Indian Antiquary Vol 40

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 198

184
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JULY, 1911.
A COMPARATIVE GRAMMAR OF DRAVIDIAN LANGUAGES. BY K. V. SUBBAIYA, MA., L.T., M.R.A.S., RAJAHMUNDRY. Lecturer in English, Government College, Rajahmundry.
Nouns.-Gender.
(All Rights Reserved.) 1. In all the Dravidian languages gender follows sex.
2. The gender of Dravidian primitive or uncompounded nouns is known from the verbs and the pronouns which they govern; and they are themselves destitute of any distinguishing gender termination.
3. But in the case of the derivative or composite nouns formed from primitive nouns, adjectives,"participles, demonstrative and interrogative particles, the gender is denoted by suffixes which are different for the different genders. For example:
The masculine singular is denoted by the primitive Dravidian suffix an which becomes an, an (Ts., Ma., Ca.); adu, adu (Te.); e(Tu.); as (Kura kh); ah (Malto), etc. (Vide under an, infra).
The feminine singular is denoted by (1) the Pr. Drav. d! which becomes á! and al (Tam., Ma., Cs., and Tu.); and (2) the primitive Dravidian atta or atti which becomes adi (Te.); ad (Gondi Kolami, Naiki and Kurukh); atti (Malto), etc. (Vide under at and attai, infra).
The neuter singular is denoted by primitive Dravidian du which is di (Te.), d (Gondi, Kolami, Naiki, Kurukh.); th (Malto), (see infra).
N. B.- In this connection it may be mentioned that Dr. Caldwell, not knowing that the demonstratives are themselves composite nouns, states that the derivative nouns are formed from primitive nouns, adjectives and participles by the addition of demonstratives. In Tamil Sinnavan, he thinks we have the demonstrative avan. But sinnavan is Sin + a + an. Here Sin is the base, a, the adjectival suffix ; and before a, n is doubled, and an is the masculine singular suffix; and a homo-organic v is developed in Sandhi between the two back vowels a and a (vide flexional Sandbi in my Phonology). Similarly for other genders. 4. Dravidian nouns are divided for purposes of gender into two classes :(1) Rational nouns, or the names of rational beings, such as med, gods, women and
goddesses. (2) Irrational nouns, or the names of irrational beings or inanimate objecte. Rational nouns are either masculine or feminine according as they denote men and gods, or women and goddesses. All irrational nouns are neuter.
Thus we have three genders,
5. Rational nouns are called in Tamil grammars, wyartinai, se., bigh-caste nouns,' while irrational nouns are ahrinai, i.e., non-high-caste' nouns. Teiugu grammars call them mahat and amahat nouns, i.e., superior' and non-superior' nouns. Canarese and Malayalam grammars, being based ontirely on Sanskrit grammar, call them pullingam, etc., without distinguishing between rational and irrational nouns.
6. If it be necessary to denote the sex of any animal, a separate word signifying male' or female' is prefixed to the noun ; but even in such cases the pronoun with which the noun agrees, and also the verb, are neuter. For example: 'a mare oame' is translated into Tamil, Teluga, Canarese, respectively, as follows:- Ora peņ ka dirai vandadu' (Tamil); oka ada gurrama vatstsinadi,' (Telugu); ondu hengu kudire bantu (Canarese). 7. The Primitive Dravidian words denoting male and femalo' were the following:
Male:- , maga, kand. Female :- pen and al.