Perfect union vowel.

Evidence for cluster-splitting: Perfect union vowel.

In the perfect stem of the verb, inflectional endings that begin with a consonant are often preceded by the vowel i. If the stem ends in a consonant, the rule for the language of the R.gveda is that the vowel is added only if the root has a long vowel or ends in any two consonants (Whitney 1889:287). For example, before the suffix -ma: ûcimá `spoke' (RV 1.161.1), paptima `flew' (RV 9.107.20), but jaganma `went' (RV 4.16.18). The principle appears to be that the i is syncopated after a light syllable. This explanation entails that the first of any two consonants closes the syllable and makes it heavy, as the CS theory predicts.

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