Grammar and Language Structure (Byakoron): Sandhi, Samas, Karok, Sabda-bhed, Correction
Grammar and Language Structure (Byakoron) tests sandhi, samas, karok, sabda-bhed, transformation, and correction. In Santali, apply Santali patterns first; do not force Sanskrit rules onto every item.
Karok (case)
Identify the case relation by asking who does what to whom, where, when, with what. Santali uses clitics/postpositions; -ᱨᱮ marks location ('in/at'). Do not call every postposition a case suffix.
Worked example: 'ᱦᱟᱨᱢᱟ ᱚᱲᱟᱜ ᱨᱮ ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱭᱟ' - 'Harma is in the house'. Reasoning: ᱦᱟᱨᱢᱟ is subject; ᱚᱲᱟᱜ is the located noun; ᱨᱮ marks locative. The verb ᱢᱮᱱᱟᱭᱟ ('is') agrees with a human subject. If the question asks karok, name locative, not accusative.
Sandhi and samas
Sandhi is the surface joining of sounds across a boundary; samas is compounding. For sandhi, write the underlying forms, then the surface form, then the rule. For samas, identify the head and the relation between members.
Sabda-bhed and correction
Classify words by function (noun, verb, adjective, etc.) in the sentence, not by meaning alone. In correction items, check agreement, case clitic, tense, and word order.
Traps: applying Sanskrit sandhi to Santali; confusing case with postposition; classifying a word without its sentence context; correcting meaning instead of grammar.