Indian Antiquary Vol 60

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 23

JANUARY, 1931 1
DRAVIDIC MISCELLANY
It will be seen that in all these and numerous similar instances, the forms without the initial n-are the originals, inasmuch as they are directly connected with the radical' bases10 which have given rise to these and other independent forins not only in Tamil, Kannada, etc., of the South, but also in the central and north Dravidian dialects. The initial nof the alternative forms, therefore, will have to be considereul as a secondarily developer sound, whose origin has probably to be traced to the tendency of Dravidian to produce initial n-in words like an (I), yuman (yumu), che, containing nasals in their radicals, which tendency should have afterwards become generalized and affected words without included nasals also. Julien Vinson (p. 28 of his Manuel de la langus Tamoule) wrongly regards the n. forms as the originals. The untenability of this position will be apparent when we analyse the forms and find, as we have stated above, that it is those forms without the initial n-that are directly connected with the elementary radicals.
Let us now examine the following forms expressing meanings connected with 'heat,' fire,' 'light,' eto.
Tamiln ir (ashes); nerippu (fire) ; nâyiru (sun); (?) ñandru (time). Telugu nippu (fire); (?) nigarintsu (to shine); niru (ashes). Kannada nesaru (sun); nerpu (fire). Kûi n ari (sun); neri (to burn). Gôndi nir (to burn); nir (ashes).
Kurukh nari (fever); nauna (over-boiled); nêrná (to get dry).
Here, too, the formatives could be detached ; and if, further, initial n- is also detached as being an intrusive, what remains behind is the vocalic radical, the value of which appears to vary from a to i.
Yet additional confirmation of this fact may be available from a large group of forms with initial v-, which express ideas connected with heat,' 'fire,' .light,' etc.:
Tamil: vey (to burn); vêgu (to boil); vatru (to become dry); voltai (heat).
Kannada : benki (heat); bis (hot); vadi (heat). 15 The original character of the forms without the initial nasal is evident from (a) the fact that, judged by the large number of cognates in numerous dialects, these should contain
the radicals; and (b) the confirmatory proof afforded by the fact that n- forms hove, comporatively speuking, fur fewer
independent cognates with initial 1-, in the various dialecty. (1) If we examine the above instances, we find that the following forins huvo cognatoy in most
dialecta, all these being based upon radicals with initial vowels only .. ar. (to cut) all Southern dialecte; Gondi ask (to cut); Kui aska (to cut); Kurukh ur-u (saw); Brahdi arra (saw) and ke-aryl-ing (to shear); cf. also the base ari (to cut) of the south.
nar, on the other hand, hoe very few such diversifiod cognates. (2) ange (thero) is a directive word constitutod of the romoto demonstrative particlo u contuon to ell
Dravidian dialects except Brähai which has e) and - (-k), tho directivo aftis.
Adigu, on the other hand, is peculiar to Tamil only. (3) The Tamil base il contains tho proximate demonstrutivo porticlo in occurring in a host of forins
with basio meanings indicating direction, followed by the Tamil sound l or by its rolutives in other dialects. The forms derived from the bare demonstrative particle are numerous in all Dravidian dialects.
nilal, on the other hand, is poouliar to the southern dialects only and occurs as an isolatul form. 14) The first personal pronoun base appears to be an, on a consideration of all Dravidian forms (see
Dravidic Studies, vol. II). (5) The use of demonstrativo particles for forming words with tisic meanings of direction is evident in
c-qu(a)r (to become high) and (a)-igu (to move). Cf. eru (to riso), egu (to movo), edu (to take), oto. Kannada negaru (to rise) and Tam. nimiru aro secondarily dorived from c.g.(a)ru; whilo Tam. ningu, Kann. nungu (to movo) are to bo tracod to s-(a)-rigu. For further discussion of this question, 50e my article on Dravidian Initial - in QJMS..
April 1930.
16 In Dravidic Studies, II, an intermodiato stage n is postulated. N-, howeror, initially is only a unique development in Tam..Mal.