deriv SD cv (1373) ashtadhyayi.com hei.de L 1373 ETT STT a 4.1.63 ALPH OLDHOMEPAGE NEWHOMEPAGE

jAter a-strIviSayAd a-yopadhAt

जातेरॱस्त्रीविषयादॱयोपधात् ONPANINI 41063

After (a अ-ending) nounbases that mean a /jAti (there is /GIS when f ) unless they are invariably f or their nexttolast is y य्.

This "GIS" is a variant of /GI.

**vRka- वृकॱ m + /GIS by this rule
→ vRk- वृक् + I ई by yasyetica
→ !**vRkI- वृकीॱ f "she-wolf"

vyAghra- व्याघ्रॱ m + /GIS by jAtera जातेर
→ vyAghr- व्याघ्र् m + /GI by yasyetica
→ **vyAghrI- व्याघ्रीॱ "tigress"

**brAhmaNa- ब्राह्मणॱ m + /GI → !**brAhmaNI- ब्राह्मणीॱ f

**deva- देवॱ m "his majesty" + /GI
→ !**devI- देवीॱ f "her majesty"

vRSala- वृषलॱ m + /GI → !**vRSalI- वृषलीॱ f "a zUdra शूद्र woman"

**vAnarI- वानरीॱ "she-monkey"

Why do we say "unless invariably f "?

A noun like

**makSikA- मक्षिकाॱ "a fly"

is invariably f , and has /TAp. Similarly **madhulih- मधुलिह् when meaning "bee" is invariably m

The gender of these words has no relation to the biological sex of the animals because no one can tell the sexes apart. For the same reason a snake will almost always be referred to as a male, **sarpa- सर्पॱ, unless you see it laying eggs or caring for them.

What if the nexttolast is y य्?

These get /TAp too —

kSatriya- क्षत्रियॱ m + /Ap → kSatriyA- क्षत्रियाॱ "a kSatriya क्षत्रिय woman"

(I guess that happens because kSatriyI would sound sort of ugly.)

Why did you say "when meaning a bee"? Doesn't **madhulih- मधुलिह् always mean "bee"?

No. Grammar says that it means "honeylicker" all of the time. Usage says that it means "bee" most of the time.