sandhi  (adj./n.)

A term used in SYNTAX and MORPHOLOGY to refer to the PHONOLOGICAL MODIFICATION of GRAMMATICAL FORMS which have been juxtaposed. The term comes from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘joining’. Sandhi forms are forms which have undergone specific modifications in specific circumstances (i.e. various sandhi rules have applied). ASSIMILATION and DISSIMILATION are two widespread tendencies which could be classified under this heading. The merit of the sandhi notion is that it can be used as a very general term within which can be placed a wide range of structural tendencies that otherwise it would be difficult to interrelate. In languages where sandhi forms are complex, a distinction is sometimes made between external sandhi (sandhi RULES which operate across word boundaries) and internal sandhi (rules which operate within words).