Censored

In grammar, it is necessary to determine the original words used in expounding a word (vyásvákya) before a compound word is formed. In other words, the meaning of the word should be revealed and not by merely ‘understood’ when the actual word is used. Otherwise it would not be possible to determine how the actual word is formed by compounding two or more words into one. In this context, a story comes to my mind.

Once, a lioness had given birth to four cubs in a London zoo (ciŕiyákháná in Bengali). A censor officer prepared a press release and sent it to his superior for approval. It read, “A lioness has given birth to four cubs in a zoo in London.”

The superior officer was unhappy with the note. He said, “Why did you mention London? The information may be of help to the enemy!” So he corrected the sentence in this manner: “In a certain zoo in a certain city in England, a lioness gave birth to four cubs.”

When he forwarded the revised note to his own superior for confirmation, he was told, “A zoo in England would automatically mean the London zoo. This news is going to benefit the enemy.”

The press release was, therefore, changed further as follows: “In a certain zoo in a certain city of a country in the world, a lioness gave birth to four cubs.”

When he sent the note to his higher authority, he said, “The zoo in London is the best in the world. It has no peer. Hence mention of the word zoo would mean the London zoo”.

Hence he revised the note further in this manner: “At a place in a certain city of a certain country of the world a lioness gave birth to four cubs.”

The note was then sent to an even higher officer for approval. Reading it, he was livid with rage, “Do you not have any grey cells? A lion always signifies the British Lion. Hence, even the mere mention of the animal will spill the beans.”

He corrected the note thus: “In a certain place in a certain city of a country in the world, an animal gave birth to four cubs.”

This final draft of the press release then reached the topmost officer of the department. He was clearly displeased and remarked with great irritation, “I am tired of trying to hammer some sense into you people! Is it ever prudent to reveal a specific number? The actual number has to be exaggerated or reduced or sometimes even left unspecified according to the need.”

Therefore, the note finally read as follows: “In a certain place in a city of a certain country in the world, a certain animal gave birth to a few cubs.”

As I was telling you, when you are investigating what are the noun stems in the structure of a compound word, do not follow this policy of the censor department. It will not help you in understanding the word.

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From: Censored

Source: Electronic edition version 9.0.13