________________
JULY, 1909.)
A PRIMER OF DRAVIDIAN PHONOLOGY.
199
mb
mb. m b (in Tamil and Malayalam ): mb after short vowels, and ou or mu after long vowels, in Canarese and Talu. mmu and mu (in Telugu ) after short and long vowels.
Tamil.
Mal.
Can.
Tulu.
Telugu.
kem.
1 komba ( horn)... 2 kembu (red) . 3 nambu (trust) ... 4 tumba (sneeze ). 5 kâmbu (stem ) ...
påmbu (snake ) .. 7 nômbu (feast) ...
kombu ...kombu ... kombu ... kommu. kembu kempu kempu nambuya ... nambu ... namba ... nammu. tambaya ... ...... tumbila . tammu. kâmbu .. kâmu, kâva. kamu, kavu. kamu.
hâmı, hâva . hîva ... pâmu. ...nômbu ..nômpu ..mômpu ...nômu.
Note.--In Canarese and Tulu mb is sometimes also preserved, after long vowels.
W
(1) Primitive Dravidian wo has regularly become the labio-dental v in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu ; but in Canarese and Tulu, it was first voiced to w and then became the bilabial voiced stop b. For example :
Tauil.
Mal.
Can.
Tala.
Telugu.
i 2
vandi vayal
.. bani ...badzila
bara ... bayi
... bandi.
bayalu. vatStSu.
vandi (cart) ... vayal ( field) ... varu (come) vây (month). viļu ( let) vittu (seed) ... varai ( write) ... viral (finger ) ...
bandi bayala bara bâyi... bida bitta
vara vay. vidu
... vayi.
biļu
- viļa.
6
vittu
bittu
... vittu. ... vrây.
- vara
bare
..bare... ...berela
... Viral
berela
... vrēlu.
Note. - (1) In a few cases as 1 and 2, Telugu too has 6 for u.
(2) Initial y sometimes drops in Canarese as pandisu šondisu to cook,' wanki onki, & hook.'
w (medial ). (1) This undergoes the same changes as y, w s p in Tamil, Malayalam and Telagu 'àrid it becomeseb in Canarese and Talu.
For example :
iruar two menis irupar in Tamil and Malayalam, and irbar in Canarese and Tala. Again, Ioviear' in Tamil is tevi in Malayalam and Telugu, but kebi in Canarese and Taln..
