THE VERB 302 so in the nominal system, may be held to indicate that these steins are primarily nominal in origin. In the classical language the present stem of a verb is nor- mally made according to one only of the ten different types. In the Vedic language greater latitude is observable. While in general the distribution of the roots among the ten present classes corresponds to that of the later language, a large number of roots is found which form their present tense according to two, three, or even more different types. Such cases are illus- trated by krs- ‘ to plough I karsati, VI krsdti ; jf- ' to grow old I jdrati , IV jiryati ; dd- ‘ to divide ', II dati, IV dydti ; dhu- ‘ to shake V dhunoti, VI dhuvdti ; pf- ‘ to fill III pipdrli , IX prndti ; bhi- * to fear I bhayate, III bibkdti ; rdh- ‘ to prosper IV fdhyaii , V rdhnoti , VII subj. rnddhat ; if- 1 to cross, overcome I tarati , III ptc. titrai -, VI tirdti, VIII tarute. To a large extent this variation of stem is not associated with any difference of meaning, hut sometimes the difference be- tween transitive and intransitive is connected with the use of alternative stems ; jdvate ‘ hastens, is quick jundti 1 speeds, urges on tdpati ' heats tdpyati 1 becomes hot ", pdcati f cooks, ripens (trans .) pdcyate 1 becomes ripe In particular an intran- sitive sense tends to be associated with stems of the fourth class. It is clear from the comparative study of the IE languages that this variability of stem formation was even greater in the prehistoric period. Avestan shows in some respects even greater variety than the language of the Veda. Furthermore the discrepancies in stem formation between the various IE languages (Skt. rindkti : Gk. Xelrno, etc., etc.) shows that in the earlier IE period the greatest freedom prevailed in the formation of present stems. In all this variety of stem formations no inherent difference of meaning was attached to the various types, just as in Sanskrit the ten present classes are equivalent in function. At the same time there arose early in Indo-Euro- pean a tendency for certain of these formations to acquire a special meaning and function. The suffix -sco- for instance acquired an inchoative meaning which is represented in a variety of languages. In Hittite formations in -nu- (corresponding to the Skt. fifth class) acquired a special function as causatives, a development which is not shown by the other languages. In Sanskrit those present formations which acquired a special meaning became the foundation of what is called secondary
