Reconstruction:Proto-Dravidian/appa

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

Etymology

Imitative of baby-talk. Similar words for father are found across language families; compare Proto-Turkic *apa, Proto-Austronesian *aba, Proto-Semitic *ʾab-, Ashokan Prakrit *𑀅𑀧𑁆𑀧 (*appa). Under the controversial Nostratic language macro-family theory, Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr has been proposed as a cognate.

Noun

*appa[1][2]

father
Synonym: *tantay
A respectful term of address to a man

Descendants

South Dravidian: *appā
- South Central: *appā
  - Telugu: అప్ప (appa)
  - Gondi-Kui: *ā̆p
    - Konda: aposi
- Tamil-Kannada-Tulu:
  - Tulu: ಅಪ್ಪ (appa)
  - Tamil-Kannada: *appā
    - Kannada: ಅಪ್ಪ (appa), ಅಪ್ಪಾ (appā)
    - Kodava: ಅಪ್ಪೆ (appë)
    - Tamil-Malayalam: *appā
      - Tamil: அப்பா (appā)
      - Malayalam: അപ്പൻ (appaṉ)
North Dravidian:
- Brahui: اَبّا‎

References

Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju (2003) The Dravidian Languages (Cambridge Language Surveys), Cambridge University Press, →ISBN.
Burrow, T.; Emeneau, M. B. (1984), “appa”, in A Dravidian etymological dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 15.

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

[2] Burrow, T.; Emeneau, M. B. (1984), “appa”, in A Dravidian etymological dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 15.