Karnataka/KannaDa (was: Karave caste and Kurus)

[N. Ganesan]

 >>Do we have a Kannada example in the reverse direction?
 >>Ie., Xam + nY ---> XannY where X & Y are Kannada strings
 >>with one or more letters.

Dr. Zydenbos:
 >I cannot think of any example right now; on the other hand, I do not
 >know whether we should consider the difference e / a important
 >here.

At least in Tamil, it is very important.

-run- where n is dental  assimilates to
-n2n2- where n2 is alveolar. Eg., karunATu > kan2n2ATu
if we apply Tamil sandhi.

But there are no examples for -amn- becoming -ann- as far I know in
Tamil. Probably none exist in Kannada as well (but I'd like
to be shown an example of -amn- > -amm-. (I can understand .n
"softening" to m, but the reverse is not possible in tamil,
ie., m > _n or .n does not happen.)

Until another example with an -amn > -ann exists, kannADu from
kammitu- 'fragrance' remains doubtful (at least to me).
Cf. Even though Tamil poets sang for millennia that
tamil = 'sweetness', nobody accepts that's the origin of
the name of the said language.

Regards,
N. Ganesan

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