Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c26.s19.t2: 6.19.2 Pause indicating that the following vowel is a diphthong

Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c26.s19.t2

Language: English

6.19.2 Pause indicating that the following vowel is a diphthong

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| (i) | *ar-itaṉ* (*Aritaṉ*) | 8.2 |
| (ii) | *ar-iytaṉ* (*Ariytaṉ*) | 18.2 |

These are personal names of donors derived from Harīta (Pkt.). The pause between *r* and *i* in the first example seems to signal that the following vowel *i* should be read as the diphthong *-iy* as made explicit in the second example. Cf. also *ariti* (34.²) and *ariyti* (25.¹.b), personal names of donors, derived from Hariti or Haritī (Pkt.).⁷ (iii) *par-acu* (Paracu) 9.²

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¹ E.g., *kāviri-iṉ*, *yāṉai-um*, etc., in the Velvikudi Plates (*Pāṇṭiyar Ceppēṭukaḷ*: No. 1, lines 93 and 57-58 respectively).

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² See section 6.18.

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⁷ See Commentary (8.2).

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This is a personal name of a donor.¹ The pause between *r* and *a* seems to signal that the following vowel is to be read as the diphthong *ai*. Cf. (inscr.) pairs like *aracu* / *araicu* and *uvaccaṉ* / *uvaiccaṉ*; cf. LT *amaiccu* < Pkt. *amacca*.

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¹ See Commentary (9.2).