From: selvakum@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca (C.R.Selvakumar - Electrical Engineering)
Subject: Tamil, Sanskrit, North Indian languages, kinship, #13
Keywords: Tamil, Sanskrit, North indian languages, kinship, language heritage
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 19:14:59 GMT



This is #13 article in the series of postings I am making to show 
certain common linguistic heritage for the whole of India. 
I am trying to present words which are likely to be used in the
villages and rural areas. 

I strongly believe that a careful consideration of these words
and understanding how they are related, one may gain   
a more wholesome view of India's true heritage.

The word for todays posting is "kalaha" = 'quarrel, fight'

In the previous postings we have seen 10 Sanskrit words involving
the combination of k_varga + l and they were all of Tamil/Dravidian
orgin and used throughout India and this word 'kalaha' is the 11th word 
starting with the same two consonants k-varga + l.

The North Indian words I may refer to below are from the compilation by
Sir Ralph Turner: Ref

R.L.Turner, " A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo_Aryan Languages"
              Oxford University Press.,New York,  1966


R.L.Turner's entry No. 2922

Sanskrit : kalaha = 'quarrel, fight'  [ used in Mahabharath ]
 
Prakrit: kalaha = 'quarrelling'             Pali: kalaha = 'quarrelling' 

Assamese: 'kalah, kalau' = war, fighting'    Kashmiri: 'kolakol' = uproar 
Bengali  :'kalah' = 'war, fighting'          Punjabi : karhalaa = 'quarrelsome'
Oriya   : 'kalaha' = 'war, fighting'         Sindhi  : karahI = 'quarrelling'
Sinhalese: 'kalaha, kalaa' ='war, fighting'  Lahndaa : kallaa = 'noise, uproar'

Marathi :'kaLho' ='war, fighting'             Hindi   :'kalah' = ' war, fighting 
Gujarathi:'kaL(e)' = 'war, fighting'          Mythili : ------------
                                              Bhojpuri: --------------
Nepali  :'kalaha' = 'quarrel'                 Bihari  : --------------

R.L.Turner's acknowledgement of root: None cited.

My comments: This Sanskrit word 'kalaha' is same as the Tamil word 'kalagam'.
             Although R.L.Turner does not cite any origin, that it is of Tamil
             derivation appears quite clear. The Tamil root is "kalai" =
             'to separate, split, divide'. Another Tamil root relevant here
              is "kala" = 'mix' (semantically gives rise to the meanings
              'confuse', 'dishearten' { note tamil 'kalangu' meaning both 'mix'
              and 'confuse, dishearten'} ). 

              Also it is interesting to note: 

          [1] Turner's entry 2925 Skt. 'kalahin' = quarrelsome ( used in
              Chaandogya Upanishad). this word occurs in prakrit as 
              'kalahi-', Punjabi: 'kalaihNa'   Nepali : kalyaahaa
              Oriya : kaLhia, kaLia = 'quarrelsome'

          [2] Turner's entry no. 2924 cites Skt. 'kalahakara' = quarrelsome
              (used in PaaNini) and finds an entry in Pali as 'kalahakaaraka',
              Punjabi: 'kalihaara' and Hindi: 'kalahaaraa' all meaning 
              quarrelsome.

              In tamil 'kalagam' means 'a fight caused by some split ( usually
               split is engineered by some)', 'uproar'
              and the word 'kalagam' is pronounced as 'kalaham'. 
              'kalagam' also means
              'kuzhappam' = a confusion. Numerous Tamil words and some verbs
              involving 'kalangu, kalakku' go to support the view that 'kalaha'
              is of Tamil origin. 
              In tamil 'kalam' is a generic word for weapon, 
                       'kaLam' is warfield
                       'kalavar' means army_men, 
                       'kalambam' = arrow, 
                       'kali' = arrow,
                       'kalaabam'/'kalaavam'= 'quiver of arrows' 
                           [ interestingly a word 'kalaapa' occurs in
                             skt. ( see Turners entry 2931) which Turner 
                             agrees could be derived from Dravidian]

                       'kai kala' means to fight ( with fist)

              Tamil *verbs* 'kala, kalangu, kalakku, kalai, kaLai, kulai,
                           kul(zh)ambu, kul(zh)ppu, kiL, kiLai, kil(zh)i,
                           kal(zh)i, kul(zh)ai...'
                     etc. have deep semantic connection with 'split, separate,
                     mix, confuse, disturb' . Many words such as tamil 'kali'
                     'kaliththal' mean 'noisy uproar'. 

                     [Kashmiri word 'kolakol'
                     appears to be related to tamil 'kOlaakalam' and if the
                     Kashmiri word is used in the same sense as tamil then 
                     here the uproar is due to happy celeberation and not
                     due to fighting. The tamil sense of 'noise due to
                     festive mood' comes about from the tamil root 'kOluthal'
                     a verb meaning 'congregate' ( kOluthal also means to begin,
                     to bend, to encircle.)  Related words are 'kulam,
                     kOlam' meaning ensemblage and merely means a group.
                     Tamil 'kOl-' means encircle and kOlam means beautifying.
                     I believe that the Kashmiri word kolakol is not related
                     to kalaha = fighting. Knowledgeable Kashmiri speakers
                     please clarify- thanks]
                     
                     Without doubt
                     tamil 'kalagam'  > Skt. 'kalaha' and Sanskrit seems to have
                     borrowed this word 'kalaha' from native indian languages
                     and tamil is just one of them. Also note the widespread
                     use of this word all over india.
                     
Thanks for listening,
                 
anbudan (= with regards)
Selva Selvakumar                         (selvakum@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca)