Loan words in Sri Lankan Tamil
By
Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loan_words_in_Sri_Lankan_Tamil
Become a member of TranslationDirectory.com at just
$12 per month (paid per year)
Advertisements:
Use the search bar to look for terms in all glossaries, dictionaries, articles and other resources simultaneously
Loan words in Sri Lankan Tamil came about mostly due contact between colonial powers and the native population. Linguists study a language's lexicon for a number of reasons. Languages such as Tamil with centuries of literature and multi-cultural contact offer the chance to compare the various processes of lexical change. The words of foreign origin or loanwords illustrate those processes: calques, loanwords, the distinction between function words and content words.
Note: For information on the transcription used, see National Library at Calcutta romanization and Tamil script.
European contribution
Sri Lankan Tamil dialects are distinct from the Tamil dialects used in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other states of India. They are used in Sri Lanka and in the Tamil diaspora. Linguistic borrowings from European colonizers such as the Portuguese, English and the Dutch have also contributed to a unique vocabulary that is distinct from the colloquial usage of Tamil in the Indian mainland. Furthermore, a form of Tamil spoken by Sri Lankan Moors has been strongly influenced by Arabic. Words that are peculiar to Sri Lankan Tamil dialects are marked with an asterisk (*).
Portuguese
Most Portuguese loan words are for item the native population lacked when the encounter happened circa 1505. Some are administrative terms, others are personal usage terms as well as items directly introduced from South America via the Portuguese traders. Most of these words are also shared with Sinhalese language users.
Word |
Meaning |
Original form |
alumāri |
cupboard |
armário |
annāsi |
pineapple |
ananás |
alavangu |
crow bar |
alavanca |
alupunethi |
safety pin |
alfinete |
alugosu |
executioner |
algoz |
baila |
dance |
baile or bailar |
chuppu |
suck |
chupar or chupo |
rothai |
wheel |
roda |
savei |
key |
chave |
jaṉṉal |
window |
janela |
kathirai |
chair |
cadeira |
kaju |
cashew |
caju |
kalusan* |
trousers |
calção |
kamicai* |
shirt |
camisa |
kaṭatāsi* |
paper |
carta |
koiappalam |
guava |
goiaba |
kōppai |
drinking glass |
copo |
kusini* |
kitchen |
cozinha |
mēcai |
table |
mesa |
pān* |
bread |
pão |
pappāḷi/papā paḻam |
papaya |
papaia |
pēnā |
pen |
pena (old type) |
piṅkāṉ* |
plate |
palangana |
pīppa |
wooden cask, barrel |
pipa |
sapāttu |
shoe |
sapato |
thavaranai |
tavern |
taverna |
tācci* |
metal pan |
tacho |
tompu* |
title |
tombo |
tuvāy* |
towel |
toalha |
vaṅki |
bank |
banco |
veethuru |
glass |
vidro |
veranta |
verandah |
varanda |
viskottu |
biscuit |
biscoito |
Dutch
Word |
Meaning |
Original form |
kakkūs |
Toilet |
kakhuis |
kāmara* (rarely used) |
Room |
kamer |
kantōr* |
Office |
kantoor |
Thapal |
Post |
Tapal |
kokkis |
Cookies |
koekjes |
piaskōpu (rarely used) |
Cinema |
bioscoop |
tē(ttaṇṇīr)* |
Tea |
thee |
English
Sri Lankan Tamil dialects use countless number of English words; following are some of the unique ones.
Word |
Meaning |
Original form |
kōppi* |
Coffee |
coffee |
pattīs* |
A kind of fried potato snack |
patties |
pilavus |
Worn with Sari |
blouse |
rōls* |
A kind of fried meat snack |
rolls |
tākkutar* |
Doctor |
doctor |
Civil conflict terminology
Black July induced civil conflict has introduced number of English and international words to the native population.
Word |
Meaning |
Original form |
Claymore* |
Land or aerial mine |
Claymore |
Heli* |
Helicopter |
Helicopter |
Kafir* |
Bomber |
Kfir Bomber |
Shell* |
Mortar or artillery shells |
Shell |
Sinhalese
Loanwords from the neighbouring Indo-European Sinhala are quite sparse in Sri Lankan Tamil (as opposed to the large number of Tamil loan words in Sinhala), which is most likely due to the relative isolation of the exclusively Tamil-speaking settlements in the North and East of the island.
Word |
Meaning |
Original form |
kirāma cēvakaṉ* |
Village Leader |
grāma sēvakayā |
(mālu) panis* |
(fish) buns |
(mālu) banis |
mahattayā* |
Sir, mister |
mahattayā |
piratēciya sapā* |
Council |
pradeśiya sabhāva |
sarvōtayam * |
Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement |
sarvōdaya |
Tuvaku |
Gun |
Tuvakuva |
vitānayar* |
Village headman |
vidāna (muhandirama) |
Malay
There are also a few words from the Malay language. Malay words for edible fruits were introduced during the colonial period by traders. The same terminology is shared with Sinhalese.
Word |
Meaning |
Original form |
maṅkostīn* |
Type of Fruit |
Mangosteen |
ramputan* |
A type of fruit |
Rambutan |
rempa* (rarely used) |
Curry mix |
Rempa |
totol * |
A type of sweetmeat |
dodol |
tūriyan* |
Type of Fruit |
Durian |
Arabic
The Arabic language contributes a large number of words into a dialect form of Tamil that is spoken exclusively by ethnic Sri Lankan Moors.
See also
References
Published - February 2009
This
glossary is available under the terms
of the GNU Free Documentation
Find free glossaries at TranslationDirectory.com
Find free dictionaries at TranslationDirectory.com
Subscribe to free TranslationDirectory.com newsletter
Need more translation jobs from translation agencies? Click here!
Translation agencies are welcome to register here - Free!
Freelance translators are welcome to register here - Free!
Submit your glossary or dictionary for publishing at TranslationDirectory.com
|