[INDOLOGY] Etymology of Skt. nilaya

[Madhav Deshpande]

As for Sanskrit *nilaya*, we not only have the noun *nilaya*, but the verb
*ni+līyate*, which is productively used in Sanskrit, along with words like
*nilīna,* a participle. The verb *līyate *can occur by itself, with
derivatives like *laya* and *līna*, and also with other preverbs, e.g.
*pra-līyate*, with derivatives like *pralaya *and *pralīna*. Given this
state of Sanskrit usage, how would one deal with the suggested Dravidian
etymology?

Madhav M. Deshpande
Professor Emeritus, Sanskrit and Linguistics
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Senior Fellow, Oxford Center for Hindu Studies

[Residence: Campbell, California, USA]


On Fri, Oct 23, 2020 at 3:23 PM Sudalaimuthu Palaniappan via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> 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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