solution to the "kuyava' etymology

[Bh. Krishnamurti]

The alternation of i/e and u/o is a Proto-South Dravidian rule, which is as
follows. Proto-Dravidian had all the four vowels i,e,u,o in the root
syllable of (C)VC type. In Proto-South Dravidian they remained as such when
high vowels or zero followed in the next syllable, i.e. (C)VC-i/u/0; but
when a lowel -a followed i,u merged with e,o; i.e.PD*(C)i/eC-a
>PSD*(C)e/oC-a- (rule of vowel harmony or umlaut). Then, Early Tamil (which
included Malayalam) changed these sequences to i,u (rule of
dissimilation)throughout. The rest of the Southern languages preserved PSD
merged state(Kannada, Kodagu, Toda, Kota, Irula, Tulu; Telugu also joins
this group in this phenomenon). Again, Old Tamil (C)i,uC-a- later became
(C)e,oC-a in Medieval  and modern Tamil. (I published an article on this
problem in Languaage 1958 and my solution has been accepted by all Dravidian
scholars). I am not expressing an opinion on kuyawa. I am not convinced that
it has a Dravidian origin. Also note there is a group of South-Central
Dravidian languages called Ku:i-Ku:vi-Ku:bi. PD *ku: means 'to call', a
homophonous *ku: 'hill'. ko:'king, god'. The potter word is only confined to
Tamil and does not have PD etymolgy. I do not think that 'potter' and
'chieftain, king' words are related.
Bh.Krishnmurti.





At 17:08 16/01/98 -0500, you wrote:
>The report on kuyava sounds very interesting to me. Could you explain at
>all why the CT word for potter apparently also means 'chieftain'.
>        Do you think the dravidian vowel alternation may have anything to
>do with the u/U alternation within vedic...
>
>Arlo Griffiths
>
>
Bh. Krishnamurti
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