Know the Etymology: 2
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 01 March 2017

Puluṭṭu-māṉ-ōṭai, Kavāṭṭi-ōṭai, Iṟāp-puṭṭi-ōṭai, Vẹlla-ōḍaya, Gal-ōḍē

புலுட்டுமான்-ஓடை, கவாட்டி-ஓடை, இறாப்புட்டி-ஓடை, வெ[æ]ல்ல-ஓட₃ய, க₃ல்-ஓடே₃
Puluṭṭu-māṉ-ōṭai, Kavāṭṭi-ōṭai, Iṟāp-puṭṭi-ōṭai, Vẹlla-ōḍaya, Gal-ōḍē

Puluṭu+māṉ+ōṭai
Kavāṭṭi+ōṭai
Iṟā+puṭṭi+ōṭai
Vẹlla+ōḍaya
Gal+ōḍē

The pond frequented by deer of a tiny species

The estuarine stream found with Kavāṭṭi oysters

The channel at the shrimp bank

The stream at the seashore

The rocky pond or stream

Ōṭai	pond, flood-outlet, stream, channel (Eezham Tamil); large watercourse, dyke, pond, tank, reservoir, moat (Tamil, DED 1041, Paripāṭal, 3: 12-14); Ōḍē: small lake, watercourse (Sinhala, Clough); Ōḍa: waterhole, watercourse, "Diyavaḷa hō Ẹḷa (Sinhala, Sorata); Ōṭa: watercourse (Malayalam, DED 1041); current of water (Kannada, DED 1041); current of a stream (Tulu, DED 1041); Ōḍika: stream, current (Telugu, DED 1041); Ōṟa: channel, drain (Kui, DED 1041); from Ōṭu: (verb) to run (Tamil, DED 1041)
Ōḍaya	from Ōḍa: waterhole, watercourse; "Diyavaḷa, hō Ẹḷa" (Sinhala, Sorata); Ōḍē: small lake, watercourse (Sinhala, Clough). See box on Ōṭai in Tamil.
Ōḍē	small lake, watercourse (Sinhala, Clough); Ōḍa: waterhole, watercourse; "Diyavaḷa hō Ẹḷa" (Sinhala, Sorata). See box on Ōṭai in Tamil
Puluṭṭu	from Puluṭṭai: tiny, thin, emaciated, lean, withered, stunted, diminished in size or stature (Tamil, Winslow and MTL cite Jaffna Dictionary); from Pul: smallness (Tamil, DED 4301); mean or low (Kannada, DED 4301); Puṉmai: smallness (Tamil, DED 4301); Pullu: little, small (Telugu, DED 4301)
Māṉ	deer (Tamil, DED 4780). See column 486
Kavāṭṭi	also Kavvāṭṭi: oyster, bi-valve (Eezham Tamil, usage noticed especially in Mannar and East); Kāvāṭṭiyā: oyster (Sinhala, Clough); Kāvāṭi: oyster found in backwaters, lagoons etc., "Kalapu ādiyehi galvala ệlī siṭina bellā" (Sinhala, Sorata); Kavaḍiyā: a small shell commonly called cowrie and used in Bengal as money; "Muhudehi siṭina bellek" (Sinhala, Clough, Sorata); Kavaṭu: pearl coming from Kavaṭu oyster (Tamil, MTL, old commentary to Cilappatikāram 14: 196): Kavai: (verb) to fork; (noun) division, cleavage as of a crab's claws, branch of a tree (Tamil, DED 1325); Kavar: (verb) to fork, bifurcate, branch off (Tamil, DED 1325); Kavaṭu: forked branch of a tree, fork of the legs (Tamil, DED 1325); Kavaṭṭai, Kavaṭṭi: fork of a branch (Tamil, DED 1325); Kavalai: a fork of roads (Tamil, Caṅkam diction, Akanāṉūru 299:9, Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai, 81, DED 1325); Pāṇḍya-kavaḍaka: pearl (Sanskrit, Artha Śāstra); Kapāṭa, Kavāṭa: the leaf or panel of a door (Sanskrit, CDIAL 2963, probable etymology traced to Dravidian); Kapāṭam, Kavāṭam: the leaf or panel of a door or window, perhaps because of the hinges; beast's burden, perhaps because it is put on either side on its back (Tamil, MTL); Kapāṭa-puram: the port city and old capital of the Pāṇṭiyās where the pearl diving took place (Tamil, Iṟaiyaṉār Akappuruḷ, 1: commentary)
Iṟā	also Iṟāl, Iṟavu: prawn, shrimp (Tamil, DED 517, Naṟṟiṇai, 31: 2; Kuṟuntokai, 109: 1; cognates in 9 Dravidian languages); Iṟal: bivalve, shellfish, mussel (Tamil, DED 517)
Puṭṭi	mound, sandbank, islet, (Eezham Tamil). See column 37
Vẹlla	seashore (Sinhala). See column 337
Gal	stone, rock, hill (Sinhala, Clough, Sorata). See column 46

Ōṭai in Tamil and Ōḍaya/ Ōḍē in Sinhala mean a source of water, usually a small natural pond, pool etc., or a watercourse such as a flood outlet, stream, channel or canal.

Ōṭai is listed as Tamil/ Dravidian and the etymology is traced to the verb Ōṭu, meaning to run, which is an attribute of water (DED 1041).

While Ōṭai is of common usage in Eezham Tamil place names, Ōḍaya/ Ōḍē is seldom found in Sinhala place names.

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Ōṭai in literary and inscriptional usages:

"வாய்மொழி ஓடை மலர்ந்த தாமரைப் பூவினுள் பிறந்தோனும் தாதையும் நீ என மொழியுமால் அந்தணர் அருமறை" (பரிபாடல் 3:12-14)

"Vāymoḻi ōṭai malarnta tāmaraip pūviṉuḷ piṟantāṉum tātaiyum nī eṉa moḻiyumāl antaṇar arumaṟai" (Paripāṭal, 3: 12-14)

The Vedas of the Brahmins say that you are the one born on the lotus blossomed in the pond of Vedas (Brahma), as well as his father (Vishnu).


"நீர்நிலைப் பெயரும் அகழும்…மற்று இவை ஓடை" (பிங்கலம், 10: 217)

"Nīrnilaip peyarum akaḻum…maṟṟu ivai ōṭai" (Piṅkalam, 10: 217)

Ōṭai means a tank, moat… 


"ஓடை நீர்நிலை கிடங்கே…" (சூடாமணி 11:54)

"Ōṭai nīrnilai kiṭaṅkē…" (Cūṭāmaṇi, 11: 54)

Ōṭai means tank, ditch... 


"காடும் ஓடையும்" (Tamil inscription, 792 CE, EI, xviii, 14, GTI 133)

"Kāṭum ōṭaiyum" (Tamil inscription, 792 CE, EI, xviii, 14, GTI 133)

Forest and watercourse or forest and pond


"நீரோடு-கால்" (Tamil inscription, 885 CE, SII, xii, 105)

"Nīrōṭu-kāl (Tamil inscription, 885 CE, SII, xii, 105)

The course or running water, i.e., irrigation canal

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Puluṭṭu-māṉ or Puluṭṭai-māṉ is an Eezham Tamil term for a tiny species of deer or chevrotain found in the dry zone jungles of the island. Often it is simply called Puluṭṭai.

Puluṭṭai is an Eezham Tamil word meaning anything or anybody small, thin, stunted and diminished in size or stature. Winslow's Tamil dictionary and Madras Tamil Lexicon list the word as coming from Jaffna dictionary. The word derived from the Tamil/ Dravidian root Pul and Pul-mai (Puṉmai), meaning smallness (DED 4301). Another meaning for Puluṭṭai is tawny brown colour. This has come from a different Tamil/ Dravidian root Pul and Pullai, meaning tawny, dull and yellowish in colour (DED 4310).

Māṉ is a common Tamil/ Dravidian word meaning a deer (DED 4780). See column 486 for etymology.

Puluṭṭai-māṉ lives close to water resources.

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Kavāṭṭi/ Kavvāṭṭi in Eezham Tamil and Kāvāṭṭiyā in Sinhala mean an oyster, which is a bi-valve.

The terms are related to the Dravidian verbs, Kavar and Kavai, meaning to fork or bifurcate, and nouns such as Kavaṭu, Kavaṭṭi and Kavaṭṭai etc., meaning objects or features that fork, branch off or hinge (DED 1325)

Kavāṭṭi is a popular edible oyster, which is larger than the ordinary oyster called Maṭṭi. It may probably be identified with the species, Crassostrea madrasensis.

Kavāṭṭi and Kavvāṭṭi are Eezham Tamil usages mostly noticed in Mannar and in the East of the island.

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Iṟā and Iṟavu are terms used for shrimp or prawn in Caṅkam Tamil diction. The L- added Iṟāl is found in later usages.

"சேய்-இறா எறிந்த சிறு வெண் காக்கை" (நற்றிணை, 31: 2)

"Cēy-iṟā eṟinta ciṟu veṇ kākkai" (Naṟṟiṇai, 31: 2)

The little white heron that pecked at the young shrimp

See other columns for Puṭṭi meaning a bank, Vẹlla meaning seashore and Gal meaning stone or rock.

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Puluṭṭu-māṉ-ōṭai is a place in Iralaik-kuḷam, in Eravoorppattu division of Batticaloa district.

Kavāṭṭi-ōṭai is in Accaṉ-kuḷam, Nanaddan division, Mannar district. It is a stream as well as backwaters located at the estuary of Aruviyāṟu River. Such streams cum backwaters at the estuaries, where brackish water mixes with fresh water, usually abound with various kinds of oysters.

Iṟāp-puṭṭi-ōṭai is a narrow sea channel between Maṇṭai-tīvu and Kayts in Jaffna district (One Inch sheet).

Vẹlla-ōḍaya is in Tangalle division of Hambantota district. The place is also marked as Vẹlla-ōḍē in the Metric Sheet. A stream flows into the sea at this place

Gal-ōḍe is in Padiyatalawa division of Amparai district

* * *

Some related place names:


Ōṭai:


Pālāvōṭai: Pālā-ōṭai: Karainagar, Jaffna. Pāl: milk, milky. This is a flood outlet coming from the paddy fields and entering into the lagoon.

Cakkaḷāvōṭai: Cakkaḷā-ōṭai: Karainagar, Jaffna. Cakkaḷai: mud. This seems to be a muddy pond now filled up. The place gets flooded during rains. Cakati: mud, mire, bog, puddle (Tamil, Malayalam, DED 2266). Note other place names Cakkaḷai and Cakkaḷā-vattai in Jaffna district

Cāmpalōṭai: Cāmpal-ōṭai: Karainagar, Jaffna. Cāmpal: ash, ashy. A flood outlet coming from a Taravai in the interior drains into the Palk Bay at this place. The place is also a cremation ground.

Taṅkoṭai: Karainagar, Jaffna.

Koṭṭōṭai: Koṭṭu-ōṭai: Vadamaraadchi East, Jaffna. Either a pond in the sands the sides of which are reinforced by palm logs or a flood outlet passing through a gutter. Koṭṭu: see column 379.

Kaṭṭuṭai: Kaṭṭu-oṭai?; Māṉippāy, Valikamam Southwest, Jaffna. Kaṭṭu: bund. The place has a bund and gutters for the passage of a flood outlet

Ōṭaik-karai: Vadamaraadchi North, Jaffna. Karai: bank, side

Ōṭai-oḻuṅkai: Vaṇṇārpaṇṇai, Jaffna. See column 181

Kaḷaiyōṭai: Kaḷai-ōṭai: Navaali, Jaffna. Kaḷai: (noun) weed; (verb) to remove, pluck off, to weed (Tamil, DED 1373)

Vināciyōṭai: Vināci-ōṭai: Poonakari, Kilinochchi. Vināci: a personal name

Pāmpaṭiccāṉ-ōṭai: Musali, Mannar. Pāmpu: 1. snake (Tamil, DED 4085); 2. bank of a river or tank (Tamil, DED 4086); Pāmpu-aṭiccāṉ: 1. the pond or stream where snakes were killed; 2. the pond or stream for which a bank was laid

Aṟukōṭai: Aṟuku-ōṭai: Karaithuraippattu, Mullaiththeevu. Aṟuku: a grass, Cynondon dactylon (Tamil, DED 1397 B)

Vavvāloṭai: Vavvāl-ōṭai: Ninthavoor, Amparai: Vāval, Vavvāl, Vauvāl: bat (Tamil, Malayalam, DED 5370)

Kaḷiyōṭai: Kaḷi-ōṭai: Addalaichchenai, Amparai. Kaḷi, Kaḷi-maṇ: alkaline soil, clay (Tamil); Kaḷi: thick pulp, paste etc. (Tamil, DED 1378)

Māvaṭiyōṭai: Mā-aṭi-ōṭai: Vakarai, Batticaloa; Pankudaveli, Batticaloa (One Inch Sheet). This is a stream. Mā: mango tree

Pālaiyaṭiyōṭai: Pālai-aṭi-ōṭai: Vakarai, Batticaloa. Pālai: a tree

Cemmaṇṇōṭai: Cem-maṇ-ōṭai: Valaichenai, Batticaloa. Cem-maṇ: red earth. The place has a flood outlet

Mīnōṭaik-kaṭṭu: Mīṉ-ōṭaik-kaṭṭu: Addalaichcheni, Amparai. Mīṉ: fish; Kaṭṭu: bund

Mīrāvōṭai: Mīrā-ōṭai: Valaichenai, Batticaloa. Mīrā: probably a Muslim personal name. The place has a flood outlet

Alliyōṭai: Alli-ōṭai: Eravoor, Batticaloa. Alli: Nymphaea lotus

Aliyā-ōṭai: Koralaippattu, Batticaloa. Aliyā: elephant (Sinhala); Alliyaṉ: stray elephant (Tamil, DED 258)

Vacampu-ōṭai: Eravoor, Batticaloa. Vacampu: Sweet Flag, Acorus calamus (Tamil, DED 5213)

Uppōṭai: Batticaloa, Batticaloa. Uppu: Salt (Tamil, DED 2674)

Kāṅkēyaṉ-ōṭai: Manmunaippattu, Batticaloa. Kāṅkēyaṉ: God Murukaṉ, a person from the Gaṅga country, a personal name. Note the place name Kāṅkēyan-tuṟai or Kāṅkēcaṉ-tuṟai (KKS) in Jaffna.

Tikkōṭai: Tikku-ōṭai: Poratheevuppattu, Batticaloa. Tikkai: a herb that causes delirium or madness. Tikai: (verb) to be confused, bewildered (Tamil, DED 3207); Tikku-mukku: choking, suffocating (Tamil, DED 3208)

Aṭampōṭai: Aṭampu-ōṭai: Kuchchaveli, Trincomelee. Aṭampu: a creeper.

Keḷuttiyōṭai: Keḷutti-ōṭai: Kinniya, Trincomalee. Keḷutti: a fish, silvery or golden, Macrones vittatus; a freshwater fish brownish in colour, Macrones seenghala; a freshwater fish-bird, Macrones gulis; Scorpion fish, Sacobranchus fossilis (Tamil, MTL): Keḷiṟu: a fish (Caṅkam diction; Naṟṟiṇai 70: 5)

Virutōṭai: Munthal, Puttalam. Virusu: a tree the fruits of which are attractive but tasteless.

Mora-ōṭai: Akkaraippattu, Batticaloa (One Inch Sheet). Mora: a tree. This is a pond

Makulāṉai-ōṭai: Pankudaveli, Batticaloa (One Inch Sheet). Makul, Makiḻ: a tree. This is a stream

Kuman-ōṭai: Panama, Amparai (One Inch Sheet). This is a stream. Kūmaṉ?

Cavar-ōṭai: Ēḻālai, Jaffna (Balasundaram, p. 205). Cavar: brackishness (Tamil, DED 2386)

Mallōṭai: Mal-ōṭai: Ēḻālai, Jaffna (Balasundaram, p. 205). Mal: flower, hill/ mound

Nuṅkōṭai: Karaveṭṭi West, Jaffna (HAM temple records). Nuṅku?: tender fruit of palmyra palm, pulpy kernel of the tender fruit (Tamil, DED 3698); from Nuṅku: (verb) to swallow, drink in large draughts (Tamil, DED 3697)

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Kavāṭṭi:


Kavāṭṭik-kuṭā: Trincomalee Town and Gravets, Trincomalee

Kavaṭāp-piṭṭi: a locality in Kaṇṇakipuram, Akkaraippattu, Batticaloa

* * *

Iṟāl:


Iṟāl-kuḻi: also Rāl-kuḻi: Mūtūr, Trincomalee

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Notes:


Puluṭṭai-māṉ:


Another name for Puluṭṭai-māṉ in Eezham Tamil is Carukup-puli.

The same creature is called Caruku-māṉ (often written in English as Sarugu-man) in Tamil Nadu, Mīminna in Sinhala and Mouse Deer in English. The zoological term for Mouse Deer is Tragulus meminna or Moschus meeminna.

The creature is compared to a miniature deer because of its appearance and spots. The spots often make lines in the animal and this may be the reason why it is called Carukup-puli (Puli meaning a tiger).

The prefix Caruku might have come from its habitat, as Caruku means fallen dried leaves in jungles (Tamil, DED 2355), or from Carikai (gold or silver thread border in a cloth), standing for the lines on the creature in this context. The latter meaning is also probably from the former root, as the etymology of Caruku is traced to the rustling sound of dry leaves (DED 2355).

The Sinhala name Mīminna describes the animal as mouse-sized. Mī in Sinhala meaning a mouse is traced to Mūṣa in Sanskrit (CDIAL 10258), and Minna, may be either related to Mināti in Sanskrit meaning measures (CDIAL 10132), or it may be a cognate of Māṉ, giving the meaning mouse-deer for the word Meeminna. The zoological terms adopted the Sinhala name.

Puluṭṭai/ Mouse Deer is around 35 cm in height. Unlike common deer, Puluṭṭai doesn’t go in herds. The male usually lives alone and the female with two cubs at a time. It is widely hunted, often with the help of dogs.

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Kavāṭṭi:


Related to Kavāṭṭi meaning oyster in Eezham Tamil, pearl was called Kavaṭu-vaṭṭam in old Tamil (MTL, old commentary to Cilappatikāram, 14: 196). The phrase literally means, “The round one (Vaṭṭam), i.e., pearl, coming from an oyster (Kavaṭu). Pāṇḍya-kavāḍam is the term found in Arthashastra for the pearl coming from the Pandyan country.

The leaf of a door and the burden of a beast were known in old Tamil as Kavāṭam and Kapāṭam, because the leaf of a door operates on a hinge and the beast’s burden is put on either side of its back to balance.

Kapāṭa and Kavāṭa in Sanskrit also mean a leaf or panel of a door. CDIAL traces the probable etymology of the Sanskrit usages to Dravidian (CDIAL 2963).

In Tamil literary memory, the earlier capital of the Pandyas was at a place called Kapāṭa-puram that became submerged into the sea (Iṟaiyaṉār Akappurul Urai). The term used by this later literature in noting the place name may be related to the pearl-oyster diving industry of the Pandyas.






Revised: Wednesday, 01 March 2017, 23:55

Revised: Saturday, 30 August 2014, 22:23

First published: Thursday, 14 June 2007, 01:00