Reconstruction:Proto-Dravidian/a-

This Proto-Dravidian entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Dravidian

Root

*a-[1][2]

that, that there

Usage notes

*a- becomes *aw- before a.

Derived terms

*aw-anṯu (“that man”) (nominal), *awan- (oblique)
- South Dravidian:
  - South Dravidian I: *avan
    - Kannada: ಅವನು (avanu)
    - Tamil-Malayalam:
      - Tamil: அவன் (avaṉ)
      - Malayalam: അവൻ (avaṉ)
  - South Dravidian II:
    - Telugu: వాడు (vāḍu)
*aw-aḷ (“that woman”)
- South Dravidian:
  - Kannada: ಅವಳ (avaḷa)
  - Tamil-Malayalam:
    - Tamil: அவள் (avaḷ)
    - Malayalam: അവൾ (avaḷ)
*a-tu (“that woman or that thing”)
- South Dravidian:
  - South-Central:
    - Telugu: అది (adi)
  - Tamil-Kannada:
    - Kannada: ಅದು (adu)
    - Tamil-Malayalam:
      - Tamil: அது (atu)
      - Malayalam: അത് (atŭ)
*aw-ar (“those persons”)
- South Dravidian:
  - Tulu: ಆವಾಕುಳು (āvākuḷu)
  - Kannada: ಅವರು (avaru)
  - Tamil-Malayalam:
    - Tamil: அவர் (avar)
    - Malayalam: അവർ (avaṟ)
*aw-ay (“those (non-men humans or non-humans)”)
- South Dravidian:
  - Telugu: అవి (avi)
  - Kannada: ಅವು (avu)
  - Tamil-Malayalam:
    - Tamil: அவை (avai)
    - Malayalam: അവ (ava)

Also see

u-
i-
yĀ-
yĀH
uH
aH
iH

References

Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju (2003) The Dravidian Languages (Cambridge Language Surveys), Cambridge University Press, →ISBN.
Burrow, T.; Emeneau, M. B. (1984), “1”, in A Dravidian etymological dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, →ISBN.

[1] Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju (2003) The Dravidian Languages (Cambridge Language Surveys), Cambridge University Press, →ISBN.

[2] Burrow, T.; Emeneau, M. B. (1984), “1”, in A Dravidian etymological dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, →ISBN.