A Comparative Grammar of the Dravidian or South-Indian Family of Languages c8.7

c8.7

1. The basis of the first and most commonly used form of this numeral is *or*, to which *u* is added for euphonisation; and this constitutes the numeral adjective *one*, in all the dialects which make use of this base. *or-u*, in colloquial Tamil, becomes *ôr* in the poetical dialect; the essential vowel *o* being lengthened to *ô* to compensate for the rejection of the euphonic addition *u*. *or* is also known. The adjectival form used in Tuḷu is *or* (*ori*, one person, *ora*, once), in Ku, *ra*; with which the Behistun numeral adjective *irra* or *ra* may be compared. The Canarese numeral adjective is identical with the Tamil, though its true character is somewhat concealed. Instead of oruvan, Tam., unus, Canarese has obban-u, and instead of oruvaḷ, una, obbaḷ-u. Ancient Canarese, however, uses also orbam for the former, and orbaḷ for the latter; the base of which, or, is the numeral root, and is identical with the Tamil or-u or ôr. The abstract neuter noun ‘one,’ meaning literally, one thing, or unity, is in Canarese and Coorg oṇḍu; in grammatical Tamil, oṉṟu (pronounced oṉḍru or oṉḍu, and in vulgar Tamil, oṉṉu); in Telugu (one of its two words), oṇḍu; in Malayâlam, oṉṉ’; in Tuḷu, oñji; in Gônd, uṇḍî; in Tuḍa, oḍ; in Ûrâoṇ, uṇṭâ. or being the adjectival form of this numeral, it claims by rule to be the representative of the crude root, as well as the basis of the abstract or neuter nouns of number signifying one or unity, which are used in the various dialects. It remains to be seen whether the derivation of each of those nouns of number from or can be clearly made out.