etymology of the word 'DRAVIDA"

[Dipak Bhattacharya]

30 10 12
Dear Colleagues,
The information given, though useful and authentic, pertains to Dravidian cognates but not
to etymology. Till now etymology means information about the component lexeme and
morphemes with indication of the root, if any, and the stem. The absence
thereof seems to have been caused by the fact that this is an underived proper
name. 
The reality of underived words is not always reflected in
the writings of the older generations of grammarians with their insistence on the
so-called primary and secondary suffixes but, according to me, the fact has to
be given due recognition. 
I hasten to add that since we do not have knowledge of
pre-classical Tamil, the possibility of apparently underived names being
actually derived words, in a primitive state of affairs unknown to us, cannot
be ruled out. But the original question seems to have been put from a
Sanskritist’s point of view. It is a loan word in Sanskrit and hence, for all
practical purposes that is to say in the context of the Sanskrit language, it
is an underived word with a non-existent etymology. 
Best
DB

 

________________________________
 From: Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan <palaniappa at AOL.COM>
To: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk 
Sent: Monday, 29 October 2012 1:25 AM
Subject: Re: [INDOLOGY] etymology of the word 'DRAVIDA"
  
Please see the DEDR entry 
3080 Ta. tamir̤ Tamil language, the Tamils, 
the Tamil country; tamir̤aṉ a Tamilian. Ma. tamir̤ Tamil 
language. To. tobiḷ id. Ka. tamir̤a, tambar̤a id. Tu. tamuḷů, tamuḷu, tambuḷu Tamil. / Cf. Skt. draviḍa-, dramila-, drāviḍa-. DED 2508. 
 
Regards, 
Palaniappan    
-----Original Message----- From: alakendu das <mailmealakendudas at REDIFFMAIL.COM> To: INDOLOGY <INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk> Sent: Wed, Oct 24, 2012 11:00 am Subject: [INDOLOGY] etymology of the word 'DRAVIDA"  
 To All, I would be benefitted if anybody can  enlighten me about the etymology of the word 'Dravida' as used in naming the race DRAVIDIAN.  Thanking You                                          Yours faithfully  ALAKENDU DAS Post-Graduate,INDOLOGY      
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