From: selvakum@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca (C.R.Selvakumar - Electrical Engineering)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil
Subject: echo words
Keywords: echo words
Date: 26 Aug 92 15:02:45 GMT
Organization: University of Waterloo

In article <25AUG199220333408@jane.uh.edu>, st1oc@jane.uh.edu (Satish, Kumar S.) writes:
> Hi Netfolks,
> I thought of sharing my observation about our language,
> Tamizh.
> 
> **The utility of the letter "KEE" and its variations. 
> Usually when we converse with each other, we
> use ...
> EXAMPLES:
> 1. "pantu( pant)    Keentu vaanginiyaa?"
> 2. "Saakku( sack )  Keeku  irukkaa?"
> 3. "Nursing         Kising(!) ellaam ivanga dhaanaa?"
> 4. "Paper	    Keeper  edhaachchum irukkaa?"
> 4. "Maapillai	    Keepillai yaarum kaanalaye?"
> 
> And  I can site Zillions more...... you can go on.
> 
> WHY DO WE ALWAYS USE THE LETTER "KEE" AND ITS VARIATIONS
> IN THE CONVERSATIONS. IS THERE ANY SPECIAL MEANING?
> NOW THAT WE HAVE SOME WONDERFUL MINDS IN THIS NET, I 
> WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME EXPLANATIONS FOR THIS LONG-
> STANDING QUERY OF MINE.
> 
> thanks........
> 
> --'egherzhaaghi'
> 
> "Potruvaar potralum thootruvaar thootralum 
>  Pogattum Kannanuke"


   These are known as echo words and it is found in many indian languages
   and other languages as well but with different formulae. 
   The second word is by itself a meaningless one but conveys the meaning
   "*some such thing* without caring to speicify" and the rhyme seems to
   indicate its kind. 
   However, some well known scholars like T.M.Meenaakshisundaram (T.P.M) 
   think that the second word attains a derogative meaning and he cites
   one example "sampaLam kimpaLam" and gives the opinion that "kimpaLam"
   means bribe or such illegal income. Further TPM says that this echo
   word formation is a feature borrowed from Muda languages. [ I believe
   it is difficult assert that this feature is a borrwoing, and I'll be thankful
   if some knowledgeable valaiNYar's cite reasons and arguments for
   TPM's assertion; ] . Many modern
   scholars seem to think that it is a characteristic of dravidan languages.

   It's important to note- not only we have "maadu keedu varum" = "cattle
   or some such thing can come, but .." where the keedu denotes "some
   such thing", but we also have !*verbal*! forms like "avanai adichchiyo
   kidichchiyo " = "If you beat him or do any such thing ...". The
   interesting thing is if a word begins with "ki" such as "kizhangu" 
   or "kiNaru", "kiRukkal" then the echo formation is *usually* not
   attempted although in cases like "kiLi" = "parrot" one can hear 
   kiLi-hiLi.   Another interesting observation is some expressions
   like "konjam nanjam" = " a little bit, itsy-bitsy" has a differnt
   formation but I doubt they are echo words because the second is
   likely to be a meaningful "pair" word. [ I'm still hoping to write
   a small article on "pair-words" or doublets as a follow up of 
   Balaji Kannan's article some time ago where in these distinctions 
   can be discussed]

  Summary: The "ki.." formation in tamil is to show "some such thing" 
           if it is a noun and "do any such thing" if it is a verb
           and it is a characteristic of Tamil. Other dravidain languages
           have similar but differnt formations for the same purpose.
           

  anbudan

  Selva Selvakumar
  
   
   
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