Reconstruction:Ashokan Prakrit/𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀝

The variety of forms reflected in the descendants point to a substrate borrowing. Although the disparities in the reflexes are somewhat problematic, these terms have no clear Old Indo-Aryan etymology—Sanskrit नष्ट (naṣṭá, “destroyed”) does not do a good job of explaining the varieties nor is it semantically optimal (it would require a generalization of "destroyed" in many different directions across descendants). The geminate ṭṭ word-medially is also very non-native Indo-Aryan; an aspirated ṭṭh would be expected.

*𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀝 (*naṭṭa)[1]

1. defective, lesser: vague meanings pertaining to being lesser in e.g. height, strength, prestige

• *𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀝 (*naṭṭa)
  • Sauraseni Prakrit: *𑀡𑀝𑁆𑀝 (*ṇaṭṭa)
    • Hindustani:

      Hindi: नाटा (nāṭā, “short, dwarf”)

      Urdu: ناٹا (nāṭā)

    • Punjabi:

      Gurmukhi script: ਨਾਟਾ (nāṭā, “short, dwarf”)

      Shahmukhi script: ناٹا (nāṭā)

• *𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀞 (*naṭṭha) (perhaps influenced by Sanskrit नष्ट (naṣṭa, “destroyed”))
  • Magadhi Prakrit:
    • Odia: ନାଠା (naṭha, “dwarfish”)
  • Sauraseni Prakrit: *𑀡𑀝𑁆𑀞 (*ṇaṭṭha)
    • Nepali: नाठो (nāṭho, “bachelor”) (derogatory)
  • ⇒ Ashokan Prakrit: *𑀦𑀝𑁆𑀞-𑀭 (*naṭṭha-ra)
    • Maharastri Prakrit:
      • Marathi: नठारा (naṭhārā, “useless”)
    • Sauraseni Prakrit:
      • Gujarati: નઠારું (naṭhārũ, “wicked”)
• *𑀦𑀟𑁆𑀠 (*naḍḍha)
  • Sauraseni Prakrit: *𑀡𑀟𑁆𑀠 (*ṇaḍḍha)
    • Punjabi:

      Gurmukhi script: ਨੱਢਾ (naḍḍhā, “old person”), ਨੱਢੀ (naḍḍhī, “old woman”)

• *𑀦𑀡𑁆𑀠 (*naṇḍha)
  • Sauraseni Prakrit: *𑀡𑀁𑀠 (*ṇaṃḍha)
    • Sindhi:

      Arabic script: نَنڍو (naṇḍho, “small, short”)

      Devanagari script: नंढो (naṇḍho)