A. Villarroel's query

[s. kalyanaraman]

     I read with interest George Cordona's comment re: the earliest 
     Sanskrit term for canal/trench. I disagree with his suggestion that 
     kulya is likely to be this term. My reasons, on grounds of semantic 
     clustering (elucidated in my comparative, etymological dictionary of 
     south asian languages) are as follows: Skt. kUla = pond, pool; Tamil 
     kuLam = tank, reservoir, lake; glUnju = a small pool, puddle (Kui). I 
     suggest that kulya in its early meaning is likely to connote a ditch 
     or pond. What are the other possible ancient terms for canal/trench? 
     Pkt. khalla, khAla = canal, creek, trench; Skt. khalla id.; kAl, kAlve 
     = water-course, channel, brook (Kannada); kAva = gutter; kAl-vA = 
     river mouth, irrigation channel (MalayALam); kAl, kAl-vAy = irrigation 
     channel (Tamil); kaZHi = ebbing brook (MalayALam), backwater (Tamil); 
     kaRna = canal (KonDa); karna = irrigation channel (Kuwi) 
     s._kalyanaraman at ctlmail.asiandevbank.org 20/7 Warren Road, Mylapore, 
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