Re: Etymology of kaṇha / kāḷa ?

Dear Mahinda, Jim, Florian

It looks like kāla is derived from a non-Indo European word (from Dravidian karū, "black" or Kannada kāḷ; see Mayrhofer 1956, vol. 1 203), while kṛṣṇa is derived from an Indo European (IE) root as Mahinda states below.. This would also explain why there was confusion on the root of kāla (as Jim shows), since kāla was not a native IE word. So they are only related in meaning, not etymology. It is a common phenomena when languages mix (as during the Buddha's time there were Middle Indic, Dravdian, Munda and Tibeto-Burman languages speakers and perhaps others we don't know about).

This phenomenon of linguistic diffusion (language borrowing) happens all the time when different cultures meet and mix. In English, for example, (also a mixed language of Old English/Old German/Latin/Greek) we have many different words which are essentially synonymous from different linguistic traditions, like black (from Old English blaec) or swarthy from Old Eng. swaert related to German schwarz), various derivatives from the Latin word niger, often pejorative ("black") , and derivatives from the Greek melas, ("black") like melan-choly (lit. "black-bile"). In this case (kaṇha/kāḷa) the words are phonetically similar which is why the confusion arises.

Best wishes,

Bryan

From: "Mahinda Palihawadana mahipal6@... [palistudy]" <palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
To: palistudy@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2014 9:59 PM
Subject: Re: [palistudy] Etymology of kaṇha / kāḷa ?

Dear Florian,

Another explanation, and the one we were taught during our time as students of Pali, is that these two terms are derived from Old Indo-Aryan words reflected in Sanskrit kRSNa and kaala. The former may even have an Indo-European origin, as Manfred Mayrhofer indicates in his Concise Etymological Skt Dictionary, where he refers to corresponding words in Lithuanian etc. (like, e.g., Kirsna, name of a river, much like kRSNaa which occurs in Sanskrit as the name of a river.)

Best regards.

Mahinda

On Thu, Nov 13, 2014 at 7:26 AM, 'Jim Anderson' jimanderson.on@... [palistudy] <palistudy@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hi Florian,

As far as I know, the two terms are not etymologically related since each
are based on entirely different verbal roots. The root of kaṇha is either KU
or KAS and I'm assuming KAL is the root of kāḷa (or kāla). The Dhātumālā
section of the Saddanīti takes KU to be the root of kaṇha while the ṭīkā on
the Abhidhānappadīpikā takes KAS as the root.

The vikaraṇa affix ṇha may come after the roots of a very small class
beginning with GAH which can yield such forms as gaṇhāti, taṇhā, uṇha,
juṇha, saṇha. etc. The final consonant, if any, is elided before the ṇha
affix can be added. Interestingly, the Dhātumālā does not include KAS in the
gahādi class. KU has the meaning of contempt, reproach (kucchā) while KAS
has the meaning of scratching (vilekhana). I can't understand how or why KU
changes to ka before ṇha. The Dhātumālā gives three KAL roots and one for
KAḶ which all would have to be investigated to determine which one the
meaning of black belongs.

Best wishes,

Jim

----- Original Message -----
From: "Florian Weps fmw@... [palistudy]" <palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
To: <palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: November 11, 2014 11:15 AM
Subject: [palistudy] Etymology of kaṇha / kāḷa ?

Dear all

recently, I came across the synonyms kaṇha and kāḷa. I got the idea that
these
two might be variant spellings or dialectal differences - retroflex ṇh and
ḷ,
the latter between vowels here, seem to be very similar sounds.

Is there any basis to this understanding of mine?

Kind regards,
Florian

------------------------------------
Posted by: "Jim Anderson" <jimanderson.on@...>

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