Two Peculiar Usages of the particle Kira/Kiri in Apabhramsa
Summary
Herman Tieken's article examines the particle kira/kiri in Apabhramsa, a dialect not previously considered in studies of its Sanskrit counterpart, kila. While prior research by Emeneau, Ickler, and van Daalen established that kila generally signals a speaker's detachment from the reported message, Tieken identifies two specific, peculiar usages of kira/kiri in Apabhramsa. The first is the frequent combination of kira with an interrogative pronoun, particularly in the Harivamsapurana. Although this usage aligns with the established function of conveying the speaker's lack of understanding, Tieken notes its exceptionally high frequency in this text compared to the limited attention given to it in earlier studies of Vedic Sanskrit, Prakrits, and Pali. The second usage, found in the Gurjararasavali anthology, is the employment of kiri in comparisons, as seen in the Virataparva and the Vidyavilasapavadau. In these instances, kiri appears alongside other comparison particles like jisya, jane, and jima. While the underlying function of emphasizing the repetition of common poetic images remains consistent with Sanskrit, Tieken argues that using kiri as an independent particle of comparison is peculiar. This usage suggests a potential artificiality in Apabhramsa, indicating it might be a learned language similar to Sanskrit, rather than a purely natural dialect. Tieken supports these observations by citing specific textual examples and referencing the scholarly works of Emeneau, Ickler, and van Daalen.
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Conclusion
This article presents two peculiar usages of the Apabhramsa particle *kira/kiri*, expanding the linguistic scope beyond previously studied Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Pali. The first notable usage is the high frequency of *kira* combined with an interrogative pronoun to form rhetorical questions, a pattern that aligns with the particle's traditional function of conveying speaker detachment. The second usage involves *kiri* functioning as an independent particle of comparison, a role that is exceptionally rare. When found alongside standard comparative particles, this usage suggests an artificial, learned character for Apabhramsa, potentially indicating that its speakers innovated meanings based on the particle's established semantic field of "reporting" or "affecting to convey." These findings highlight the distinct syntactic and stylistic developments within Apabhramsa.