Re: Prakrit cha 'six' disc. by Viredaz (OvH)

From: S.Kalyanaraman
Message: 28739
Date: 2003-12-24

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "lighthisertim"
<lighthisertim@...> wrote:
> <richard.wordingham@...> wrote:
> > Where does the Prakrit (incl. Pali) word _cha_ 'six' come from?
I > > don't see how to relate it to Sankrit SaS- beyond a vague
similarity.
>
> Oskar von Hinueber (2001: \S 399) refers to Viredaz: `Six' en
indo-european. > Indogermanische Forschungen 102, 1997, S. 112-150,
bes. \S 4.13.

Dear tim lighthiser,

There are at least four clusters of words which could be traced to
Prakrit dialects for the semantics: six.

One is po_ta 'six' used in secret conversations by merchants
(Gujarati).

Second is s.at. 'six' R.gveda. See Munda. tVdruX (Zide).

Third is sa_ru_ng 'six' Gondi.

Fourth is tat.aval a slang term in Tamil 'six'. It is well known
that secret commercial deals were struck by shaking hands and
indicating the agreed price by demonstrating the numerical count on
fingers. This leads to the use of kara 'hand' also as a count
of 'six'.

sa_ru_ng, harung, a_ru_, ha_ru_m., ha_ru_ng six (Go.); a_r six
(Kol.); a_r-u six (Ka.Ma.Ta.); sa_ji six (Tu.); a_jane sixth (Tu.);
s_arvur, sa_vir, ha_rvur, ha_rur-, a_rvur six (Go.); sajgi six
(Kui); sa_ja pattu six times twelve dozen = 864 (Kui); saj six;
sajgi six things; ha_ja six (Kui); a~_ji six (Tu.); ajipa, ajippa,
a_jipa, a_jpa sixty (Tu.); sa_rk six each (Nk.); sa_rung six (Go.);
a_r-u (Ta.Ma.Ka.Te.); a.r (Ko.); o.r. (To.); ar-uvar six persons
(Ma.); ar-umai six (Ta.); aru-vadi sixty (Kod..)(DEDR 2485). [cf.
the short vowel in compounds.] a_kha_ whole, undivided (M.); a_kho
complete (Konkan.i); a_khu~ whole, uncastrated (G.)(CDIAL 28).
Image: circle with six spokes: s.at.ka consisting of six (Rigveda
Pra_tis'a_khya); collection of six (A's'vGr..); chakka set of six
(Pali); consisting of six (Pkt.); sixth (Ku.); chako the figure six
(S.); chakka_ id. (P.); aggregate of six, the six (at cards or dice)
(H.); sak aggregate of six (M.); sakd.a_ id. (M.); sakko the six at
cards (Konkan.i)(CDIAL 12780). s.at.t.anka weight of six t.anka
(Skt.); chat.a_k 1/16 of a ser (about 2 ounces)(B.H.N.P.) (CDIAL
12785). [= s.as. + t.anka]. chakar.a_ throw in dice when all three
pieces show two (N.); chakr.a_ six cowries (B.); chaka_ card with
six pips (Or.); chakar.i_ calf with six teeth (Mth.); chakko a throw
of six (G.); chakiyo cart with six oxen (G.)(CDIAL 12780). s.as. six
(RV.); s.as.a (As'.ka_l.); s.o (whence s.odhama sixth)(NiDoc.); s'as
(Gy.); s.a (D..); s'e, s'eh (K.); s'a_h, s'a_ (WPah.); s'ov (Gy.);
s.u (Ash.); s.o_ (Dm.); cha, chal. in cmpds. (Pali); cha (Pkt.);
c.ha_ (Pas'.); c.hoi (Kho.); cha, chi_h (chaho_ sixth)(S.); che~,
chi_ (L.); che, chi_ (P.); chai (WPah.); chai (Ku.); chai (chait.au~
sixth)(N.); say (A.); chay (B.); cha (Or.); chao (Mth.); chahum.
(OAw.); cha (H.Marw.G.); saha_, sa_ (M.); sa (Konkan.i.Si.); ha,
saya, haya (Si.)(CDIAL 12803). chakhan.d.a bier (consisting of 2
poles and 4 crosspieces)(Or.) (CDIAL 12782).

Proto-Munda numeral '6': tVruX (i.e., tuXruX) or tVdruX (cf. Zide,
op. cit., p.26.)

tat.aval six, a slang term (Can.. Aka.)(Ta.lex.)[Perh. derived from
the practice of counting upto 'six' on the knots of two fingers,
after which the two fingers are folded down to connote one 'count of
six', as a landing point in numeration.]

kara the number two; the number six; khara the number six (Ka.)
(Ka.lex.) kara (IE 7-1-2.IEG.) two. ka_raka (IE 7-1-2.IEG.) six.