Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c22.s3.t3: 3.3.3 Vocabulary
Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c22.s3.t3
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3.3.3 Vocabulary
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The IA loanwords in the Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions are all nouns.⁵ Apart from personal names, the vocabulary comprises mostly religious or cultural terms. Some of the more interesting items are briefly noticed below.
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⁵ See the Indexes in Appendices V and VI for word lists and the Commentary on the entries for discussion.
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(i) *Religious terms*
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Religious terms especially associated with the Jaina religion are discussed in the sections on Jainism.⁶ The following are some of the other religious terms common to Indian religious tradition.
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⁶ See sections 4.8 to 4.13.
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*atiṭṭāṉam* (Pkt. *adhiṭṭhāna*): lit., 'permanent fixed abode' of the itinerant monk who stayed in the cave during the rainy season. The term occurs in the Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions in the special sense of 'stone beds' carved on the floor of the cave for the use of the monks.
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*tāṇa* (Pkt. *dāna(ṁ)* 'religious gift').
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*dhammam* / *dhamam* (Pkt. *dhamma*) 'charity, religious endowment'.
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(ii) *Cultural terms*
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These comprise mostly titles and names of some professions:
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*kaṇatikaṉ* 'chief of scribes'; cf. Sinh. Pkt. *kaṇa* 'scribe', Pkt. *adhika* 'superintendent'.
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*kaṇaka* (Pkt. *gaṇaka*) 'accountant'.
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*kāviti* 'an ancient title bestowed on Vaiśyas and court officials'. cf. Sinh. Pkt. *gapati* / *gapiti* < Pkt. *gahapati* < Skt. *gṛhapati*, lit., 'householder', a title of merchant classes and landed gentry.
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*kuṭumpikaṉ* (Pkt. *kuṭumbika*) 'householder, husbandman'.
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*ta(c)caṉ* (Pkt. *taccha*) 'carpenter'. The term occurs in the Tamil-Brāhmī inscriptions with the meanings 'carpenter, stonemason'.¹
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¹ However, see Commentary (73.8) for possible alternative Dravidian etymology.
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*māraya-* (read *mārāya*) 'an ancient title', probably from Pkt. *mahārāya*.
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*vaṇikaṉ* / *vāṇikaṉ* (Pkt. *vaṇija* / *vāṇija* < Skt. *vaṇik*) 'trader'.
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*siri* (Pkt. *siri* < Skt *śrī* ) 'an auspicious affix to personal names'.
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(iii) *Miscellaneous loanwords from Prakrit*
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Selected examples are listed below.
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*āci* (Pkt. *āsi*) 'support, prop'. cf. Ta. *ācu* 'support'. The inscriptional context indicates the meaning of a wooden 'support' for a canopy in front of the cave.
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*kaṭikai* (cf. Skt. *ghaṭikā*) 'an assembly of learned persons or institution of higher learning or the place of such assembly or institution'.
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*nikama-* (Pkt. *nigama*) 'merchant guild'.
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*pāṇita-* (Pkt. *phāṇita*) 'juice of sugar cane, candy, molasses'.
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*sālakaṉ* (Pkt. *sālaka*) 'brother-in-law', but occurs in the Tamil- Brāhmī inscription with the meaning 'sister-in-law's husband' as indicated by the context (cf. Ta. *cālakaṉ*).