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CHAPTER XV

The Case-Signs or Post-Positions

95. As stated above (88), the oblique form of Noun expresses the gramatical relations with the help of the ``case-signs'' ܽ, ܽ, ܽ, ܽ ܣ and . They are always placed after the Noun or Pronoun whose relations with the other words in a sentence they indicate. They may, therefore, be called Post-Positions, i.e. having the nature and function of Preposition but placed after a Noun or a Pronoun. The ``case-signs,'' more over, cannot usually be replaced by other words of the same or a similar meaning. See 296 (Post-Positions).

Note:- The Case-Signs should always be written as separate words with Nouns (as ܟ ܽ, ܽ etc.) but should be tagged on to the Pronoun (as ܾܽ, ܈ܽ, Ŭ܈, ܺܬܽ, ܬܟܽ, etc.).

ܽ

96. ܽ is attached to the Subject of a Transitive Verb when it is used in the Past (Participle) form:

ܽ ť ܡ `the boy ate the fruit';

ܟ ܽ ܝ ܁ `Ram read the book';

ܡܽ ܽ ڻ ڡ `the cows gave milk';

ܽܽ ܽ `the horses pulled the carriage';

܃ ܽ ܰ ܉ ۾ `the brother has written a letter';

ܽ ܛ ܛܡ `the girl had cokked the food';

But the Subject of an Intransitive Verb in the past has the direct form:

ܡ `the boy came';

ܽ ܾ `the horse ran';

ܡܽ ܡ `the cows went'.

Exceptions:-

A few Transitive Verbs like ܛ `to bring,' ܻܛ `to forget', ܽܛ `to speak', do not take the Subject with ܽ ; while with ܟܐܛ `to understand' and ܈ś `to chatter', ܽ is optional. See 199.

ܝ ܡ `the boy brought the book';

ܹۛܽ ť ܡ `the sisters brought fruits';

ܽ `he said';

ܟܐ `I understood';

ܾܽ ܜ܈ ܟܐ `I did not understand what you said'.

For the forms of the Past-Participle, see 195.

ܽ

  1. ܽ is used for denoting:-
    1. A Person who ``does'' something involuntarily (such as-like, dislike, remember, be injured, be offended, suffer, feel, enjoy, receive, happen to have, to meet, to know, to see or to hear, or to do something under compulsion, requirement, necessity, obligation etc).

      2. ܟ ܽ ܻ ܊ `Ram felt hunger (hungry)';

      ܽ ܬ ܊ `the boy felt thirst (y)';

      ܽ ں: ۺ `mother felt angry';

      ܽ ܽ ܡ `the sister had satisfaction or felt satisfied';

      ܹۛ ܽ ܛܽ ۺ `the sister had satisfaction or felt satisfied';

      ܽ ܏ ܃; `the girl felt ashamed';

      ܾţ ܽ ܛ `the servant had to go';

      ܽ ܽ ܽܛ ܹۇ `the boys should play';

      ܽ ܾܥ ܹۇ `Sita requires a pencil';

      ܟ ܽ ܛ ۾ `Ram has to go';

      ܽۛ ܽ ۺ ܟ ۾ `Mohan has much to do';

      ܽۛ ܽ ۾ `Mohan happens to know';

      ܟ ܽ ܈ܣ ۾ `Ram has the right';

      ܽ ܛ ܰ ܥ `the boy happened to meet his friend';

      [ But ܛܽ ܰ ܽ ܥ `the boy happened to meet his friend']

      ܟ ܽ ڵ ܥ `Ram received punishment'; [see 198 (i)]

      ܽ ܽ ܃ `the girl received injury';

      ܽ ť ܊ `the boy liked thr fruit';

      ܃ ܽ ܺ ܊ `the brother was offended (did not like it)';

      ܽ ܺܣ ۾ `the girl has fever';

      ܽ ۾ `the boy does not remember';

      ڟ ܽ ܽ ۾ `the man is not in his senses (has fainted).'

      (See 266-270)

    2. An Animate Object, provided it denotes a particular being; [cf. 94 (d)]

      3. ܽ ܺ܂ܽ `call the boy';

      ڟ ܽ ڽ ۻ `I see the man';

      ܽ `he will surch for the girl';

      ܟ ܽ ܽܽ ܽ `Ram was searching for Sita';

      But - ܽ ܝܽ ܣܽ `Purchase two books' (Inanimate object);

      ܣ ň ۾ `the boy throws stones, (Inanimate Object);

      ܾţ ܽ ۻ `I am looking for a servant' (not a particular servant).

    3. The Object of a Verb in the neutral Construction (174 (c)];

      4. ܟ ܽ ܽ ڽ `Ram saw the boy',

      ܃ ܽ ܹۛ ܽ ܺܡ `the brother called the sister';

      ܣܽ ܽ ň ڡ ܡ `the stones were thrown away';

      ܈ܛܽ ܽ ܣ ڡ ܇ `let these houses be demolished'.

    4. Every Secondary Object (which is usually amimate):

      5. ܿ ܽ ť ڽ ۾ `the mother gives fruits to the boy';

      ܟ ܽ ܟ ܽ ܰ ܉ `Ram wrote a letter to Shyam';

      ܽ ܽ ܣ ܽ `give fodder to the horse'.

    5. The Object of a Verb requiring a predicative word (referring to the object):

      6. ܚě ܽ ܜ ܛ ۾ `he regards poverty as a sin';

      ܝܽ ܽ ܛ ţܽ `do not make the books dirty';

      ܽ ܿ ܟܐ ۾ `he takes the rope to be a snake'.

    6. Nouns denoting time when used adverbially:

ܟ ܽ ܂ܽ `come in the evening';

ܟ ڬ ܣ ܽ ܡ `Ram came on the tenth';

ܽܨܣ ܽ ܅Š `I will go on Monday';

ۣܽ ܽ ۾ `he comes at noon';

ܽ ܟ ţ ۾ `he works at night'.

When the Noun denoting time is qualified by some other word, ܽ may be omitted (290-b), except with the words denoting days and dates:

ť (ܽ) ܽ ܡ `somebody had come last night';

But ܽ ܽܨܣ ܽ ܰ ܉ `Sita wrote a letter on Monday';

ܿ ܣ ܽ ܣ `he fell ill on the fifth';

For further use of ܽ See 310-312.

ܽ

  1. ܽ is used for denoting:-
    1. The subject of a Verb in the passive and impersonal Voices (171):

      2. ܟ ܽ ܰ ܉ `Ram is unable to write a letter',

      ܽ ܾ ܡ `the boy could not run',

    2. The Indirect Objects (which are usually persons) of the Verbs meaning `to tell, say, ask for, beg, demand, claim, request':

      3. ܃ ܽ ܟ ܽ ........`brother told Ram that.........';

      ܛ ܽ ܿ ܽ .........`Kanta said to mother..........';

      ܽ ܽ ܺ..........`I asked the boy...........';

      ܾţ ܺܬܽ ܡ ܿ ۾....`the servant asks me for a rupee'.

    3. Means, instrument or agency:

      4. ܣ ܽ ܟ܍ܣ ܽ `send news by telegram';

      ܽ ţ ţ `he does not travel by train';

      ܈ ܽ ť ܒܽ `cut the fruit with a knife';

      ܥ ܽ ܉ ۻ `I write with a pencil';

      ܟ ܾţ ܽ ţ܂ܽ ` get this work done by the servant'.

      (See 250 c-e).

    4. Manner :

      5. ܛ ܽ ܺܽ `listen with attention (attentively)';

      ܺ ܣ ܽ ܁ ܽܽ `you will be able to read (it) with ease (easily)';

      Ź؛ ܽ ܡ `he was able to come wih some difficulty'.

    5. Cause, reason, origin :

      6. ܻ ܽ ܽ ܻ} ܡܽ `leaves dried up on account of sunshine';

      ۾ܽ ܽ ܣ ` he died of cholera';

      ܽ ܽ ٣ ۾ `the boy is afraid of the dog';

      ڻ ܽ ܛ ۾ `curd is made from milk'.

    6. Association, antagonism:

      7. ܽۛ ܺܬܽ ܥ `Mohan met (or visited) me';

      [But ܽۛ ܺ܈ܽ ܥ `I happened to meet Mohan' [97(a)].

      ܃ ܽ ܽ `do not quarrel with your brother';

      ܨܵ ܟ ܽ `Ravana fought Ram'. (See 313).

    7. Separation or keeping away from :

      8. ܽ ܽ ܣ `the leaf fell from the tree';

      ںܽ ܽ ܍ܽ `keep away from the wicked';

      ۣ ܽ ܥ ܡ `he went away from (left) the city'.

    8. Starting point (place or time):

      9. ۣ ܽ ڻ ۾ `the river is at some distance from the city';

      ܟ ť ܽ ܣ ۾ `Ram has been ill since yesterday'.

    9. Duration (with reference to a continuous `action' of present or past):

      10. ܣ ܥ ܽ ۾ `he has been here for the last four years';

      ܽ ܽ ڛ ܽ Ŏ ܡ `I had not eaten anything for years';

    10. Difference and comparison between two persons or things (cf. 99-d)

ܬܽ ܊ ۾ `this ink is different from that';

ܟ ܽۛ ܽ ۾ `Ram is older than Mohan' (See 132);

ť ܬܽ ۾ `this fruit is better than that';

ܝܬܽ ܽ ۾ `he is younger than all (the rest').(the rest , i. e. collectively.)

ܽ

    1. ܽ is used for denoting:-

(a) Location or presence (of something) in or within something:

ܽ ܣ ۣ ܽ ۾ `my house is in the city';

ܣ ܽ ۾ `mother is in the house';

ܥܡ ܽ ܁ ۾ `he studies in a school';

ܡ ܽ ƈţ ۾ `there is no sugar in the tea';

ܺ܈ ܽ `these are thirty lessons in the book'.

    1. Duration:

      2. ܝ ܽ ڛ ܽ ܁ `I read this book in three days';

      ܈ܛ ܥ ܽ ܾܣ ۺ `the house was constructed in one year'.

    2. Price:

ܥ ܛܽ ܽ ۾ `a pencil costs three annas';

ܝ ܽ ܡܽ ܽ ܥ `this book cost two ripees';

ܽ Ŝ ܿ ܡܽ ܽ ܡ `I purchased this cloth for five rupees'.

(d) Comparison with reference to more than two, or difference (cf. 98j)

ܽ ܽ ܟ ܝܬܽ ۾ `Ram is the best of these boys';

ܽ ܣ ۾ `there is difference between man andman'.

ܣ

  1. ܣ denotes :-
    1. Location or position on or upon or at something:

      2. ܝ ܽ{ ܣ ۾ `the book is on the table';

      ܽ ܣ ť `there are fruits on the tree';

      ܽ ܣ ܃ ܣ ۾ `my house is (situated ) at a height';

      ڣ܏ܽ ܣ ۾ `he is standing at the door';

      ܛ ܣ ۾ ` Shanta is on the roof';

      Ŏ ڻ ܣ `at some distance';

      ܽ ܣ `at a distance of one mile from here'.

    2. Point of time at which an action takes place:

      3. ܟܡ ܣ ۺ `I reached at the right time';

      ܽ ܏܈ţ ڬ ܛܒ ܣ ۾ `the train arrives at ten minutes after two (o'clock)'.

    3. Sequence of actions or happenings:

      4. ܛܽ ܣ ܽ ڽ .....`after reaching there, I saw........';

      ܞܜܹ ܛܽ ܣ ܝ ܽ ܡܽ `everybody got up when the President arrived'.

    4. Cause or reason :

ܽ ţܽ ܣ ܈ܥ ܡ `he was dismissed for committing theft'.

(e) Objects of (compound) Verbs signifying mercy, faith, confidence, anger etc. :

ܽ ܣ ڡ ţܽ `be kind to animals';

ĩܣ ܣ ܩܬ ţܽ `have faith in God';

ܾţܽ ܣ ܽ ţ ۾ `he gets angry with the servants'.

 

  1. denotes one of the under- mentioned relations between a Noun or a Pronoun and another Noun which follows the former. If the Noun that follows is Feminine (singular or plural), changes to ; if it is Masculine and Plural, or has an oblique form, changes to . See Note below.
    1. Possession and relationship :

      2. ܟ ܃ `Ram's brother';

      ܟ ܹۛ (or ܹۛܽ) `Ram's sister(s)';

      ܟ ܹۛ (or ܹۛܽ) ܽ ܛ ܛܡ `Ram's sister(s) cooked food';

      ܟ ܃ `Ram's brothers';

      ܟ ܃ (or ܃ܽ) ܽ `Ram's brother(s) said'.

    2. Material or composition :

      3. ܽܽ `a bangle of gold';

      ܣ ܈ܛ `house of stone';

      ܡܽ ܞ `an assembly of women';

      ܊܏ ܨ `a boat of paper'.

    3. Worth and measure (space or time):

      4. ܡܽ ƈţ `sugar worth a rupee';

      ܣ ܛܽ ť `fruits worth four annas';

      ڻ `a distance of one mile';

      ܽ ܏ ڣ `a bed-sheet of two yards';

       ܫ `a boy of five years';

    4. Source, origin, cause:

      5. ܹܬ ܒ `the plays of Kalidasa';

      ܽ `diseases of infection';

      ܽ ܏ `the produce of the field'.

    5. Subject (doer of an act) :

      6. ܾţ ܟ `servant's work';

      ܽ ܺܛ `the humming of bees';

      ܜ Ŝ ܽ `through your kindness'.

    6. Object (of an activity):

      7. ܍ܽ ܮ `the education of the children';

      `the murder of a woman';

      ܛ ܡ `the spending of money'.

    7. Part of a whole :

      8. ܽ `a piece of bread';

      ܺ܈ ܼ `a page of the book'.

    8. Purpose:

      9. ܽ ܛ `water for drinking';

      ܛܽ ܽ{ ` a table for eating on';

    9. Characteristic:

܍ܽ ܣ `the innocence of a child';

ܟ `the love of a mother';

ťܽ ܽܥ `the tenderness of flowers'.

Note: A Noun or a Pronoun, to which has been attached, assumes the nature of an -ending Adjective and qualifies the Noun which follows it. The forms, therefore, change, like an -ending Adjective, with the Number, Gender and Case of the Noun which they qualify. See 126-127. For further use of , see 314.

Vocative Case

    1. The vocative case, i.e., the form of a Noun used for addressing or calling a person, such as Ram, come here! has no relation with the other words in the sentence. Ram is, in fact, itself an independent sentence conveying such ideas as `listen to me', `pay attention!', `be careful!' `don't do it!' etc. in accordance with the situation and teh intonation of the vocative word.
    2. The vocative form is identical with the oblique, except that in the plural, ܽ loss its nasalization. There are no case-signs but certain Interjections (ܽ) ! Boy!' (ܽ) ܽ `Boys!'

() ! Girl!' (ܽ) šܽ `Girls!'

۽ ĩܣ ! `O God!' `O wretch!'.

But ܍! `Uncle!' ! `Grandpa! etc. do not change. See 80 (b-ii).

Note : The nasalized (-ܽ) forms should never be used for vocative plural, as is sometimes done by careless writers.