Page:Tamil studies.djvu/396

Rh Tamil ந்து (particle of past tense) ; ந்நு in இதிந்நு is a contraction of ன்கு (dative case suffix) ;ந்நு in யெந்நு is an abbreviation of 67607 D; and isu in QFTH WYGLIO is a modification of BT MI, GOT IT H or 26 (present tense). In the second example குந்நது is the same as கின்ற து, but here the neuter inflexional ending is retained. We have reasons to believe that the high-caste personal endings in verbs were gradually dropped in Malayalam, the neuter endings taking their place regardless of gender; and these also in course of time disappeared. There are many such grammatical irregularities and fluctuations, but only a few are quoted here as illustrations.

VOCABULARY :-The same uncertainty exists in the matter of vocabulary also. It has no dictionary like the Divakaram and the Pingalandai of Tamil or like the Amarakosh of Sanskrit. The following are some of the irregularities which might be noticed in the Malayalam vocabulary.

(1) The same word is used in various forms. For example, the Tamil word 48 (areca-nut) appears in Malayalam as 4 (40% and $1551; 446 (vulture) as 814 வந், கழுக, கழுங்ங ; கயிறு (rope) as கயறு and கழறு ; பருத்தி (cotton) as பரித்தி and பாத்தி &c.

(2) Words of different origin appear in the same form. Tamil 20i becomes po which is apt to be confounded with psi (margin); Tamil quia as ஏக்க, while ஏக்கம் means sighing ; வெக்கை (heat) as mais and made (to put) also as mais ; sari is a 'temple' as well as to sprinkle' (@sar) &c.,

24