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What does the Bengali feminine name "Monobina" mean? Does it have a Sanskrit origin?
This message was edited 9/13/2013, 8:23 PM
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Sanskrit root man- to think etc. (cognate with root of English "meaning") gives manas meaning "mind". vINA is of doubtful etymology but is a very old word, appearing already in the Rgveda, and refers to some particular kind of string instrument with resonators: see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veena_(instrument), though today it is more a generic term for any string instrument. It is a standard symbol of melody, music and the arts in India. The metaphor of the mind resonating like a musical instrument in response to a tune is standard in Bengali.
manas+vINA meaning mind as veena or the veena of the mind would become manovINA in Sanskrit, though the compound is not attested there to my knowledge. The -a- often becomes a -o- (as in English cold) in Bengali, and -v- (which in Sanskrit was a labiodental unaspirated sound closer to English -w-) regularly becomes -b-. With all vowels having become short, Monobina is close to the phoentic transcription of this name (The ending -a is open as in English car).
manas+vINA meaning mind as veena or the veena of the mind would become manovINA in Sanskrit, though the compound is not attested there to my knowledge. The -a- often becomes a -o- (as in English cold) in Bengali, and -v- (which in Sanskrit was a labiodental unaspirated sound closer to English -w-) regularly becomes -b-. With all vowels having become short, Monobina is close to the phoentic transcription of this name (The ending -a is open as in English car).
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