ASSEB HSLC Elective Sanskrit key terms

Sanskrit prose. In this exam it labels the prescribed prose passages, studied for comprehension, explanation of sentences, and questions about content, characters, and the lesson's teaching.

Sanskrit verse. The prescribed poems are studied for word meaning, verse explanation, and appreciation of imagery, sentiment, and poetic device.

The natural prose order of words in a verse, rearranged from its poetic word order so the sentence's grammar and meaning become clear before translation or explanation.

The sound change that occurs when two sounds meet at a word boundary, such as vowel merging or consonant assimilation, producing a single joined form in writing and speech.

Compound formation, in which two or more words combine into one inflected unit with a single case ending; knowing the type helps explain the compound's meaning.

The set of semantic roles a noun may bear in relation to the verb, such as doer, object, instrument, recipient, source, and locus, expressed by specific case endings.

A case ending of a noun or pronoun. Sanskrit has eight cases, and each ending changes with number and gender, so declension tables must be memorised.

The full declension pattern of a noun, pronoun, or adjective across all eight cases and three numbers, used as the model for forming correct word endings.

The conjugation pattern of a verbal root, showing its forms across persons, numbers, tenses, and moods, together with the class and endings it takes.

A tense or mood label of the Sanskrit verb system, such as present, past, imperative, or optative; each label signals a distinct set of personal endings.

A word formed from a verbal root by adding a primary suffix, producing forms such as participles and infinitives that behave partly like verbs and partly like nouns.

A secondary suffix added to a noun or adjective to form a new word, often expressing possession, relation, or descent, as in formations meaning 'belonging to' or 'possessing'.

A verbal prefix attached to a root to modify or sharpen its meaning, for example turning a root of going into one meaning 'to approach' or 'to return'.

A poetic figure or ornament of sound or sense, such as simile, metaphor, or alliteration, identified and appreciated when explaining a prescribed verse.

The aesthetic sentiment or flavour evoked by a poem, such as the heroic, the compassionate, or the comic; appreciation questions may ask which sentiment a verse conveys.

A common Sanskrit metre of four quarters, each usually of eight syllables; many prescribed verses and quoted maxims are composed in this metre.

The literal meaning of each individual word in a passage, given first in explanation answers before the overall sense of the sentence or verse is stated.

The overall sense or purport of a sentence or verse, stated after the word meanings, usually in simple prose that makes the passage's message clear.

Translation. In this exam it covers rendering Sanskrit passages into Assamese or English and turning simple sentences from those languages into Sanskrit.

A sentence. Composition tasks ask candidates to build correct Sanskrit sentences in which subject, object, and verb agree in person, number, and case.

A short paragraph. Writing tasks require a connected set of simple Sanskrit sentences on a familiar topic, linked logically and grammatically.

An unseen prose passage supplied in the examination for rapid reading, tested by comprehension questions, word meanings, and sometimes a suitable title.

A synonym. Vocabulary questions may ask for a word of similar meaning to a term occurring in the prescribed or unseen passage.

An antonym, a word of opposite meaning. Recognising opposites helps confirm that a word's meaning in context has been understood correctly.

The Sanskrit epic ascribed to Valmiki, narrating the life of Rama; episodes from it are frequently prescribed for both prose and verse study.

The vast Sanskrit epic attributed to Vyasa, containing the Pandava and Kaurava conflict and much moral and religious teaching; prose and verse extracts are often set.

The traditional author of the Ramayana, remembered as the first poet; questions on authors and works may ask his name, his work, and his place in tradition.

The traditional compiler of the Mahabharata, credited also with arranging the Vedas; a standard name in questions about epic authorship.

A celebrated classical Sanskrit poet and dramatist, author of works such as Meghaduta and Abhijnanashakuntala; his verses are often prescribed for appreciation.

A famous collection of animal fables in Sanskrit prose, traditionally linked to Vishnusharma, teaching practical wisdom; its stories appear in school prose syllabi.

A Sanskrit collection of moral fables and maxims, traditionally ascribed to Narayana, drawing on older story material and often used for prose comprehension.

A well-turned moral or didactic verse, often anonymous, quoted for its concise wisdom; such verses are common in prescribed poetry and explanation questions.

A word, especially as a grammatical unit. Grammar questions ask candidates to identify a word's root, ending, and the changes it undergoes in a sentence.

Grammatical gender. Sanskrit nouns are masculine, feminine, or neuter, and the gender decides which declension pattern and adjective endings must be used.

Grammatical number, whether singular, dual, or plural. Sanskrit keeps a distinct dual form, so agreement between noun, adjective, and verb must be checked in all three.

Grammatical person, first, second, or third. Verb endings in Sanskrit change with person as well as number, so conjugating correctly requires tracking both.

A suffix added to a root or stem to build a new word form, such as a participle, an abstract noun, or a possessive adjective; recognising it explains the word's meaning.