Old Tamil words

Lets see the meaning of some old Tamil words that we know from early Tamil Literature and no longer in common use.

Aa: ஆ: Cow

Maa: மா : Unrestricted, தக்க வைத்துக்கொள்ள முடியாத, Often comes as prefix to denote something on higher scale.

Thiri: திரி : Change.

Visumbu: விசும்பு : Atmosphere.

Aar: ஆர் Deep, Very far. Aa= Unknown/High in value R= distance/Traverse

 Parai : பறை : communicate, to get to another (person). To bring in something that went away.

Misai: மிசை: On top of a place.

Marungu: மருங்கு : Well enclosed or resting (Place), Space in between, valley. To rest on.

Maruppu: Tusks or  Horns of animals

Kaliru: Elephant

Eiru: எயிரு : Tusk,  should refer the sharpness.

Kol: கோள்: A great characteristic, That which we see in others.

Alukkaaru: Envy : பொறாமை: But I have a different view, think, its more of ‘negative thinking‘, those who ‘nitpick’, complaining attitude.

Avviyam:அவ்வியம்: Low self esteem.

Let us see this kural : அவ்வித்து அழுக்காறு உடையானைச் செய்யவள்
தவ்வையைக்(whatever kept inside) காட்டி விடும்

The goddess of action(செய்யவள்) will show what is hidden inside the person with  envy arising out of low self esteem.

[Ones actions will clearly show what will come out of  a person with negative thinking out of low self esteem.]

ThOl:தோள்: Arms / Shoulders

த் + ஓ  = வைத்திருப்பது + பிரிந்து

Pasalai: பசலை : Female hysteria.

Wikipedia says: Female hysteria. “includes symptoms of  faintness, nervousness, insomnia, fluid retention, heaviness in abdomen, muscle spasm, shortness of breath, irritability, loss of appetite for food or sex, and “a tendency to cause trouble”

There are number of references for “Pasalai” in ancient Tamil literature, I will explain one of the Kurals that talk about “Pasappu”,

சாயலும் நாணும் அவர்கொண்டார் கைம்மாறா
நோயும் பசலையும் தந்து.

“My man who went away taking my beauty and shameness but given me this disease and spreading hysteria.”

புலம் : Pulam : Used place, occupied place.

Kuda: குட : West : literally Gain inside + move to. (sun getting inside), கதிரவன் உள்ளே செல்வது.

குட்டம்: Kuttam : Depth, Deep. 

There is an old title suffix name in Tamil called குட்டுவன்(kuttuvan->kuttan), and should have come from the above words, and could refer generally to persons from ‘west’,  The Chera king names ends like  Cheran SenKuttuvan, velGelu kuttuvan. The current caste names Gowda, Gowndar, Kodava, kuttan etc and surnames like Gupta, Sengupta could have this meaning of  ‘west‘, or ‘deep‘ or ‘covered within/protected‘ Those castes need not be related but refer the region they reside, like ‘people of the west‘.

KuNa: குண : Eastern side, literally : Gain Inside + Receive from. உள் இருந்து பெறுவது.

தொடி : Thodi : Women wear, Bangle/Bracelet. (This word could also used to refer women)

த் + ஒ : இருப்பது + ஒன்றாக

திகிரி – A kind of War quoit:It refers  to a kind of circular disk weapon when thrown will cut off the body of the opposition.

A line in Silapathikaaram:

ஞாயிறு போற்றுதும் ஞாயிறு போற்றுதும்
காவிரி நாடன் திகிரி போல் பொற்கோட்டு
மேரு வலந்திரிதலான்

“Praising the Sun, Praising the Sun,

Like the shining and flying War Quoit of the Chola Kings(King of Kaaviri country), The Sun is moving around the high mountains.”

நுதல் : Forehead (பிறை நுதல் – A phrase equating the women’s forehead to the crescent moon shape.)

தானை : Disciplined (Self Control : “தான்” means Self/Ego, அனை means “to control/to store within”)

பொச்சாப்பு : Pocchaappu : Carelessness, Forgetfulness.

கிளவி :Kilavi: Split part of a word (Multiple Kilavi’s Join together to form different words)

கயம் :Kayam : A small low level, water body, where water and everything comes and  fills as it rains.

கயமை :Kayamai : A character of one who wants to take/do whatever he wishes and not following the rules. Similar to a Kayam, which will take anything.

கயல்: Kayal : Take from the surface/place  (Its a type of common fish that comes to the surface and easy to catch.)

கயல் விழி என்பது மீன் போன்ற விழி என்று கூறுவர், ஆனால் அது சுண்டி இழுக்கும் விழிகள் என்றும் பொருள் தரலாம்.

நீர : Neera : To clean off completely, ward off completely.-முற்றிலும் நீக்க, It comes from the property of water, Water is called as Neer.

ஈ :ஈதல்: Eethal : To give off,To take out.(Another word for “Kodu” but used when the giver is giving on his own will)

பூரியார் : One who is attracted or addicted to something. பூரியர் : One who can seduce or make others addict.

அமர் :   Staying in place, Boundary, Within possessed land.

அளறு : A restricted place, A place not able to enter or move out,

புள் : Birds thats comes/flies in groups.

விசி : Vici/Vicitha/Viciuru : “tied to” நன்றாக கட்டிய. Packed.

ஞாண் : It refers to the thread that encircles the body, but the primary meaning is that which encircles around, not the thread or rope. (அரைஞாண் கயிறு) arayil(hip) sutriya kayiru.

மதி : Moon

நெருநல் : Recently before, Yesterday, Just before.

பிறங்கு : Glowing, Shining etc..

அணங்கு : aNangu : Fear ( But I think the real meaning is, Restricted from knowing, மெய் மறந்து, பரவச நிலை here அ is existence/realization, ணங்கு: To suppress, to keep low. so “above reality things, those cannot be attained with sense”) தேவதை,

மல், மல்கு : ஒரே இடத்தில வைத்திருத்தல, அப்படியே இருத்தல், retained in place

களிறு : Kaliru : Male Elephant

நவில்: Navil : Speak (In good flow, free flowing, fluent)

அலங்கடை: alangadai: Exceptions, Not belongs to a group, Not having common characteristics. separate from others.

சிவணி: Sivani: Along with, fixed with, amalgamate, fuse with.

அகற்சி : Aharchi: Not accepting/liking mindset.

கவை : Kavai: V shaped, க“Gaining” வ Shape.

கவின் : Kavin: Beautiful, attractive.

கவுள் : Kavul: Jaw, Jaw shaped,  V shaped.

கவரி: Kavari: Bison, Yak, its often referred to as kavari maan, maan refers to animals (that roam larger distances), not restricted to smaller areas.

Ilangu : To Make it visible/know well, Express well, Bright, Radiate.  An important word that has cognates in many other languages and related to words like Ilakkanam(grammer), Ilakkiyam(literature), Ilakkam(Target).

 

More words to come…