Know the Etymology: 330
Place Name of the Day: Friday, 28 February 2014

Thani-polgaha-langa

தனிபொல்க₃ஹலங்க₃
Tanipolgahalaṅka

Thani+pol+gaha+langa

The locality adjacent to a single coconut palm

Thani	Also Thaniya: Alone, single, individual (Sinhala); Thani: Singleness, seclusion, solitude, independence (Tamil, DED 3196); From Thaan: One self (Tamil, DED 3196); Cognates in 18 Dravidian languages (DED 3196)
Lang	(adverb) Near, proximate (Sinhala); Langa: Union, association, proximate connection; (adjective) near, proximate, with, together with (Sinhala); Lagna: Sticking to, fixed on, touching (Sanskrit, CDIAL 10893): Attached to, intent on, joined to, connected with (Sinhala); Lagga: Sticking to, touching, connected (Pali, Prakrit, CDIAL 10893)

The word Thani as an adjective in Sinhala means, alone, single and individual. Thaniya is another form of the word in Sinhala.

The Sinhala words are cognates of Thani, Thaniyan and Thanimai in Tamil/ Dravidian, meaning singleness, seclusion, solitude, independence etc.

Thaan, meaning one self, is the Tamil root of the words cited above (DED 3196).

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Langa, as a place name component in Sinhala means proximity. The word in fact means a locality that is adjacent to something.

The Sinhala word corresponds to Lagna in Sanskrit and Lagga in Pali/ Prakrit, meaning, anything that is sticking to, fixed on, touching or connected. The words are of Indo-Aryan etymology (CDIAL 10893)

For etymological discussions on Pol meaning coconut in Sinhala, corresponding to Pul in Tamil/ Dravidian, and Gaha meaning tree in Sinhala corresponding to Gaksha in Sanskrit/ Indo-Aryan, see earlier columns.

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Thani-polgaha-langa is a village in Ambalangoda division of Galle district

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Some related place names:

Thani:

Thani-wælla-gama: The solitary seaside village; Madampe division, Puththa’lam district


Langa:

Langana: The adjacent place; Millania division, Kalutara district

Millanga: The nearby place of the Meella tree; Pathadumbara division, Kandy district. Meella, Milila: A valuable timber tree, Vitex altissima (Sinhala)

Kumba-langa: The nearby place of the mast; Ibbagamuwa division, Kurunegala district

Thota-langa: The nearby place of the ferry-point; Peliyagoda, Kelaniya division, Gampaha district

First published: Friday, 28 February 2014, 13:45