Know the Etymology: 232
Place Name of the Day: Sunday, 02 December 2012

Uda-peruwa, Palle-peruwa

உட₃ பேருவ
பல்லெ பேருவ
Uḍa Pēruva
Palle Pēruva

Uda+pearuwa
Palla+pearuwa

The upper division
The lower division

Pearuwa	Division of a district, share, setting apart, race, tribe, caste (Sinhala); Pirivu, Pirippu: Division (Tamil, Dravidian Etymological Dictionary 4176); from the verb root, Piri: To divide, separate, distribute etc. (Tamil, DED 4176, cognates found in 14 Dravidian languages, including Brahui of Pakistan)
Uda	Above, higher up, up-wards, over, above the head (Sinhala); Also Udu: (adjective) High (Sinhala); Udda, Uddi, Uddu: Height, length, depth, (Kannda, DED 621, cognates in Irula, Kota, Kodagu and Tulu); the root U is connected to higher-up, above, up-wards, height etc., in Dravidian languages, as in Uyar: (verb) to rise, be high etc.; (adjective) higher, upper etc. (Tamil, DED 646); Uka, Ukai: To ascend, rise; Ukappu, Uvappu: Height, elevation (Tamil, DED 559, cognates in Malayalam, Kannada, Tulu and Telugu); Uppaal: Upper or further region; Umpar: Elevated spot, height, sky; Uva’n: Upper place, place above; Uva’nam: Height (Tamil, DED 557); Also Addam: Upper storey, terraced roof (Tamil, DED 93)
Palle	Conjunction form of Palla: Underneath, ground below, bottom (Sinhala); Pallama (singular), Pallam (plural): Low place, hollow, valley, descent of a hill, declivity (Sinhala); Pa’l’lam: Lowness, low land, valley, ditch, dimple (Tamil, DED 4017, cognates in Malayalam, Irula, Kota, Toda, Kannada, Tulu, Telugu, Kolami, Gadba and Gonda)

Pearuwa basically means a division in Sinhala. In geographical sense it means a district or defined part of land, in material sense it means a share and in social sense it means a caste, race, tribe or a social group.

The corresponding cognates of Dravidian etymology in Tamil are the words, Pirivu and Pirippu.

They are connected to the verb root Piri, meaning, to divide, separate, distribute etc., in Tamil (DED 4176). Cognates related to the verb root are found in 14 Dravidian languages, including Brahui of Pakistan (DED 4176)

The word Pirivu in early Tamil literature was largely used in the sense of emotional or physical separation. But later inscriptions come out with a derivative term, Pirichchu, to mean a geographical divide.

“Thirunalak ku:n’ra muththaraiyan veddi:na puncheyil mealai veali pirichchukku kizhakkum” (1271 CE, Inscriptions of the Pudukkottai State, 1929; 383)

“திருநலக் குந்ற முத்தரையன் வெட்டிந புன்செயில் மேலை வேலி பிரிச்சுக்கு கிழக்கும்” (1271 CE, Inscriptions of the Pudukkottai State, 1929; 383)

The east of the western fence division of the slash and burn field cleared by Muththaraiyan of Thirunalak kun’ru

Pirivu is commonly used in Eezham Tamil for an administrative division or for rank, class, section etc., in public institutions.

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Uda and Palle are opposite words in Sinhala, meaning upper and lower. As adjectives of contrast, Uda and Palle usually come in adjacent place names.

Both are of Dravidian etymology corresponding to Uyaram and Pa’l’lam in Tamil.

The root U corresponds to highness in Dravidian languages and the closest parallels for the Sinhala word Uda are found in the Kannada words Udda, Uddi and Uddu (DED 621).

The etymological relationship between Pa’l’lam of Tamil and Pallam of Sinhala is discussed in detail under the column Pallegama.

* * *

Uda-peruwa is a place in the Uva-paranagama division of Badulla district. There is another Uda-pearuwa in the Bandarawela division of Badulla district

Palle-peruwa is a place in the Ella division, Badulla district

* * *

Some related place names:

Udu (adjective):

Udu-waka: The high side; Eheliyagoda division, Ratnapura district; Warakapola division, Kegalle district

Uduwa: The high ground: Bulathkohupitiya division, Kegalle district; Thihagoda division, Matara district; Thumpane division, Kandy district; Horana division, Kalutara district

Uduwa-wala: The high forest; Harispattuwa division, Kandy district

Udu-wana: The high forest; Homagama division, Colombo district

Uduwara: The high line or row; Millaniya division, Kalutara district; Hali-Ela division, Badulla district. Wara, from Wari: Line, row (Sinhala); Vari: Line, row (Tamil, DED 5263)

Examples for the component Uda in the Sinhala place names:

Uda-wela, Uda-gama, Uda-Aarawa, Udan-vita, Uda-potha, Uda-pola, Uda-kada, Uda-walawa, Uda-kanda, Uda-bage, Gala-uda, Uda-deniya, Uda-hena, Uda-digana, (Diga: side, direction, quarter, space), Udangawa (Uda-angkava), Udala-matta/ udalamita (the top of the upper part), Uda-thenna, Uda-mulla, Udattawa (Uda-attawa), Uda-kumbura, Uda-pitiya, Uda-palaatha.

Uyaram:

Uyarap-pulam: The high ground or the upper field; Valikaamam South West Division, Jaffna district

First published: Sunday, 02 December 2012, 13:46