[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Historical geography](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography) › [Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.sircar-1960) › c10.41 # Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India c10.41 Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieval India c10.41 - **Language:** English ### [c10.41](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.sircar-1960.c10.41) There has been some discussion on the derivation of the name \*Bengal\*.¹ But the conclusions are not satisfactory. Since the emergence of modern Hindi from its Apabhraṃśa stage, the speakers of Hindi and other languages have been calling the Bengali-speaking area by the name \*Vaṅgāl\* (without the final \*a\* in the last consonant), which has been transliterated by the English in their script as \*Bengal\*. The Muslims first came to India when the final \*a\* in the last consonant of Sanskritic words in North Indian dialects was pronounced. The earlier pronunciation of \*Vaṅgāl\*, as is well known, was \*Vaṅgāla\* which was naturally transliterated by the Muslims in their script as \*Bangālah\* (pronouncing \*Bangāla\*). This Muslim pronunciation of the name is directly responsible for the name \*Bāngālā\* now applied by the Bengalis to their country. The first \*ā\* in the name is comparable to the first \*ā\* in Bengali words like \*hājār\* (thousand) derived from Persian \*hazār\*. The change of \*a\* into \*ā\* is due to the fact that \*a\* pronounced outside East India resembles \*ā\* as pronounced by the Bengalis. The last \*ā\* in the name is again comparable to Bengali words like \*khānā\* derived from \*khānah\*.² The people of Bengal is known elsewhere in India as \*Vaṅgāli\* which the English transliterated as \*Bengali\* or \*Bengalee\* and which the Bengalis have made \*Bāngāli\* in their language. This word is also influenced by such Muslim words as \*Kābuli\*.³ It is interesting to note in this connection that, according to a general ethnological principle, the specific name of a tribe often originates among neighbouring tribes and is eventually adopted by the tribe to which it is applied. - [Previous: c10.40](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.sircar-1960.c10.40) - [Next: c10.42](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.sircar-1960.c10.42) - [Up: c10](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.sircar-1960.c10) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.sircar-1960.c10.41](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.geography.sircar-1960.c10.41) · Pramāṇa