DATIVE IN EARLY OLD TAMIL

by

KAMIL ZVELEBIL
Praha

The p u r p o s e o f this s h o r t study is to describe the use o f the dative a n d its functions in the E a r l y O l d T a m i l 1 text Na_r_rin.ai.~ A g a i n a n d a g a i n I r e m e m b e r the w o r d s o f R o l a n d G. K e n t (in " L i n g u i s t i c Science a n d O r i e n t a l i s t , " J A O S , 55, 119): " T h e first step t o w a r d the scientific k n o w ledge o f a language is to d r a w a careful descriptive s t u d y o f it." A s far as the D r a v i d i a n languages are concerned, I r e g a r d this "first step" as a c o n d i t i o n sine qua non, as a t a s k o f basic a n d u t m o s t i m p o r t a n c e . W h e n investigating a language in which, f o r t u n a t e l y enough, ancient texts have been preserved, it is n a t u r a l t h a t such descriptive s t u d y starts with the analysis o f these texts, which f o r m b o t h m a t e r i a l l y a n d historically a certain c o m p l e t e a n d closed unit. Besides, it is a fact t h a t " o u r speech d e p e n d s entirely u p o n the speech o f the p a s t " (Bloomfield). O n l y after we have a series o f seemingly very simple synchronic descriptions o f different stages o f evolution o f the language in question, it will be p o s s i b l e to a d v a n c e to honest historic a n d c o m p a r a t i v e work, which will result in perfect k n o w l e d g e o f the language in its diachrony. H a v i n g this in mind, I b e g a n to analyse the E a r l y Old T a m i l text Tentatively, as a solt of working hypothesis, we presume that there are three periods of the evolution of Tamih OM Tamil, Middle Tamil, New Tamil. As Old Tamil we determine the language of the early texts beginning with the poems of E~tuttokai (Early Old Tamil, ca. the first three or four cent. A.D.); then comes Middle Old Tamil (Cilappatik~tram and the early didactic poems, e.g. Tirukku_ra.l) and Late Old Tamil (the language of late1 didactic texts, e.g. I0n_~nfi_rpatu). It is fairly obvious that the language of the Shaivite and Vaishnavite hymns (beginning with the 7th-8th cent.) shows well-marked changes, which enable us to regard this type of language as a new period in the development, as Middle Tamil. However, it is necessary to be cautious. This pefiodization, based only on literary monuments, is fully tentative, and the chronology only relative. Only after we have accomplished fully the analysis of all literary and epigraphic monuments will it be possible to base our conclusions on a more solid soil. 2 Na_r.ri.naiis one of the collections of the great anthology Et~uttokai. Naturally enough, there ale earlier and later strata in all these collections. The majority of Na_r_rioaipoems may perhaps belong to the lst-3rd cent. A.D. It contains 400 stanzas; the total number of lines is 4181 (according to the edition of A. Nfir~yanas~mi Aiyar, The South India Saiva Siddhanta Works Publishing Society, Tinnevelly, 1952).

DATIVE IN EARLY OLD TAMIL

55

Na_r.rin.ai. This short study about the dative is a very small part of a
series of syntactic studies which would form the basis of a descriptive syntax of Old Tamil. w 1. It is not within the scope of this study to try to solve the problem of cases in Tamil and Dravidian in general. So far, the Dravidianists have not reached any other conclusion than that which had been somewhat vaguely indicated by Caldwell and more distinctly formulated by Bloch: there is some important difference between the cases with terminations of concrete meaning, of concrete value, e.g. locative, sociative, instrumental, and cases with terminations of grammatical value (accusative, genitive, dative): In Early Old Tamil we find the opposition of a basic form with zeromorpheme and an oblique form. On the other hand, we have the subjectcase (nominative), a well-marked case of indirect object (dative), a case of adnominal relation (genitive), an unbalanced and embryonic case of direct object (accusative). Other cases are simple basic or oblique forms (incidentally extended by inflexional increments, cariyai) plus different terminations with concrete value, e.g. -o!u, -6t.u, -ut.a_nfor sociative relation, kon.!u for instrumental relation, -in, -il, -u[ for locative relation. The classification of cases from the etymological standpoint into those which may be analysed as bases plus postpositions with concrete value (il "place, house", u[ "interior", vayi_n "place", ko.nt.u "having taken, with" etc.) and into those where it is so far impossible to etymologize, coincides with the classification of cases into those with concrete value and those with grammatical value. L. V. Ramaswami Aiyar's articles in Indian Historical Quarterly 1928 and 1929 indicate other possibilities, distinguishing between "earlier" and "later" cases. However, in the Early Old Tamil texts both types of cases seem to be already in full development. w 2. One of the typical Dravidian relational cases with termination of grammatical value is the dative. Its termination in Tamil is -(k)ku. It may be characterized partly as the case of indirect object, partly as the case in immediate constituency with a verbal or nominal base. In Tamil

Says Caldwell: "The Dravidian dative has, therefore, assumed the character of a real grammatical case" (2nd ed., p. 93). Cf. J. Bloch, Structure, p. 15: "Le premier cas est celui des d6sinences h valeur grammaticale, accusatif, datif, g6nitif; le second, celui des d6sinences ~ valeur concr6te comme celle de locatif et souvent d'ablatif."

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KAMIL ZVELEBIL

grammatical terminology it is called kolaiv~rrumai, which is the same as our term dative. We may distinguish between the direct dative (the only object of a verbal or nominal base) and the indirect dative (found as indirect object together with a direct object); the dative commodi et incommodi has often adverbial character.
A. DIRECT DATIVE

1. Local relation.
a.

dative terminative: 1. celvar kol...tam...~rkke-?, will they g o . . . t o their village? (4, 7 . . . 12). 2. makat, keytac ce_n_ru,having approached the girl (6, 4-5). 3. nelli_rku...ma.lai polintatik~, as if rain p o u r e d . . , on paddy (22, 10... 11). 4. elli vanta...virunti_rku.., v~.nfuv6r& he who has desire, having come in the night to the feast (41, 6 . . . 10). 5. ci.runall~rkk&..(ce_n_ru), having gone to the small good village (49, 10). 6. emakk~ varukatil virunt~! to us let the guests come! (120, 10). 7. ~rkkup p6vay~ki, when thou goest to the village (200, 7). 8. ci_ruku_rum pa.ravaikk6t.i, having flown to the small short bird (277, 9). 9. celva_n cellulikol ta_n~. . . ftrkk~? will the lord himself perhaps g o . . . to the village? (344, 8 . . . 12). 10. k~tali...emakkum~tr varum~, the sweetheart will come to us (356, 8...9).

b. motion from (to escape): 1. malaiyanatu [ oru v(rku 6ti, having escaped from the unique sceptre of Malaiya_n (170, 7-8). 4
C. other local relations:

1. c~n_r6r...ku_rumakalku [ ayal6r, the wise m e n . . . a r e neighbours to the young woman (220, 5 . . . 10). 2. vayappuli [ irainacaiip parikku malaimutal ci.rune_ri, a small path
4 Cf. New Ta. cavukkuttappipp6_n~n "Ieh entging dem Todr Grammatik der Tamilsprache, p. 183). (Beythan, Praktische

DATIVE IN EARLY OLD TAMIL

57

at the mountain-base, where a mighty tiger, longing for pray, (is) in hide (332, 6-7). 5 2. The relation of similarity, agreement (dissimilarity, disagreement),

suitability and competency.

a. to be like:

1. t~tukku an__na.., titti, yellow s p o t s . . . s i m i l a r to pollen (157, 9-10).

b. to agree:

2. v6ymaikku ~rpa I namar, those of our party agree with the word
(393, 9-10). e. to be right, fit, suitable:

3. nallata_r I kuriyai.., e_n ne~c~, thou art right, my heart, with regard
to the good (16, 3 . . . 4 ) . ~

4. pi_rar I vit.utta_rkakatu pi.nittaven ne~c~, my captured heart is not

fit to be released by others (95, 9-10).

5. vallaiyakutal ollum6 ni_nakk~? does the becoming of trouble

perhaps suit thee? (162, 12). 7

3. Dative of cause and purpose.

1. ~l.vi_naikku aka_n_r6r, he that has left for the sake of manly deeds
(69,10). Similarly in 103,10; 214,8; 246,6; 333,7.

2. y ~ cey tolvin_aikku eva n p~tu_r_ranai? why art thou bewildered with

regard to (because of) the old deeds done by us? (88, 1).

3. ku.rumakatku [ uyavin_~, I a m in distress because o f the young

girl (106,4-5).

4. notumal~t.t.ikku n6m en_ ne~c~, because of the woman from the

neighbourhood my heart aches (118,11).

5. c~rppa_rku ] y~n_inaintu i_ra~k~, I do not cry because of the chief,

thinking (on him) (275,6-7).

6. kokkinukku olinta ffmpa.lam, the sweet fruit which fell down on

account of the heron (280,1).

tumkfirige s~ridaru, they arrived at Tumkur (Spencer); Br. i khane rasengat., I came up to the khan; shahre khurk kar~ narr~, when he got near to the town he ~an off (Bray); Kol. a.n.., bomboi~ saatun, I will go to Bombay; amd u.ru~ vatten, he came to the village (Emeneau). Cf. also New Ta. arrukku ippuram, at this side of the river; kOyilukkup pi_n, behind the temple; ava_nukku mu_n, in front of him. 6 Cf. the Czech bf,tiprdv n~emu, to be right with regard to something, with dative. 7 Cf. Ka. adakk~ idakka bahu hechchukad.ame ide, there is a great difference between that and this (Spencer).
For dative with local meaning, cf. Ka.

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KAMIL ZVELEBIL

7. ottiya [ ni_n t61. an. ipera vara_rkum [ a_n_r6, t6l_i, avar ce_n.ra ti.ram6, his
gone excellence is not, O friend, to come and adorn thy lean arms (286,7-9). 8. ava_nfir vi_navic ce_nm6 . . . . t6!i . . . . vara_rk~, go and inquire after his village . . . . O friend . . . . for the sake of coming (365,9). 9. vat.apula vdtaikkup piriv6r I ma!avar, those who leave on account of the north-wind from northern regions (366,11-12) 8. . Temporal relation.

1. nilavil. . . kan. t.a_rku mayirun ta.li kavippa, so that (I) may be buried
in the big black urn before I had to go in search (of her) in the moonlight (271,10-11). 9 2. talainat.ketiriya tan.peyal el_ili, the cloud of cold rain which appeared on the previous day (362,3). TM

5. Relation of regard, event, kinship. 1. acaiyut.a_n irunt6rkku arumpun.arvu i_nm, there is no real friendship
with those who have been idle (214,2).

2. kfital kaimmikakkat.fiya_rku I yahkfikuvah kol, t6li? how shall we,

O friend, come into contact with the one who has been filled with pain when love had exceeded the limits? (313,5-6). vfin_ara makal.irkku m6valfikum val.ar@pfirppi_rku, to the ungrown fledgelings who come into contact with the celestial maidens (356,4-5). u_ruvi_naikkacava...kammiya_n, the s m i t h . . . n o t slack toward the work done (by him) (363,4). t6r&ku ot.t.a_nem all,m, we shall not come into contact with the charioteer (380,6). yan_6 ni emakku? who art thou to us? (395,1). 11

3.

4. 5. 6.

8 Cf. Parji pal nendug pa.rfioto, the fruit has ripened on account of the warmth of the sun; d.fivin t6lug and.kiter, they killed the tiger for its skin; nu.r~ilug dn tufiena, I did not sleep for mosquitos (Bmrow); Ka. nimmannu n6d.uvudakke bandenu, I have come in order to see you (Spencer); Br. shahrana pulingki hinane, he's gone to sack the village (Bray); the Tamil interrogative eta.rku ("what for") "why" is dative of purpose, like Kol. ta.~ and tandur why? 9 Cf. Ka. ninu hut..tuvudakkinta mufiche ngmu f ~rinalli vfisamg~duttiddenu, I was living in this town before you were born, and avaru baruvudakke modalu kelasavellavu mugidittu, the work was all completed before they came (Spencer).

lo Cf. Ka. sdyangkalakke ba, come in the evening; divasakke maru sdri, three times a day (Spencer); Parji ticer cenvarug, on the third Saturday (Burrow); Kol. in nat.ur takten, he remained for two days only; sittena" t.lu~ oppa~lan, in the evening he will be found; a-/e~ at night (Emeneau). 11 Difficultto say whether the dative in this line means kinship relation; the context

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6. Possessive dative. 1. nekil.ntana val.aiy&..poruntrl.at.k~, loosened are the b r a c e l e t s . . .

o f her w h o has b r o a d shoulders ( 2 6 , 1 . . . 9 ) .

2. nala_r pat.arntrrkkuk I kan.n,um pat.urn6? d o p e r h a p s the eyes o f

those w h o have been t h i n k i n g u p o n the chief, close? (61,9-10).

3. uraiyay. . . ni_nakkup peruntuyaram akiya nry~, tell a b o u t the pain,

which has b e c o m e great grief to thee ( 1 2 3 , 1 . . . 12).

4. kan. n.&..vat.ivi[antan_av&..aimpalmayrt.k~, the eyes o f the d a r k

w o m a n with five-fold tresses have lost (their) b e a u t y ( 1 3 3 , 1 . . . 5).

5. a_r_rumakurn ah_tu a_riyatrrkk~, thus t h a t becomes to those w h o d o

n o t k n o w (174,8).

6. e_nakk&..paiyul, tirum, it s t o p s . . . m y distress ( 2 0 9 , 6 . . . 7 ) . 7. porul.vayin_ [ pirital at.avarkku iyalp(u), it is the n a t u r e o f m e n to go

a w a y for the sake o f richess (243,9-10).

8. a_rivuh k a r i t 6 . . , ni_nakk~, a n d t h o u verily hast b l a c k m i n d (277,4). 9. ivat.kr...pf~ve_nappacalai f~rum ma_nn_6, lo, to h e r . . . f l o w e r - l i k e

paleness is s p r e a d i n g (349,8). 10. net.uvrt.ku 6tam ut.aittr? is it p e r h a p s the guilt o f Ne.duv~l? 11. nan_n_uta.rku I yahkakin__ru kol pacappr? h o w did the paleness o f the fair f o r e h e a d a p p e a r ? (388,1-2). 12

7. Dative with different verbal and nominal bases.

a. to know, u n d e r s t a n d , trust in, investigate i n t o : 1. ni_nakk6 a_riyuna[, negc6 . . . . makal.6? either 1. d o s t t h o u u n d e r s t a n d the daughter, O heart? or 2. does she u n d e r s t a n d thee, O h e a r t . . . . the girl? (44,5). lz is not against this interpretation, and in New Ta. kinship relation is generally expressed by the dative: either ava_ne_nmaka_nor ava_ne_nakku maka_n, he is my son; cf. also Ka. avanu ninage tammanr? is he your brother? (Spencer); nin_akku yah_ ki[ai~an_allan, I am not a relative to thee (Akam 342). lz Cf. Ka. avanige baha[a krpa u.nt.u, he is very angry (Spencer); Br. kane ira kharas arE, I've a couple of bullocks (Bray); Kol. pat.laku~ okkot pill(a) and.in, the headmen had one daughter (Emeneau). 13 Cf. commentary ninn_dl6ava.la.riyattakka[? The comm. denotes the dative ni_nakku a s urupumayakkam, "confusion of case". Cf. however Br. sarkare sardfzteat, r~iak much karifoi o, the tribesmen are to be collected by Government thlough the chiefs (Bray 53) with the dative of agent (sarkare). Also Kol. ga. li~ ma" k d.ola, the tree will be felled by the wind; podne uba~ sivval a'rav, the fuel dries in the heat of the sun (rather: by the heat); these cases, however, may be analysed as datives of cause, but inu~ ta. net kanqlakt eddin, what was seen by you? (Emeneau). However, if we dismiss the commentary, we might translate "does the daughter undeistand thee?", a.ri- with dative; however, cf. Kol. imuo kela to. te, you (pl.) don't understand, which supports rather the first interpretation.

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2. nin_ [ pi_laiya na_nmol_i t(riya ivalk~, thy good speech without fault has been trusted by her (10,9). 3. ne~ca~ ceyvi_naikku cavay ...varuntu~ikollo-? will perhaps the heart suffer, investigating into the deeds done? (56,5... 6).
b. to pass beyond: 4. ceyalpat.u ma_nattar ceyporut t kakalvar, those who have thought about deeds, pass beyond the very essence of doing (24,8-9). c. to help: 5. ni_n...pacalaikkutavama.r~, since (he) does not help t h y . . , paleness (47,10... 11).

6. n~ri_lai kat.umputaik kalu~cfd natikutikku utavi, (she of) wellformed jewels, the possession of (our) family, having helped our clan (after) intensive pregnancy (370,1-2).
d. to hide from: 7. ni_nakkiya_n ma_raittal yavatu? what did I hide from thee? (72,4). e. to honour, worship: 8. karuvira_n mantikku varuviruntu ayarum [ v~_nt6y ve.rpa. 0 chief of the hills, soaked by rain, (the hills?) which honour black-fingered monkeys as coming guests (353,6-7). 9. tamaraikku i.rai~cum. . .ftra_n, the villager...worshipping lotus (300,4). 10. nin_akkiya_n...ma.npi_n~, I honour (.9) thee (128,3...4). f. to be afraid of: 11. at.aintata.rku I i_naiyal, be not afraid of going (372,9-10). 1~ g. to obey: 12. c~rppa.rku...k~t.fan_r6 ilam~, we have certainly not obeyed.., the chief (239,8-9). h. to be pleased with: 13. ku.rumakal....nakaikku maki.lnt6y~, thou hast been pleased with the smile.., of the young woman (190,8... 9). i. to be difficult, to be easy: 14. ma.ratta.rkarital, paka . . . . nilaiy~, since the state is difficult to forget, O charioteer (42.1... 12).
1~ Regular also in New Ta., cf. kat.avulukkup payantavar, one who feared God (Rajaraja_n, a modern novel); also Ka. adakke hedarikot~lenu, I was terrified by (at) it (Spencer); Parji d. avug narcemed, he is afraid of the tiger (Burrow).

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15. ma.rutara.rku ] ariya, they are difficult to reject (32,6-7). 16. koya_rkarunta.laiy~, leaves difficult to pluck (359,9). 17. aru~curam el.iya man ni_nakk~, the difficult paths (are) only easy for thee (141,7). Cf. also 3 5 2 , 9 . . . 10.

j.

to love: 18. avatklava! ~ I katala!3, she2 l~ her~ (176,3-4). 19. nat.a_rkuk I katal ceytal, to m a k e love to the chieftain (268,5-6). B. INDIRECT DATIVE . Dative proper. 1~

1. ci_ruven, k a k k a i . . . p e t a i k k u . . , eurakku~ [ ciruvi ~_lal, the ~a_lal o f

small blossoms being given by the little white c o r m o r a n t to the hen (31,2-5). arumpin, i u.runarkku v6t.tatu kotatu, not giving that which is longed for to those who suffer f r o m serious illness (136,2). koluvaypp~taikku [ mut.amutir narai kata_nm~ oyyum, the old heron gives sea-fish to the crooked-beaked female (263,6-7). fira.rku...makat.kolai yetirnta...pe~t6, 0 w o m a n . . . . who hast opposed to the gift o f the d a u g h t e r . . , to the chieftain (310,4... 5). val.arapparppi.rku.., i_rai oyyum, giving p l u m a g e . . , to the ungrown fledgeling (356,5). In Na_r_rin.ai 1 0 , 6 . . . 8 the dative-proper-relation is expressed by taxeme o f order and zero-allomorph: eO_lar...pa_laiya_n v6l vayttu, the Chola, h a t i n g given the lance to the Palaiyan. le

2.
.

4. 5. NOTE :

. Dative communicative (with verba d i c e n d i et d e c l a r a n d i ) .

1. a_n_nai...namakke_na k~_rin_, if m o t h e r tells us t h a t . . . ( 4 , 5 . . . 6 ) . 2. k~_nakandfa.rk(u)...kfl_ri_n, if (I) say unto the chief of the forest
(47, 6 . . . 7).

3. uraimati.., tu_raikil_av6_rk6, say t h o u . . , unto the chief ( 5 4 , 8 . . . 11).

15 For the term dative, cf. Na_nnM,s. 297; when enumerating the functions of dative, Na_nn_~lmentions at the first place the concept of dare, kot.ai, giving; further it mentions pakai, disagreement, enmity, n~rcci, agreement, friendship, takuti, fitness, atal, material, porut.t.u, cause, mu.rai, kinship. Cf. also Beschi, Grammatiea latino-tamulica (ed. 1917), w 20~ "4 u8 Casus ku...correspondet nostro dativo"; Pope HI, w60: "ita_n

porul kot.ai, pakai, takuti, nimittam mutaliyavaiydm". as Cf. e.g. Tel. naku ~ pustakamu iccina ad.adi, the woman who gave me that book (Master); Parjipapkulug in na cirat, what will you give to the children (Burrow); KoL avrur inam si.atun, I will give them a reward (Emeneau).

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4. makil_narkke_n...paruvaral ceppat6y6, t h o u hast n o t said ( a b o u t )

m y . . . affliction to the lover ( 7 0 , 8 . . . 9).

5. in__natai...ni_n iku[aikku un.arttu, 'declare such things to thy c o m panion' (71,1...2).

6. 7. 8. 9.

ni_n [ ma_naiy6t.ku uraippal, I shall tell to t h y wife (100,6-7). ammalai kil_av6rkku uraimati, tell to the chief o f t h a t hill (102,7). e_nakku ni uraiyayayin_ai, t h o u hast n o t t o l d me (128,3). nam varav(u)...pu[[a.rivur~iyi_na kol16.., t~mol_iyat.k~? the sign o f

o u r coming, d i d the crows tell (it) to the w o m a n o f sweet speech? ( 1 6 1 , 8 . . . 12). 10. kun__ranat.an...arumai tan_akku uraippa, when the m o u n t a i n - c h i e f is talking to himself a b o u t (thy) excellence ( 1 6 5 , 5 . . . 6). 11. yarkku nonturaikk6 yan_3? to w h o m shall I, being afflicted, tell? (211,1). 12. i_niyeva_nmol_ik6 y~_n~...aru~curam mu_nniy6rkk~? w h a t shall I say n o w to t h a t one who left p r e v i o u s l y for the terrible desert? (224,8 ...11). 13. nat.a_rku uraittal o_n_r6.., a~jnaikkuraittal o_n_r6, saying one thing to the l o r d . . , a n d saying one (other) thing to the m o t h e r (244,5...7). 14. a n n a i k k u . . , v~lan uraikkum en_pa, they say the g o d VEla_n speaks . . . t o the m o t h e r ( 2 7 3 , 4 . . . 5). 15. i_rantgrkku ] en nilai uraiyay, t h o u didst n o t say a b o u t m y state to h i m who went a w a y (277,11-12). Similarly the c o m m u n i c a t i v e dative is f o u n d in Na_r_ri.nai 236,5; 2 6 3 , 1 . . . 4; 291,5; 426,5; 376,9; 389,3 a n d 296,8-9.1~ aT It is necessary in this connection to draw attention to the fact that there are several instances of e_n-,to say, tell, utter, express (verbum dicendi), having the indirect object in the accusative. Out of four cases in Na_r_rin. ai, in three the verb e_n-is used in the meaning "to say (something) about somebody, to tell with regard to somebody, to say somebody to be so and so", cf. perumalai nat.a_naivaruum ~r6]~, she said (about) the chief of the lofty hill that he was coming (65,9); peruitkat.a_r c6rppa_nai [ etilala_num e_npa, they say (about) the chief of the big ocean that he is also a stranger (74,5-6); mamalai nat.a_naic ca_n rOy allai en.ra_nam, we said (about) the chief of the lofty hill: thou art not an excellent one (365,8-9). The last case, however, may be interpreted also: we said to the chief.., etc. The construction e_n-plus accusative might be regarded as a sort of ellipse of a postposition meaning with regard to, concerning to, about (in New Ta. pa_r_ri, ku.rittu etc., governing the accusative). On the other hand, the fourth instance, 389,3... 7 definitely points to a different interpretation: a_n_naiyumamarntu n6kki_nal6, e_n_naiyum...~al kaval i_niye_n.r6]6,mother looked as if pleased and said to m e : . . . '(Let thee) guard now the millet-field'. Which interpretation is right? It is interesting to note that e_n-as a verbum dicendi with dative is not at all found in our text. This, however, is only an argument ex silentio. However, in Kolami (cf. Emeneau, Kolami, A Dravidian Language, 1955, p. 119) the verb i.d.d-,tell, show, has a dative, "its direct object being either a direct quotation or some other noun not in the

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C. DATIVE COMMODI AND INCOMMODI This dative is expressive, broadly speaking, o f an action or state which takes place or exists f o r the sake o f s o m e b o d y or something (both in the positive and negative sense).

1. kumil_i_n. . . ka_ni. . . mat.ama_rku valciyakum, the kumil_-fruit becomes food for the female o f the deer ( 6 , 7 . . . 8). Similarly in 4 2 , 4 . . . 5. 2. e m a k k u nala_n eva_n6? what g o o d is (it) perhaps for us? (45,7). 3. yahkuc ceyvahkol, t6l_i. . . . malaikkil_av6.rk~? what shall we do, O friend, to the mountain-chief? ( 5 1 , 1 . . . 11). 4. payaniraikku et.utta man. inir, the crystal-clear water taken for the milk-giving herd o f cows (92,6). 5. viruntevan_ ceyk6...immal_aikk~? what shall I do in r e t u r n . . . t o this rain? (112,1...9). 6. kil.avi...negci_rku (mama~ ci_rit(, the s p e e c h . . . b e c o m e s a little consolation for the heart (133,11). 7. 6mai...aru~cura~ celv6rkku...nil_alakum, the 6mai-tree... becomes s h a d e . . , to those who left for the terrible desert ( 1 3 7 , 7 . . . 8). 8. ulaki_rku an. iyaka, to become the support for the world (139,1). 9. maruntu pi_ritu illai ya_n u.r.ra n 6 y k k ( , there is no other remedy for the pain I have suffered (140,11). 10. pi_rarkke_na muyalum p(rarul, ne~camot.u, with a heart full o f grace trying for (the benefit of) others (186,8). 11. e m a k k u [ ~mam akum, we are safe (lit. to us safety becomes) (192,11-12). 12. e n t6l_ikku...kauvaiyaki_n_ratu, aiya, nin_ arul.~, to m y friend, 0 sir, thy grace became slander (227,4... 1). 13. c~val...p~t.aikku I iru~c~_ru ayirai t~riya, the cock, going to find small fish (in) black m u d for the female ( 2 7 2 , 1 . . . 5). 14. innai akutal takum6. . . ni_n col nayant6rkk~? is it right (that) thou
immediate construction". The verb en-, say (so-and-so), has its object in the accusative. Emeneau gives one instance: tam ba'nun ennen, he said to his father, and refers to 5 more examples in his texts; contra is only one instance where en- is used with the dative: ma.salu~ ennen, he said to his wife; according to Emeneau, "this dative may be a mistake for the accusative". The Kol. tam ha'nun ennen is in analogy with Early Old Ta. a_nnaiyum.., en__naiyum.., e_nr61~"and mother.., said.., to me" (389,7). According to a well-educated Tamil speaker, in New Ta. the verb en- is used only in the meaning "to say so and so", its object being direct quotation: if the speaker wants to use an indirect object in the dative or with the suffix -it.am, he must use the verb col-, to tell, say: it is possible to say ava_nataiye_nra_n "he said that", but not ava_n avalukku ataiye_n.ra_n"he said that to her"; it must be ava_navalukku (or aval.itam) atai (or ataiye_nru) co_n_nan.

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KAMIL ZVELEBIL a r t like t h i s . . , to those w h o have desire after t h y word? ( 2 8 3 , 5 . . . 9). 15. ku_n_rana[an krn. mai namakk~ [ na_nral, since the love o f the chief o f the hills is g o o d for us (285,8-9).

T o q u o t e further examples w o u l d m e a n to a m a s s t h e m ad nauseam. T h e D a t i v e c o m m o d i is f o u n d also in Na_r_rin. ai 43, 80, 88, 94, 144, 174, 193, 194, 247, 252, 309, 322, 332, 373, all in all in 30 cases, is w 3. A s far as the etymology o f dative suffix is concerned, we are unf o r t u n a t e l y able only to r e p e a t C a l d w e l l ' s view, expressed a h u n d r e d years a g o : " T h e locative suffixes il a n d in can be explained ab intra; b u t I d o u b t whether ku is c a p a b l e o f a n ab intra e x p l a n a t i o n . " A c c o r d i n g to Caldwell, there is a c o n n e c t i o n between the dative t e r m i n a t i o n -ku, the formative o f verbal nouns, a n d the sign o f futurity, the c o m m o n " r o o t - i d e a " being t h a t o f " t r a n s i t i o n " . So far, all a t t e m p t s to explain this suffix o f dative have p r o v e d futile. 10 A. C h a n d r a Sekhar, Evolution ofMalayalam (Poona, 1953), p. 75, footnote, writes: " F r o m a c o m p a r i s o n o f the dative endings in the p r i n c i p a l D r a v i d i a n speeches, it is possible to suggest a p r o t o - D r , f o r m * - k o . " This is a p r o b l e m o f historic and c o m p a r a t i v e investigation, which has n o t been the t a s k o f this study. N o w , o u r functional investigation results in the following conclusions: a. I n c o n t r a d i s t i n c t i o n to the I n d o - A r y a n languages, especially t o H i n d i which prefers the genitive, T a m i l uses the dative case very frequently. This rich use o f dative in many different functions is o b v i o u s l y typical for Tamil, since it is m e t with in the earliest texts extant, a n d in N e w T a m i l this use is even m o r e variegated a n d rich. b. M o s t n o t a b l e a n d n u m e r o u s is the use o f the dative as a case o f is j. Bloch sees in this function of the Drav. dative one of its typical and most important functions, cf. his Structure... p. 17: "Le datif ~ gutturale.., doit donc avoir une valeur plus indirecte; c'est ce que note Bray pour le brahui; w 39 il le traduit par "for, for the sake of" et le drsigne w58 sous le nom de datif d'intrr~t: ~"tPnd bdvaki dd r das~t., I sowed this land for my father". 1~ Thus, e.g., the attempt of L. V. Ramaswami Aiyar to connect the dative -ku with an "elementary Dravidian base" kai, "hand", "make". Very vague and unceltain is also the connection between the Dr. guttural dative and the Indo-Aryan -ke, -ko. If there is some relation between the two, it is certainly more probable to plesume that there had been some influence excercised by Dravidian over Indo-Aryan, than vice versa. The origin of the IA. datives -ke, -ko is, so far, very uncertain (it has been connected with krte, krtam, or, on the other hand, with kam). It is fairly obvious that the Drav. dative in -ku (whatever its original form may have been) is of very ancient origin, which is proved, on the one hand, by its occurrence in all Dravidian speeches including Brahui, on the other hand, by its existence in the oldest literary monuments of Tarnil 2000 years ago. It seems that this ease-form belongs to that stratum of grammatical phenomena which had been part of the common stock of Proto-Dravidian.

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commodity and incommodity (in the text of Na.r.rin.ai in 30 cases). Often it is used also in communicative function (22 cases) and in different local
relations. c. When asking after a certain basic idea, a "root-idea" of the Tamil dative, we reach the conclusion that it is, in an absolute majority of instances, the expression of an action which aims at something, being

directed from somebody or something towards somebody or something else, the result of this action being often a change in the goal or in the actor.
Thus, when compared e.g. with the locative or genitive in Tamil, it is a case with dynamic force, indicating motion, change, transition.