[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) › c28.s8.t6 # Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t6: XXXVI. Erettimalai Early Tamil Epigraphy: From the Earliest Times to the Sixth Century A.D. c28.s8.t6 - **Language:** English ### XXXVI. Erettimalai ### [c28.s8.t6.1](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.1) \*\*114.1 tuṟukay\*\* (n.) 'vent of a sluice' (?). ### [c28.s8.t6.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.2) The inscription is incised on a small, shoe-shaped stone (see Fig. 1.17). Similarly shaped stones are still in use in the Tamil countryside as stoppers to close the outlet (\*tūmpu\*) of a water channel. ### [c28.s8.t6.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.3) The phrase \*\*\*tuṟukayyuḷḷāru\*\*\* is segmented \*\*tuṟukay\*\* + \*\*uḷ\*\* + \*\*\*āru\*\*\*. The stem-final \*\*-y\*\* and \*\*-ḷ\*\* are doubled due to sandhi. The doubling of the stem-final \*\*-y\*\* is exceptional. See \*\*63.4.b\*\* for more examples and discussion. ### [c28.s8.t6.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.4) Cf. LT \*tuṟu\*, \*tuṟu-kal\* 'stone for closing the \*tūmpu\* (outlet) of a channel' (\*Apitāṉa\*. 1217); \*tuṟukal\* id. (\*TL\* ); \*tūmpiṉil putainta kallum\* 'stone buried in the \*tūmpu\*' (\*Vivēka\*. 61). The expression \*\*\*tuṟukay\*\*\* (\*\\* \*tuṟukai\*) is not attested elsewhere. This is probably a verbal noun formed from the stem \*tūṟu\*/\*tuṟu\* 'to enter (a hole)' + \*kay\* (\*-kai\* in LT), the nominal suffix, to yield the meaning 'a narrow opening', which is interpreted in the present context as 'the vent (in a sluice)'. ### [c28.s8.t6.5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.5) Cf. Ta. \*tuṟu\* 'to cram, stuff, press, to be closed' (D. 3367); Ka. \*tūṟu\* 'to enter or go through a (narrow) hole', Te. \*tūṟu\* 'to enter, penetrate' (D. 3399a); Ta. \*tuṟu\* 'hole, cavity', Ka. \*tūtu\*, \*tūntu\* 'hole', Te. \*tūṭu\*, \*tūṇṭu\* 'hole' (D. 3399b). ### [c28.s8.t6.6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.6) Cf. LT \*tuṟu\*, \*tuṟṟu\* 'to cram, be closed' (\*Tivā\*. 1351). ### [c28.s8.t6.7](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.7) \*\*114.2 uḷḷāru\*\* (compound v.) 'which is fitted inside'. ### [c28.s8.t6.8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.8) \*\*a. uḷ\*\* (n.) 'inside' (D. 698). ### [c28.s8.t6.9](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.9) \*\*b. āru\*\* (v.) 'filled'; adjectival participle. Cf. Ta. \*ār\* (v.) 'to become full'; Ka. \*ār\* 'to be filled', \*āru\* 'full of'; Te. \*āru\* 'to become full' (D. 368). Here \*āru\* (LT \*ār\*) occurs as a \*viṉaittokai\* (participle without tense marker or participial suffix). See. \*\*10.4\*\* for further comments. The \*-u\* ending indicates the influence of Kannada in this region close to the border with Karnataka. ### [c28.s8.t6.10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.10) Cf. LT \*ari ār cilampiṉ\* 'of the anklet filled with tinkling pieces' (\*Kuṟun\*. 369:2); \*cilampu ār cīṟ-aṭi\* 'small feet fitted with anklets' (\*Aka\*. 17:9); \*ārtal\* 'to be full' (\*Tivā\*. 1382; \*Piṅkala\*. 2228; \*Cūṭā\*. 8:15); \*uḷḷārnta\* 'that which is inside' (\*Taṟ\*. Ta. \*Aka\*.). ### [c28.s8.t6.11](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.11) Cf. (inscr.) \*taṇṭ(u)=ār mūppu\* 'having a stick (in) old age' (\*Pallava Inscrs\*. No. 98, 9th cent. A.D.). ### [c28.s8.t6.12](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6.12) \*\*114.3 kal\*\* (n.) lit., 'stone', here for a 'stone stopper'. See \*\*14.3.a\*\*. for further comments. ## Cites (6) - [Piṅkala Nikaṇṭu](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vernacular.tamil.nikantu.pinkalam) — Piṅkalar, Tamil - [Cūṭāmaṇi Nikaṇṭu](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vernacular.tamil.nikantu.cudamani) — Maṇṭalapuruṭar 1500, Tamil - [Akanāṉūṟu](https://indike.org/pramana/in.sangam.eight_anthologies.akananuru) — Uruttiracaṉmaṉ, Tamil - [Kuṟuntokai](https://indike.org/pramana/in.sangam.eight_anthologies.kuruntokai) — Pūrikkō, Tamil - [Cēntaṉ Tivākaram](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vernacular.tamil.nikantu.tivakaram) — Tivākarar, Tamil - [Vivēkacintāmaṇi (Nijaguṇa Śivayōgi)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.vernacular.kannada.virasaiva.vivekacintamani) — Nijaguṇa Śivayōgi, Kannada --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.epigraphy.mahadevan-2003.c28.s8.t6) · Pramāṇa