Change in Word Meanings

[zydenbos at flevoland.xs4all.nl]

Replies to msg 21 Apr 97: indology at liverpool.ac.uk (GANESANS at cl.uh.edu)

 Gue> From: GANESANS at cl.uh.edu
 Gue> Subject: Change in Word Meanings

 Gue> Some tamil words have acquired almost opposite meanings
 Gue> over time. Examples:

 Gue> 1) n^ARRam - originally good smell, but now it signifies
 Gue> bad odour.

 Gue> Can you please add some more Tamil words like this?
 Gue> Any examples from Sanskrit?

Perhaps it is worth mentioning that in modern Kannada, the word vaasane (from
Sanskrit vaasanaa) is generally used in the sense of "bad smell", unless
something explicitly indicates that the smell is not unpleasant.

- Robert Zydenbos