand.
1.5.2 Example (District Ratnagiri, taluka Sangmeshwar, village Kondiware, F30, Muslim, 5th)
लहानपनाक काय खेलत होतीव सगल्यांशी मिलून मिलून येत होतीव [Sociative function]
ləhanpənak kay kʰelət hotiw səɡlyanši milun milun yet hotiw
ləhanpən-a-k kay kʰel-ət hot-iw səɡlyan-ši mil-un mil-un ye-t hot-iw
childhood-OBL-LOC what play-IPFV be.PST-1SGF all.OBL-SOC,/b> together REDUP come-IPFV be.PST-1SGF
As a child (I) used to play and come with everyone.
1.5.3 Example (District Ratnagiri, taluka Sangmeshwar, village Kondiware, F75, Muslim, 5th)
ते तुज्या पप्पाच्या बुआच्या घराशीस होती [Locative function]
te tuǰa pəppača buača ɡʰərašis hoti
te tu-ǰ-a pəppa-č-a bua-č-a ɡʰər-a-ši-s hot-i
it you-GEN-OBL father-GEN-OBL aunt-GEN-OBL home-OBL-LOC be.PST-3SGF
It was near your father’s aunt's house.
1.5.4 Example (District Ratnagiri, taluka Sangmeshwar, village Kondiware, F30, Muslim, 5th)
काइतर टाकला डब्ब्याशी [Locative function]
kaitər ṭakla ḍəbbyaši
kaitər ṭak-l-a ḍəbbya-ši
something put-PFV-3SGM box.OBL-LOC
(He) put something in the box.
1.5.5 Example (District Ratnagiri, taluka Sangmeshwar, village Kondiware, F75, Muslim, 5th)
प्यारशी बाय बोलतो (मुलीला) [Instrumental function]
pyarši bay bolto
pyar-ši bay bol-t-o
love-INS ‘bay’ speak-IPFV-1PL
We address our daughter as ‘bay’ with love.
References
• Comrie, Bernard. (1991). Form and Function in Identifying Cases. In Plank, Frans (ed.), Paradigms: The Economy of Inflection, 41-56. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
• Blake, Barry. (2001). Case. Cambridge: CUP.