Know the Etymology: 480
Place Name of the Day: Sunday, 24 July 2016

Digana, Diganna, Digāna, Digannệva

தி₃க₃ன,
திக₃ன்ன,
திகா₃ன,
திக₃ன்னேவ
Digana, Diganna, Digāna, Digannệva

Digana
Diganna
Digāna
Digana+nệva

The long stretch bordering the paddy field

The settlement in the long stretch bordering the paddy field

Digana

a long stretch of muddy land at the edge of a paddy field, “Kuṁburuyāyaka ayina digē tibena maḍa sahita dik bim tīraya” (spoken Sinhala, Sorata); Diga1: direction “Diśāva” (Sinhala, Sorata); side, direction, quarter, cardinal point, space (Sinhala, Clough); Ḍhigga: side direction (Sanskrit, CDIAL 5586); Diga 2: long, length, “Dik, Dīrghatvaya” (Sinhala, Sorata); length, extent (Sinhala, Clough); Dīrgha: long, tall (Sanskrit, CDIAL 6368); Dīgha: long, tall (Pali, CDIAL 6368)

Nệva

probably meaning a settlement, from Nevasa: = Nivēsa, “Vāsasthānaya” (Sinhala, Sorata); Nivāsa: resting place, dwelling, night quarters (Sanskrit, CDIAL 7421); stopping place (Pali, CDIAL 7421)

Digana in Sinhala usage means a long strip of land, lying along the edge of a paddy field stretch.

The usage comes from Diga in Sinhala, either meaning direction, side, quarter, space etc., or meaning length. The former meanings correspond to Ḍhigga in Sanskrit (CDIAL 5586) and the latter corresponds to Dīrgha in Sanskrit and Dīgha in Pali (CDIAL 6368).

The suffix Nệva found in Sinhala place names seems to be a term of its own meaning, as could be deduced from the examples such as, Gal-nệva, Bul-nệva, Gō-nệva, Mā-nệva etc.

Nệva is probably related to Nevasa in Sinhala meaning a dwelling place, corresponding to Nivāsa meaning resting place, dwelling and night quarter in Sanskrit, and meaning a stopping place in Pali (CDIAL 7421). See Nệva-suffixed toponyms under related place names.

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Digana as a place name could be found in Seethawaka division of Colombo district and in Maho division of Kurunegala district

Diganna is in Palindunuwara division of Kalutara district

Digāna is a place in Elapatha division of Ratnapura district

Digannệva is in Kotavehera division of Kurunegala district

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Some related place names:

Digana-tuḍuva: Bandaragama, Kalutara

Siri-digana: Medadumbara, Kandy

Digana-hēna: Akuressa, Matara

Ihaḷa-digana: Ehetuwewa, Kurunegala

Galpiṭa-diganē: Ehetuwewa, Kurunegala

Digannệ-vatta: Kotavehera, Kurunegala

Digan-kōn-vẹva: Ganewatta, Kurunegala

Uḍa-digana: Maspotha, Kurunegala

Digan-vẹva: Arachchikkattuwa, Kurunegala

Diganē-gama: Nuwaragam Palatha, Anuradhapura

Digan-halmilla-vẹva: Kahatagasdigiliya, Anuradhapura

Digana-tẹnna: Bandarawela, Badulla

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Nệva:

Gannệva: Hanguranketha, Nuwara Eliya

Bul-nệva: Galgamuwa, Kurunegala; Polpithigama, Kurunegala. Bula: “Kūḍuwa, Vadaya” (Sinhala, Sorata); may mean a cattle pen in this context; see Gō-nệva as a place name.

Kalu-vẹn-nệva: Nikaweratiya, Kurunegala

Titta-gō-nệva: Kebithigollewa, Anuradhapura. Titta: Pẹllama (Sorata); see Gōnệva as another place name

Gō-nệva: Rambewa, Anuradhapura

Mā-nệva: Ipalogama, Anuradhapura

Gal-nệva: Galnewa, Anuradhapura

Kokun-nệva: probably, habitat of cranes; Bibile, Moneragala

First published: Sunday, 24 July 2016, 19:10