Q: Kannada words in a Greek play?

[Lars Martin Fosse]

Richard Solomon wrote:

>I have discussed this matter briefly in "Epigraphic Remains of Indian
>Traders in Egypt," International Journal of Dravidian Linguistics 22
>(1994): 7-16 (esp. 9-10) (revised and expanded version of article of
>the same title in JAOS 111 [1991]: 731-6).  I came to the conclusion that
>it is reasonably likely that the passages in question are a rough
>imitation of some Dravidian language, but it is unlikely that it can be
>identified more precisely than that.  

Just for the record, similar imitations of "barbaric" languages are also
found elsewhere in Greek literature. Mayrhofer in his Handbuch des
Altpersischen quotes a sequence of words from the Acharnoi of Aristophanes,
which he analyzes as an imitation of Persian and even turns into correct
Persian. (see Mayrhofer p. 91). 

Best regards,

Lars Martin Fosse