Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c27.s31.t4.6

c27.s31.t4.6

7.28.5 The frequency and distribution of causative suffixes in the Corpus point to the following conclusions:
(a) Causative forms are more frequent in the earlier inscriptions (Nos. *1-59*), less frequent in the later inscriptions (Nos. *60-89*) and completely absent from the Early Vaṭṭeḻuttu inscriptions (Nos. *101-121*). This pattern is consistent with the surmise that the relative abundance of the causative verbs in the earlier inscriptions is due to the influence of inscriptional Prakrit, which must have waned with time.
(b) The causative suffix *-(p)pi-* is much more frequent (16 times) than *-vi-* (3 times). The form *ceyi-vi* has an earlier alternant *ceyi-pi*. The evidence appears to indicate that the causative suffix *-pi-* is more ancient than *-vi-*.