[INDOLOGY] Etymology of Skt. nilaya

Fri Oct 23 22:22:09 UTC 2020

Dear Indologists,

CDIAL 7407 shows the following entry for Skt. nilaya showing an IA etymology.

nilaya m. ʻ den, lair, home ʼ MBh. [√lī1]
Pa. nilaya -- m. ʻ dwelling, lair, nest ʼ; Pk. ṇilaya -- m. ʻ house, resting -- place ʼ; OB. nilaa ʻ abode ʼ ODBL 912; Si. nila ʻ house ʼ.

On the other hand, DEDR 3675 shows the following for *nil-*.

Ta. nil (nirp-, niṉṟ-) to stand, stop, halt, be steadfast, stay, continue, cease, be stopped, remain, wait, delay;… nilai standing, staying, firmness, stability, permanence, condition, state, place, stopping place, residence, depth of water allowing one to stand in, usage, custom;… Ka. nil (nilt-/ nind-), nilu, nillu to stand still, stand, stand up, stop, stay, wait, remain, be left, last, remain fixed, cease, rest, endure; … nele standing, standing place, abode, place, basis, firmness, certainty, certain knowledge;… Koḍ. nill- (nipp-, nind-) to stand; nele halting place…  Te. nilucu to stand, rise, get up, last, continue, remain, exist, stop, stay, halt, cease, endure, be preserved or saved, survive;… nela place; nela konu to become firm, stay, be, stand; (K.) … Kur. ilnā (ilcas/ illas) to get up, rise to one's feet; ijnā (ijjas) to be stationary in an upright position, rise to one's feet, stand on end, stop, halt, pause, maintain a fixed or steady attitude, persist, persevere; ildnā, ilda'ānā, ilta'ānā, ijta'ānā to erect, set up, rest against. Malt. ile (ij-) to stand; ilde to make to stand. ? Cf. 3689 Kui nīm ba. DED(S) 3043.

It looks like Skt. nilaya is a borrowing from Dravidian. 

For comparison, see DEDR 4742 with the following entries for Ta. malai and its cognates.

Ta. malai hill, mountain. Ma. mala mountain, raised land, hill-land. Ko. mal im buffaloes of the Nilgiri tribes (i.e. mountain buffaloes); mal a·ṛ high downs on western half of Nilgiri plateau. To. mas̱ o·ṛ id; mal the mountains (Nilgiris as opposed to the plains). Ka. male mountain, forest; (PBh.) malepar chieftains of mountainous regions. Koḍ. male thick jungle land, cardamom plantation in jungle on mountain-side. Tu. malè forest, hill overgrown with forest. Te. mala mountain. Kol. ma·le, (Haig) mālē hill. Pa. malaŋg forest. ? Ga. (Oll.) mare (pl. marel) hillock; (S.) māre (pl. mārel) hill. Br. mash hill, mountain. / Cf. Skt. malaya- mountain range on the east of Malabar, the western Ghāts; garden, celestial grove; ? māla- forest or wood near a village; ? mālaka- wood near a village. DED 3882.

A Concise Etymological Dictionary of 1956 by Manfred Mayrhofer gives a Dravidian origin for Skt. Malaya.

The same process that operated in the formation of Skt. malaya seems to have operated in the case of Skt. nilaya (< Dr. *nil-.)

How did Manfred Mayrhofer explain Skt. nilaya in his later etymological dictionary?

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

S. Palaniappan

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