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sammāvācā

sammāvāca

masc nom pl of sammāvāca (adj); fem nom sg of sammāvāca (adj); fem nom pl of sammāvāca (adj); nt nom pl of sammāvāca (adj); …

1. sammāvāca (adj): with correct speech; speaking properly
2. sammāvācā (fem): correct speech

Built from

• sam — prefix · together, with
  Saṁ- collects scattered elements into one unified state. Here it unifies speech according to ethical principle.
• mā — prefix · properly, aright
  Mā as a negative or ordering prefix; may reflect the root √mā 'measure, fit' giving 'measured, proper' speech. The sense is not absence but correctness.
• vāc — root · speak
  √vac 'speak, say'; cognate with English voice, Latin vōx, Sanskrit vāc. The root denotes utterance and speech.
• a — ending · masc nom sg / adj stem
  The nominative singular masculine ending in -a marks the adjective sammāvāca. In compound noun contexts (sammāvācā as fem), the final -ā marks the feminine.

Analysis. sam- (together, with; bringing into unity) + mā- (not; negation) + vāca (speech) = 'speech brought into proper form' or 'unified and correct speech'. In the Eightfold Path context, sammāvācā denotes speech brought into alignment with ethical conduct: avoidance of lying, slander, harsh words, and idle gossip.

Etymology. saṁ (together, bringing into unity, as in samādhi 'placing together'; cognate with English same, Latin similis) + mā (the negative verbal root mā 'not' or the prefix a-/an- operating here as 'properly ordered'); vāca from √vac 'speak' (English 'voice', Latin vōx). The compound represents ethical speech unified and ordered according to the Dhamma.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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