Phonology and Morphology of Modern Marathi

Marathi, a major Indo-Aryan language officially recognized by the Constitution of India, evolved from Maharashtri Apabhramsa around the tenth century AD and maintains close historical links with Prakrit and Sanskrit. Today, it is the principal language of Maharashtra and the mother tongue of nearly eighty million speakers.

In this pioneering study, Ven. Dr. Kapugollewe Anandakiththi Thero offers a rare and rigorous analysis of the phonology and morphology of Marathi. At a time when comprehensive linguistic studies of Marathi remain limited, this book fills a significant scholarly gap and represents the first detailed contribution to the field by a Sri Lankan scholar.

Based on the author's doctoral research conducted at the Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute (Deemed University), Pune, and enriched by his deep immersion in Maharashtra, the book is divided into two main parts: Phonology and Morphology. The first part examines the sound system of Marathi, while the second analyses core grammatical categories such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, with particular attention to gender, number, and case.

This work serves as an essential resource for linguists, researchers, and students of Marathi, Indo-Aryan languages, and comparative linguistics.

Dr Lakshman Senevirathne

Senior Professor, Department of Hindi

Former Dean, Faculty of Humanities

Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor

University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka