[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Archaeology, epigraphy and coins](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy) › [Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D.](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003) › c27.s26 # Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c27.s26: 7.23 Number and gender Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c27.s26 - **Language:** English ## Contents - [c27.s26.t1 7.23.1 Masculine singular](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t1) — 2 parts - [c27.s26.t2 7.23.2 Feminine singular](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t2) — 2 parts - [c27.s26.t3 7.23.3 Honorific singular](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t3) — 2 parts - [c27.s26.t4 7.23.4 Human (epicene) plural](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t4) — 1 part - [c27.s26.t5 7.23.5 Neuter singular](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5) — 11 parts - [c27.s26.t6 7.23.6 Neuter plural](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t6) — 2 parts ### 7.23 Number and gender ### [c27.s26.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.1) Nouns (including pronouns) are classified into five categories (\*pāl\*) according to the composite number-gender system of traditional grammar (see Table 7.4). ### [c27.s26.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.2) 1. Masculine singular (\*āṇpāl\*) 2. Feminine singular (\*peṇpāl\*) 3. Human (epicene) plural (\*palarpāl\*) 4. Neuter singular (\*oṉṟaṉpāl\*) 5. Neuter plural (\*palaviṉpāl\*) ### [c27.s26.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.4) Table 7.4. Number-gender classification in Tamil. ### [c27.s26.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.5) Singular and plural numbers are called \*orumai\* and \*paṉmai\* respectively. In some cases, singular nouns and pronouns have the plural suffix \*-ar\* / \*-ār\* to indicate respect. This category which may be called honorific singular includes both masculine and feminine genders. ### 7.23.1 Masculine singular ### [c27.s26.t1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t1.1) Personal names in the Corpus are mostly in masculine singular. See Index to Personal Names (Appendix II). Some common nouns in masculine singular are illustrated below. ### [c27.s26.t1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t1.2) | \*amaṇaṉ\* | 'Jaina monk' | 24.1 | | \*kaṇa(k)ka(ṉ)\* | 'accountant' | 40.2 | | \*kōṉ\* | 'chieftain' | 73.4 | | \*ta(c)caṉ\* | 'carpenter, stonemason' | 73.8, 117.3.b | | \*tantai\* | 'father' | 2.8 | | \*pākaṉ\* | 'elephant-driver, charioteer' | 13.1.a | | \*poṉ-kolvaṉ\* | 'goldsmith' | 36.2 | | \*makaṉ\* | 'son' | 20.2 | ### 7.23.2 Feminine singular ### [c27.s26.t2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t2.1) There are very few feminine personal names in the Corpus. Examples of nouns in feminine singular: ### [c27.s26.t2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t2.2) | \*aṇṇi\* | 'honorific (fem.)' | 83.4.c | | \*kanti\* | 'Jaina nun' | 83.2.b | | \*pa(m)mitti\* | 'Jaina nun' | 41.3 | | \*makaḷ\* | 'daughter' | 66.3 | ### 7.23.3 Honorific singular ### [c27.s26.t3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t3.1) Human nouns (masculine and feminine) have the honorific singular suffix \*-ar\*/\*-ār\*: ### [c27.s26.t3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t3.2) | \*ācāriyar\* | 'preceptor' | 115.4 | | \*ācirikaru\* | 'preceptor' | 116.5 | | \*kiḻār\* | 'landowner or eminent person' | 84.2 | | \*tāyiyaru\* | 'mother' | 83.3 | | \*māṇākkar\* | 'disciple' | 115.5 | ### 7.23.4 Human (epicene) plural ### [c27.s26.t4.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t4.1) | \*iḷayar\* | 'members of a martial clan' | 49.6 | | \*nikama(t)tōr\* | 'members of the merchant guild' | 6.2 | ### 7.23.5 Neuter singular ### [c27.s26.t5.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.1) Only selected examples illustrating each type are given below. ### [c27.s26.t5.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.2) \*animals\* ### [c27.s26.t5.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.3) | \*puli\* | 'tiger' | 118.1.b | | \*kōḻi\* | 'cock' | 112.5 | ### [c27.s26.t5.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.4) \*plants\* ### [c27.s26.t5.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.5) | \*vēmp(u)\* | 'neem tree' | 35.1.a | ### [c27.s26.t5.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.6) \*objects\* ### [c27.s26.t5.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.7) | \*ayam\* | 'tank' | 35.2.b | ### [c27.s26.t5.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.8) \*institutions\* ### [c27.s26.t5.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.9) | \*kaṭikai\* | 'assembly' | 88.3 | ### [c27.s26.t5.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.10) \*abstract nouns\* ### [c27.s26.t5.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t5.11) | \*aṟam\* | 'charity' | 76.4 | ### 7.23.6 Neuter plural ### [c27.s26.t6.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t6.1) No plural suffix occurs in the Corpus for nouns in the neuter gender. However, in the following cases, the singular forms stand for the plural: ### [c27.s26.t6.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26.t6.2) | \*ati(ṭ)ṭāṉam 3\* | 'three stone beds' | 76.7.a-b | | \*kal\* | '(two) stone beds' (from the context) | 48.7 | | \*ūr\* | 'members of the village (assembly)' (from the context) | 35.1.c | --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c27.s26) · Pramāṇa