Know the Etymology: 466
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 30 March 2016

Ganga-addara, Addara-goda

க₃ங்க₃-அத்₃த₃ர, அத்₃த₃ர-கொ₃ட₃
Ganga-addara, Addara-goḍa

Ganga+addara
Addara+goda

The riverside or the place adjacent to the river

The side bank/ village or the village at the edge

Addara1	edge, border, margin (Sinhala, Clough); “Ke'lawara, Ayina” (Sinhala, Sorata); Anta: end, border, proximity (Sanskrit, CDIAL 347); Agncu: edge, brim, boundary, bank, shore (Kannada, DED 57, Gn/ D change)
Addara2	adjacent or nearby side, “Langa” (Sinhala, Sorata); Aduku: (verb) to be joined, cling together, unite to (Kannada, DED 145); Attu: (verb) to unite (Tamil, DED 145); (verb) to be attached or joined (Telugu, DED 145). See column on Aththaay

The component Addara is used in two shades of meanings in Sinhala place names. It may mean an edge, border or margin (Ke'lawara, Ayina), or it may mean an adjacent place or a place nearby (Langa).

The meanings are possibly related, and etymology could be explained through both Indo-Aryan and Dravidian.

In meaning an edge, border or margin, Anta is the cognate in Sanskrit, meaning the same (CDIAL 347). Agncu in Kannada/ Dravidian (DED 57) is also a cognate (see box on Addara 1).

In meaning adjacency or nearness, Attu in Tamil/ Telugu and Aduku in Kannada (DED 145) come as close cognates of Addara (see box on Addara 2).

Also see column on Aththaay.

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Ganga-addara is a place in Beruwala division of Kalutara district.

Addara-goda is in Palindunuwara division of Kalutara district. There is another place by the same name in Bope-Poddala division of Galle district.

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Some related place names:

Wataddara: Wata-addara: Probably a bank side; or side edge; Kothmale division, Nuwara Eliya district; Attanagala division, Gampaha district. Wata: Paars'vaya, Pætta (Sorata); =Wæta made of posts (Sorata). The Kothmale Wataddara is on the side bank of a reservoir. The other Wataddara is located at a paddy field bank.

Wæl-adura: Prabably, Wæl-addara: The forest side; Kahawatta division, Ratnapura district

First published: Wednesday, 30 March 2016, 21:37