orphan/orphanage

[George Hart]

In modern Tamil, the word anaatai is used for "orphan,"  though it  
can also mean someone who has no one to take care of them.  What is  
interesting is that the word is feminine (<anaathaa) even though it  
is used for both genders.  The Lexicon, which often does not have  
modern usages, does not give this, though it does have anaatan  
(masc.), which it defines as "tikkillaatavan," "someone who has no  
one to turn to."  G. Hart

On Jul 25, 2006, at 7:28 AM, Ashok Aklujkar wrote:

> On 7/25/06 6:46 AM, "Donald R. Davis, Jr." <drdavis at WISC.EDU> wrote:
>
>> anaathan is the most common modern Malayalam word for orphan.
>
> Such is the situation, without the final "n," in several other  
> modern Indian
> languages as well. In practical life, "anaatha" must always have  
> had the
> greatest potential to be applicable to widows and parentless  
> children. The
> contraction of its original wider or literal meaning to these two  
> groups in
> society is, therefore, understandable.
>
> ashok aklujkar