Page:Madras Journal of Literature and Science, series 1, volume 6 (1837).djvu/34

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26
On the Language, Manners and Rites, of the
[July

of kindred origin. The term for river would seem to be only a dialectic variation of the Tamil நதி nathi, (vulgó nuddee, and nullah) a word which, coming from the Sanscrit, is found in all Hindu languages. The words for tank, stone, man, seem to come from the Hindustani, or possibly from the Udiya language of the province of Orissa. The word for mother is a slight variation from a Tamil word of like meaning, though now not much used. Abba, for father is found in Hebrew, Syriac, Telugu, Tamil, and in some of the dialects of the islands in the eastern archipelago; and is perhaps one of the most remarkable of all words. Booddee for daughter is the Sanscrit putri, slightly corrupted. Aupoe for son, is perhaps none other than the familiar domestic term of endearment அபபாவு appavu, only used in addressing a male-child. కుడువ coodoova is the Telugu word కోడలు codalu, a daughter-in-law. The word for son-in-law seems merely a corruption of the Sanscrit jamalu, having the same meaning. Behah is also a mere dialectic variation from the Sanscrit vivaha marriage. The word for male-child is the same as the above for son, and the word for female-child may be a corruption of the Sanscrit átmajà, a daughter. Yessay for how many, is, I think, originally the same with the Tamil எததணை yettani, of the same meaning; த் and ச் or t and s, are frequently interchangeable in Tamil as in பெரிது, பெரிசு great, பழது, பழசு old, சிறிது, சிறுசு small, in which case s is the more rude, and t the more refined. Tlavoo, seems also to be originally the same word with the Tamil word தலை tali head. The word for eyes is Tamil, with a slight difference in the plural termination, as before noticed. The word for ear in Sanscrit is srava, in Telugu, sevata, in Tamil sevi, in the Todar dialect of the Neilgherries kevi, in the Khoond dialect, crìvu, in Tamil the word hearing is கெள்வி kelvi shewing that s is changeable into k, as is indeed the case with some other words. The natural conclusion is, that the whole of these words are dialectic variations from the Sanscrit srava, or conversely that the Sanscrit word was adopted from a common root; but I would not assert either conclusion. The word for nose is in Tamil மூச்சூ múccu, or Telugu ముక్కు muccu. For teeth the Tamil word is டர்சள் parcal, differing very little from the Khoond word. The Todars of the Neilgherries I am informed use the sound டர்சச் parch, for tooth. The word for throat, docha, is used in Tamil to signify any hollow of a tube or pipe. The first of the two words for shoulder is the Sanscrit scand'ha having the