Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c27.s17.t3: 7.15.3 Doubling of the final consonant

Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c27.s17.t3

Language: English

7.15.3 Doubling of the final consonant

c27.s17.t3.1

The final consonant (nasal or liquid) of a monosyllabic stem with a short vowel is doubled (*iraṭṭittal*) when followed by a vowel.

*avviru-a-ar-um* (*av* + *iru*-) 'those two persons also' 45.3.a-b
*uḷḷāṟu* (*uḷ* + *āṟu*) 'fitted inside' 114.2.a-b
[*ce*\\*]*llirumpuṟai* (*cel* + *irumpuṟai*) 62.7.b-c
*cellirumpoṟai* (*cel* + *irumpoṟai*) 61.7.b-c

c27.s17.t3.3

*Exceptions*

c27.s17.t3.4

Words are written separately without joining or consequent doubling of the final nasal or liquid consonant of a monosyllabic stem.

c27.s17.t3.5

*veḷ-aṟai* (cf. LT *veḷḷaṟai*) 6.1.a-b
*piṉ-aṉ* (cf. LT *piṉṉaṉ*) 63.4.a

c27.s17.t3.6

Another interesting category of exceptions to this rule is the doubling of the word-final consonant of a stem which is not monosyllabic. Such exceptions are also numerous in later Tamil inscriptions. (see Commentary on 63.4 for discussion and citations).

c27.s17.t3.7

*amaṇṇaṉ* (*amaṇ* + *aṉ*) 'Jaina monk' 61.2
*kaṭummi* (*kaṭum* + *i*) 80.1.a
*kurraṇṇ*-*aṟu*(*p*)*pitta* (*kurraṇ* + *aṟuppitta*) 'caused to be carved by Kurraṉ' 63.4.b-5
*tuṟukayyuḷḷāṟu* (*tuṟukay* + *uḷ* + *āṟu*) 'fitted inside the vent of a sluice' 114.1-2.a