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Tatpurusha compound

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

In Sanskrit poetics, a compound where the first element modifies the second

Detailed Definition
A Tatpurusha compound is a Sanskrit grammatical construction where two nouns combine to form a single concept, with the first noun modifying the second (e.g., “cowherd” = “cow + herder”), often employed in classical Indian poetry for concise, evocative imagery and philosophical nuance.
Example
Example in poetry:
Tatpurusha compound: Sanskrit-derived poetic compounds like "moon-faced" (chandra-mukha); In English: "heartbroken," "starlit," "earth-shaking"; Ezra Pound’s "Cantos" uses "sea-girt" and "wind-swift"; Contemporary: "sky-writing," "bone-deep" in Louise Glück’s poems
Additional Notes
Sanskrit compound where first element modifies second. Example: "moonlight" (light of moon). Common in Sanskrit poetry, influences translation. Compare with other compound types.
Also Known As
Sanskrit compound Determinative compound Modified compound Dependent compound
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