Glimpses of the Konkani Language at the Turn of the 16th Century - Vol 4

Prof. L. A. Rodrigues Feltow of thr lnllitute

0utP$E$

[T

0t

TllE

THE

TUR}I

K0ilr0ill mll0ulcE OI TllE 16Tll C. IV

PERVERSION OF PRONT,'hICIATION AND MEANTNG OF WORDS

lLprntr do Bolcttn

do larBtnto llcrczcr Brra'trett No' 125

llpo;rrlta Srngd - Botor6, Ger

-

1980

A f\

ll living languages evolve by undergoing changes

through

perversion not onl}' of the phonetic spelling but also of the real sense of their vocables. This happens, for instance, with the European Romanic and Indian Prakrit lan-

from Latin and Sanskrit respectively, which long since are drad languages, and as such insusceptible of further evotution, as they are not 6poken in common life. guages, descended

Thc languages, dealt wittr by the Jesuit padres in their vocabularies by the end of the 16th. c., one is Romanic, the Portu' guese, and the other Prakrit, the Konkani, both at different stages of development because of the difference of their ages ;

while the former iust steps in its adolescence, the latterhad attained its lexical and syntactic plenitude. As the primitive Romance of Portugal (a dialect ol Latin) was being metamor. phosed into an independent and adult language, similar transformations had developed the Konkani into a perfect idiom by this time.

.

Thercaftcr, the perversion of the Konkani continued. A comparison between the use of words a's recorded in the above

4-, vocabnldries, and the present one of the same vocables, shows quite an interesting modification in the vocal sound as well as in the sense which oftep happens to be not only drfferent but even opposite to the original.

The following list of a few hundred vocables, picked from

the works of the said padres, illustrates sufficiently the above mentioned perversion the Konkani language has undergone sincc the arrival of the Portuguese missionaries in Goa in the 16th. c. to the last quarter of the 20th. c. :

l" Obw (adi,) -dldr pgbtidlf,d' v.g- Su failtu (wild bull ). Preee*tly. it is said aht4z, hencc tq qhrts zal*'{be benprne wild ). Thig gFrvgrsion ig probably caused by the confusion with the Portuguese word &buzo ( n ) meaning ahuse, misusa. So oluz a'nd abuz are etymologigally two different words with different meanings. Another Kon' kani term f.or wild is oPott.

2.

3.

4.

5:

Obhooit- unjust ; obhaoit - unexpected, v. g. obharsit ieon moju fodillam ( it happened to me unerpectedly ;

obhaeit oottota ( happens what should not ). Presently : obhait- with no fault, v. g.'obhait tnoiet ghetlen ( I was aocusod innocently ).

Ady - beginning ; ailin - in the beginning, Arotnb beginning i sromhim - in the beginning. Ont - end; qntitt- a! lbe end. Presently ; ailim-before, formerly ; So ad'im changed slightly orotnb - beginqing, origin. the meaningi aromb turned into oromb.

Od,istt (adj.), od,ruslt (n)-invisible; fate, destiny.

Presenily it means generally misfortune.

Adilatnbo ( o ) - wooden slat of door. Prosently some people say

it

add,qwo;

6.

7, B. g.

10.

-5 Ad,d,ansor

-wild

cat., ,Pi,eq: also addaild,or, hatland,*.

- eye lash. Pres : askutt,i, askitti.

Aindilo - mouth watering. Pres: also aund,d,o, andd,a.

Ohotr - shame. Pres: common sense.

Ogsuddi

-.'letter of alphabet. Pres : generalllofthsher. t 11. Otgott - naughty. Pres : olkoth - mean. Here there is somc perversion both in bound and in meaning.

Okher

12. Alos - bad moods.

13.

74.

Pres

: allos. Al'lsoi

laziness.

- saltless. Pres : also oinni,, ufinu Alloy - wooden plank for pressing ploughed field.

Ollnni

Pres

:

olloy.

15.

16.

Atlsottdo

pulse. Pres: osanddo,

a

-

ostsando.

ilreparatory turid just before a collective singing.

Pres : od,dof disorderly collective singing.

Ollap

-

-

17.

And,llo

- blind.

Kurd,d,o

- one eyed, squint. Pres

hudd"d,do- blind. The two words are conf used into

:

same

meaning.

18.

rain clouds are formmanddta, There is perversion

AndllanEsh, v.g. fraos andllaita

ed, Pres: favs

and,ta,

of vocai sound.

19.

Angvonn - yard, court. Pres - vow. Angonn people vse angonn f.or ,.tow and yard.

20.

Oprubhay

2r.

Orn

22.

Osorsd,din

- affection.

Pres : also ofurbay.

- tigtrt. Pres: alss on, -

in absenee. Pres : alsg

osol,litn.

:

many

623.

Asro

24.

Oso

25.

Atam

26.

-

io

rhaltor.

-

come

Pros: elrc

lg, dd'sr.

here. Pres: many

Salcote PeoPle say

:

in Salcete also antattt'

- now. Pres: Afueg desire ; atretunb- to desire' Pres :

ofueh'

otrekunk.

27. Ao - potter's furnace.

Pres

:

also

: fire for roasting

crshew nuts.

28. Oiim - indigestion. Pres: a'lto oiin'

29. BodCai - fantasY. Pres: vanitY' 30. Bogol side (of a perrcn)' Pres: boglek io -

oome

near, 31.

32.

Bailgaio- sodomite. Pres: also baitrgoildo - effeminate" Bal,trantg delivery ( childbirth ). Pros : ballortu, banlltcr,

33.

beatr.

Ballanzor

-

wild

cat.

( Perhaps

frombilmazor)' Pres:

bel,mazor, bilmazor.

34.

Bafd'do-poorfellow.Pres:babil'ilo,bal'l'o;bafwd'il'o

-

35.

helpless.

Borabor (n) -similarity ;borcborcho - similar' Pres: or age" also barabor, baraborcho - of the same complny

37.

- fear. Pres : also bhirant' Bhollto - a certain one. Pres : bholto - a different one.

38.

Bembaro- mucus.

39.

Bendoil a certain parasite (plant) -

36.

Bhrant

bendol, bendor,

Pres z bembto, bembar'

Pres:

also

-7 40, Betto - idle. Pres : also &cclro -' (Bekn - with no occupation ).

41.

Bioclilok

42.

Bhirordd

with no purpose, simply.

seed-cocoanut. Pres :

-

bi.dd'oh.

mangosteen. Pres : also bhindd'.

-

43.

cicada, grasshopper. Pres: bhinrbutti,

-

44.

plug for filling hole. Pres : plug.v. g. bontho ghalta,' or the hole itself, as bontho poililla. It is a perversion resulting from confusion between means and end, and thus the word has two meanings in different contexts. Other word for flug is gu'dd'ddo.

45.

Bhonoild,i - hunting ( probably because hunting implied walh, as bhons means going round, bhonvonh - to walk ).

Pror: bhonvdili

Bo*tho

-

-walk.

47.

48.

49.

lethargy (of fever

). Pres: also bhorm B*ddhalo - small clay pot. Pres: also burkulo Bslkardo - bulb like onion. Pres : buhando Btnead - foundation of building. Pres : in Salcete also

46. Bhron

-

grrual, 50.

51.

52.

- wig ( used by women ). Pres : chumsot Chooond - wound. Pres: chond,.

Chinchovlo * snuff, i. e. charred part of a wick. Pres :

Chonvor

aleo chuohulo.

53.

Doll'od'r, dollodr$onn poverty, misery.

Pres: d.olldir,

d,olld'hponn.

54.

Doria, ilorio

55.

Dosuas

-

- sea.

a rcd

Pres

:

also doiro

in Salcete.

flower. Pres: alss doshinn,

I

8.56. "Dhoron*,d,korn-

grouird, hence dhorni,r

-

on thâ‚Ź ground.

Pres: also d,honir.

57. Dukan- liquor shop.

Pres

: dukhon -

any sbop.

58, Dorungutt - tail paddy. Pres : konrgutt 59. Dumol,l - threshed corn having some'grains to be threshed once

t

again.

Pres : d'ursol'\. ( Mollunk-to thresh ).

60. Dutg - compound wall. pres: durig 61. Dhunn - dish-wash. Pres: dhonn.

62. Dilap - spadeful of earth. Pres: depo, depllo. ?rrU,.clra 63. Dd,hor - dead cow";neat not fit for human consunrption.

64. Gal.ludd - giil (of fish). Pres: galfuud.d.

65. Gandirl, - wasp. Pres: also ganjil 66. Gorob - crumb, kernel. Pres : girop, gir" 67. Gorenk - to angle ( fish). Pres: also goronvk 68. Gorz - need. Pres: gotoz , 69. Ghoironv - soot. Pres: alsa ghoirotm, ghorotn.

70. Ghoillo - simpleton, idiot. Fres: gauio, gholl,io, 71. Ghdtt - gulp. Pres : ghontt 72. Gollorslo - neck of pot. Pres : also gollulo 73.' Gof - lap. Pres i gop.

74. Golo

-string

75.

GoPin

76.

77.

Ghorenni

-

of palm leave stem. Pres: go\o.

sling (for hurling stones). Pres: eofln.

- snore.

Pres: also goroh

Gudd,ll,anvk, guttllaryvk,+ to wrap. Pres : alw gunttllanvh.

-,. -..t-_t.g

78,Guil'dlIo;bundle.Preâ‚Ź{g,.tflId,1gpat4ll,a'

79. Guddeam

Gtack

-

of corn.

Pres

:

hud,d,le;rn,

gul,lis (in

:

South Goa ).

- thief. Pres: naughty. string. Pres: gunthunk.

Gutrtthunh - to thread, to 82. Gupt - secret. Pres : also grttt.

83. Hal.ondd' - side, hip. Pres : hand,d', h e nc e bhargeak handilir rnorwnk - to hold a child on the hip.

84. Hiagoll;- skill, ability. Pres: attenti<;n' It is a perver'

80.

81,

Gwndd,

sion of meaning.

1

alsc nirponfletn. This is

85.

rake.

HirPonnem perversion of sound.

86.

Hudqddo

87.

vigilant, alert, hence hushar ra'v - be alert.

Hushat (sushar reasonable, erpert). Pres : Hushar - srna.rt, v. g. hushar bhurgo - smart boy.

88.

Hoirum

L

-

-

unquict. Pres: allallo

snake. Pres: hatum.

91.

- rich. Pres : astig Druboll - poor. Pres : durboll.

Gruih - customers. Pres: gitaik

92.

Hizdd,o

93.

Kod,dtor

94.

Kallkoi

89.

90.

a

Astik

impotent, barren. Press also hinzd'do.

-

-

....,. uged.

95. Kakullt -

worn

mat.

jaundice.

Pres : hotsr.

Pres : kahod.

'Kdtnin is also largely

alo mercy,.

:

Prcs: kabuf, kalkut.

1096,

Kdncilam

-

rilcdarr ( womcn

).

Pru

:

womcn labourers

in geaerrl

of. Pres: votoim; it is a perrrersion 97. Koroin - by mcus of vocel sound. Other vocables with simc meaning then used were i Qo?oals, vihhin, hdtnnetn.

98.

99.

100.

Konarn (suffix), v. g.to ailo konatn - as soon as he comes. Prcs : to dilo hina. Perhaps it is a confusion of honatn with fri nc rhich m?ans or not.

- car-.tlt. Prcr: hanub.

Kdfodil - clotb. Pres: women's clothes like sari.

Kanottlo

For

clolh is lugott, which formeriy meant pieee of cloth,

r

palm leaves. Pres: honddo.

- rail coat of

101,

Koronddo

102.

Karaful

103,

Kortti - cocoanut shcll. Pres:

104.

Korooll

105.

Kostt

106.

- clove.

-

flank ( of a person

).

also kotti,

Prcs: kod,ilsoll,

also Pain, suflning- labour. Prer: Kotthiss- hard, rigid. Pres: difficult.

r07. Kooon*, ftosn 108:

Prcs: halalur,

Kaoato kavto.

-

- who,

Pres: konn.

cocoanut sapling. Pres: also hooato, kovto,

- po.m. Prrc i hoeita.

K lv oildcsvh - to obstruct. Pres : ad'ilanvk, 11. Khah, k}aho - arm Pit. Pres : hhah, ha;h, tlz, Kholl - thrching floor: Prec: holl. brracl ( in a bund ). Prer : alco ltaeddrn. l 13. Khatddt m -for'}rool ir Lhwttam: 109. Kopito

1

Othrr rord

'-!

l

1l

1

14.

Kharvo

(a). - firhrrnar.

Prrc: lbtv,i.

-**rfu Pn: .elto Le]:L!oto.

I 15.

Khothhoto

116.

Khinsttesft

tt7.

Khoooll

r22.

Killochrsi,kinnochnn;4 .cro;trn of child. Pres : killonch.

r23,

Kirla*h

t21.

Kirn

-

to grow

lren. Pru: jinnttenk.

- rcale ( of firh ). Prrr: halls. l 18. Korott - boil. Prtr: kndd.

119. Keufialli - boil. Prcr: \it|:lli, Lcteoi.

120. Khebddi - mockery. Prcr: Lfubilday rzt, Kintti - ser.rm. Prcr: Lirrrtrlti,

125,

126.

127.

x

1,28.

r29.

130.

131.

132, 133.

134.

135,

136.

-- to rprout (reod ).

Prer : Lblonh,

run. Prea: elso Air. kishit - rplintw. Prer : khor.

Kutuo - pup. Pror: dog.

-

ray of

- rat. Pns : kol*tdir, kolisd,ur.

I{Otlw*ltu - coriender. Prer: hothnhi.

Kft - hollor peddy. Prtt: *b. Othcr word ir pol.

Kusbosbll - Dunch ( of or ). Prcr : kumbator.

Ku*krdko lour of fowh. Prcs: kukuso" Kulln*s - carthen pot. Pres: aha kunnem.

Kuntosli - a tribe of labourerr. Pres : kunnbi.

Kurtt hip. Prcs z kutt.

Kutko - piece. Pres: kuild,ko.

Khunttunk - to pluck ( fruit ). Pres : to steal fruits, Kolludit'

to limp.

12

737.

138.

leg ( of .taHe, etc,

Khur

Laz -

Lambunk

140,

Lnnvonn

r42.

Pres

;

also

fur'

sharne. Ptcs z l,oz,

139.

t41. ltrachi

).

-

-

-

to wash

anus. Pres: limbwnk'

harvesting. Pres: alto nivonn'

heap of palm

leaves, Pres :

also mach'

filagam ( adv) - afterwards or formerly' Pres : maganl temfar - in time of Wise Kings ( of the Bible )'

743.

Magifu4 tugilfut, ry;tUr - back door of the compcund. Pres: naibt,- qick qryt of the house'

144. Mal,li

-

upper storey (of house ). Pres: aho^ ?ylhL

745. Mand,d,khuriam chonkonk - to crawl on hands and knees.

Dhimbkhuriam vochonk - to walk on the knees. Pres : ddukhrianvochank-tocrawlorrhandsandknees.

L46. Mand,us- sluice.way. Pres: lnannos. other word then and now i ilrus,

747. Mad,del

-

palrn

grove.

Pres : palm

liquor. other present

rvord : lenni,

- mediator. Pres: Portuguese influenced people think it is mod'eeto - modest. l4g. trIond.d'oll - yolk ( of egg ). Pres : mud'd'oll' 150. Morl, moilo - woven palm leave' Pres ffot, molo' (X 151. Mhoind,dellem - banana for fqying. Pres : moid'd,ekelletn - banana from Moida ( a village of Bardez )' L52. Miroal - chilli plant. Pres: niruol' 148.

Mod,est

6'1,e,

153. m*aa;mb - pimple' Prcs: tnwtimb, mutornb'

'-"

/

154.

Mud,d,'d,ar

I 55.

- face. Pres: mukhamoll.

Mumor (m) - hot ashesof; rruw)or ( n ) Later: by some confusion the i*o vocables,

13

destitute, penniless. Pres: ru/fian, perhapb from rnudd, which means rude.

-

Mwkh'homoll

ts6.

mosquito. mufrnor (n) means mosquito, f.or which other words then and now are: kimus, zollar,

t57.

Murind,-

I 58.

- tools. Pres : mustaihi.

Naroll, narl - cocoanut. Pres : nail, nal.

Nem - excavation around a tree base. Pres: also len, Nib - excuse. Pres: also lib.

159.

160.

161.

tender palm

Nifounvh

163.

Nishanno, shelli

t6+.

Nithu

65.

morondd,.

Mustaiti

162.

1

petiole. Pres:

to

-

hide.

-

Pres: ti\o,unsh.,

whetstone. Pres : shanni.

- sputum. Pres t also luti.

Nusdo- tit-bits like fish, pickle, etc. to give taste for food. Pres : nustetn, nistam fish. Other word then -

and now : .tnaslli.

166. Pagel, - scoop.net.

Pres : fager,

167. Matie panrsk

- ro bury a corpse. Pres: matie lawh.

168. Pallond, fannond - public road. Pres : also pand,d .way for water.

169. Pallnnem - qradle. Pres: 17O. Pallo

-

171, Ponra

-

3

also painnem, pannem.

obedience. Pres: fal,l, fif

teen.

Pres

:

also

pondra.

I

i1

14melting of sugar. Pres: pont.

t72.

Ponh

t73.

Thontto - lame of hands. Pres: lame of legs. Other words f.or Lame ol legs then and now z fangllo, longddo.

17+.

Portonnem - toin cloth calle d langot. Fres: pontonnem.

Other words : hastti, vol,mnetn ( obsolete ), I.angott.

t75.

Patth

176.

Panthi

r77.

Potiro

-

ba.ck. Pres :

-

-

t78. Panslli

plait of woman's

/att.

hair.

Pres: fanthi.

dry leaves. Pres: fotto.

- proiecti"sffi_of

l. 179. Foida180.

also

search. Pres

Fahand,d

ffiefit,

use.

fun. Pres: fohand'd.

-

alum. Pres :

l8l. Fotthi -

:

roof. Pres: fanvnni,

also lod'd'ki,

t82. Pel.todil-other bank (of river

).

Pres:

also fol,tod,d.

a sweet water fish. Pres: pitoll.

183.

Pid,dtol,l

184.

Pinddenvk - ecchymoses ( dark stain on skin caused by rupture of blood vessels as result of contusion ). Pres : hinddenok, hinnenok.

185.

- to inflame ( fire ). Pres: also ferenh.

Pirxenvk - to ooze water fron-l earthen pot.

186.

-

Pirvonh

Pi:i;

tixenrsk.

t87. Ponvll,em

- bead.

seasoning with

188.

Fodd,nn

189.

Fopanok

190.

Progottanvh

191.

Pray

-

Pres:

-

also Ponvnnem,

condiment. Pres: also lonn.

to beat. Pres: lapanvh.

- to publish. Pres : fargottunk.

age. Pres : piray.

.

""" lB people. Pres : porza,

t92.

Proza

193.

Pru,sh- fathom.

194.

P*rti- filling material as sand, mud, etc. Pres :

-

Pres : fius. also

puti.

195.

Iat iat - troubles, v. B. Haa sonvsarache iat iatinllo sttttlom - I am free from troubles of this world. Pres : ra.tt,henee sonvsnracheo rattio

196.

797.

198.

clean, ready, v, g. rckod.d lehh dilem gave ready money. Pres: rokddo soon, quick,

hence rokddo

r99.

2m.

yard. Pres : tozangofin.

Rohodd, rokodd,o

-

troubles of the world.

myrobalan. Pres : rozamvallo,

Rasamvallo

Razangonn -

-

io -

-

-

come soon.

- owl. Pres: reo*r, lecE. Ritlllo - native soap. Pres : ilnttho - a fruit Rrr,ror

used at

soap.

2Ol. Salleri - martin

( a bird

).

Pres : eallori, salloolb.

202. Sambar -spices. Pres: some people in Salcete use this wrrd for.coiander

203.

Sonchot

204.

Shankenk

generation. Pres: sonsot.

-

to curdle. Pres : shinkenk,

l. 205. Shonkirem, shenkaretn -

$est of cock.

206. Sarn, saronn - broom. Pres:

Pres

i ,h"nliln.

saronn, san.

2O7. Satli - umbreila of thistle leaves. Pres : 2O8. Sovnnarum - sea-gull. Pres z sonvier.

also santli-

2O9. Soponk - to curse, to insult. Pres : also lo scold.

2IO.

Shellaonni, shellonni

- whistle. Pres:

also shelanv (in

Salcete ).

21L. Shena,ot, shenpot - dry leave of

banana

tree.

Pres : also

shenot.

portion of cereals heaped in a vessel over brim, v. g. shi borunh- to fill a vessel by heaping; shi modd,unk to measure by striking heap. Pres: also szr,

212. Shi

'

-

213. Shinv - lion. Pres: also s/rru.

214. Shirlo - chameleon. Pres: also shilo' Other word :

sherddo.

Shintetn -- bamboo twig. ttopio,

215.

216. Soiddnn 217.

2r8 2r9.

220.

22t.

{

zzz.

'

-

cocoanut

Pres'.' also shirem, shitantti.

husk. Pres: also sonn.

- wheat flour. Pres: sweetmeat of rice, wheat, etc.

Duhalt, unproductive time. Pres: d'uholl -famine" (Suhall - fertile time ), Sunhott - prawn. Pres: sungott, Tohtohenft - to shine. Pres: also chokchokenk. ( Pres : tallot.

Tolloth - palm of hand ).

Soji

, tollvoitlo - suffer' thirst, sun' etc. Pres : tollmollenh.

rollvoltrn{i\huken, tanen, rso.tan, ing by extreme hunger,

-

yoangster. Pres : also tornatto.

223.

Tornclhaktlo

ocL

Tast - tin basin for washing basin for washing dishes.

225.

Thortoi

-

chirhami 226.

etc

carpenter

feet. Pres:

tost

-

copper

or mason, sutar -

- mason. Pres: thorsoi -

carPâ&#x201A;Źntet i khocarpenter.

God,d,koi- iruit plucking stick, Pres : word then and:now t tenhdd'i.

also

golloi.

Other

"t

6tain.

227.

Thig&i

228.

Trumbonn - petioie or base v. g. kasuclum turbonn

229.

Tntnn

230.

spot,

-

grass,

Voddo -

Pres : thikli.

of fruit.

sEaw. Pfes: tonlt,

pres

:

turbonn

,

kind of thin flour cake. Pris': also vollo.

23r.

Vagonni

?s2.

Vogt

233.

Volikltwnh- to know, to recognize. pres: also to wish in Tiswadi.

234.

Vallti

centipede, Pres:

-

- time.

in Salcete.

Pres: vogot.

whiteant

-

also gonn

hill.

Pres: also whiteant.

235.

Vattunk - to grind. Pres: also vanttunk, which also means to d,istribute.

236.

Tantim

237.

Zotem sandals. Pres: sandal:

?s8'

Ud,kad,d,e

boisank

239.

Vigorunh

-

240.

Villong

241.

virzonk, v. g. shit virzolam

!.

al:so izonk

I

oLo i

843.

- egg. Pres : also tantem - a pair, hence vhannachem

- a pair oF

- to urinate. Pres: also lo defecate. to melt. rPres': oigott'bnk::' ' :

- naked. Pres: vingllo.

-

rice is cooked

badly. pres:

- joy. Pres : sigh ( of sorrorv ).

Utna (f) - kiss: Pres: urno, urmanv (rn)" Ulas

-

yearnings, Pres :

244.

Umollshih

?4s,

Vomblo, pornbil

?46.

zotem

also umshik.

ant. Pres : umlo.

Vomnr:wk - to dry a little. Pres : alsa onvllonk." ;

red

.

l,g

?47. Vorpunk - to seratch. Pres: korpunk.

2+8. Ufiorjib - uvula. Pres : Pdildjib.

249. Gonolli- milrrnan

-

; gonoollo- shepherd. Pres : gonvlli

milhrnan, shepherd.

25A, Zonallo

251. Vroit,

-

rnaize. Pres : 'zonoallo, sonlla.

orohit (prup)

252. Zannto - sage.

- vithout.

Pres

:

Pres : viret,

aged. Other words for oged arc

abldto, wod ( obs ).

,53 Zalo-

cockroach, Pres: zolo.

254. Zhoh marwh

-

to tell lies, tales. pres

255, Zogal - lightning. Pres:

: damn it.

zogil, zoglavnnon,

256, Jlnlo

- bouquet, Pres : ihetro.

257. Ghigi - prop. Prcs: digi.

258. Vo;rci- wall. Pres: sor.rn tt.

959. Votwl; ooita - to sow. Prec z oonvh, vosgta. rcita - to.pllnt. Fre : to phat, to row.

Ronoh,

t

As mentioned earlier, perversion of words' sonnd and sense o?curs in all languages, and on the same general linos; so also

the dialectical variations in the different parts of a region covered by their "language are a phenomenon comrnon to all idiomg.

Accordingly the Marathi vocable porohsh, wbich fomerly meant behind,, at present means in lront; in English the prcsent word nice ( good ) originally meant i,gnorunt ( Lat. ncsciucl j i

_.

to

the Portug ueae emboru (ew boa hora - in good time ) prirnitively was used for welaome, today it serves to say get aut; and the original French Par Dieu ( By God t) has turned into Parblas. Alto, as the Konkani language takes characteristic nuances in different geographical, sogial-and- reJigious zones' rimilar factors determine difference ffit#{"ff*.. of every }. " country: in Maharashtra, India, the Marathi of Poona is clearly distinguishable from that of other parte of the State; in medieval France, the inhabitants of the North used o'r? and those of l the South said oc to mean yes, and today it is oai.

The perversion of Konkani vocables has taken place by means of almost same phenomena as in other languages, such as dropping or adding a sound, transpositioo or inierchange ol sounds, substitution of one sound by another, etc. A comparison can bc establirhed even with Portuguese language, as under:

l. Dttbtid; (rnndilhhwiam),

gonn (vagonai), ub (hubJ, droppcd the initial sounds ( aphesis), as Zd (Josil in Portuguere.

2, Chond (chovond),

Pandd, (rtaltronil), Tornotto (tone-

dhahttol, Umshik (umol'lshih) loet the middle ( syncope l, as mor (rnaior ) in Port.

3.

Bembar (bembatn) Gir (girof

, gorob), hil'lonch (hiltochnny), Pall (pal.lo), Pataki(fatuhirlevn - swallow) suftered loss

of final soundt ( apoco'pe ), as wui (tnwito) in 4.

sounde

Port.

;

Uma*rsn (annom - riddle), Zatra (atra-pilgrimage), Tatto (atto

hoop ), Upartonnew (forlonnefla - borrowed kerchief ) added eounds at the clothes ), Vrumal, (ratn'al' beginning ( protheris ),as al,agoa (l,agoa),aleoantar (l,evan-

-

tar) in Port.

/

2A^ 5"

(gotz)' girn'ib Bhirant (bfuant), d,utig (d'urg'1, goroz (graih), piray (fray\, oogot (vogt) inserted sounds in tie middle (ep'enthesis), as fitrarsort'e ('Mafie ) in Port' (morl' mol\' bobatt (hob De;po, d.eftto (dilef), morlo, tnolo

), ballok i ball - child )' added - shout in Pori' end ( paragoge ), as altixeza (altivez )

sou

nds

at

'hg

(oprubhay'1' Doiro (dorio), durboll ldruboll)' ofutbhay halafur ( karaful \' turbonn ( trwnbonn ), vingtto (vill ong ), metatbesis)' aE isho (oso hio) interchaoge<i the sounds (merlo - black madeira (materia) - timber )' .melro uc'}Il)- f;t'L' itiJl in Port. 'tsCia hind'd enk ( pi'ndde nk I' ( Gunead' ( bunead' ), d'uv oll d'umoll )' the sounds' as lembrar (memo' fagar (bagel) substituteci 'l rarc) in Port. ganiil 9. Otreg (at'reg), thikli (thigllc)' sungott \sunhott)'li'ponvk (gonai'rt), gofin (gopin'1, nittonn (lunvonnl' as fovo (niponxh\, nirool (ntirool) softened the sounds' (fobo), lago (laco), caridade (earitate) in Port'

(fu,

(hirponnem)' kontgutt 10. Vorrtim (hotdn\, nitponnem the sounds'

11.

(dotungutt), lafanrth (/opanvfr ) assimilated as Pessoa (Persona ) in Port' mustaikc (nt'ustaitil Fokandd' (fakandcl), digi ( ghigi), dissimilated the sounds,

L2.

as

Iembrar (rnemorare

) in Port'

meaning and sounC' cross Sometimes words, having similar

orm a new single word' such as (small whe! stone ) nishanno (big whet stone) and shelli

. with each ottrer; and

f

mand,d'khuriam ( crarv. blended inlo shanni ( whet stone ) ; ( walking on ling on hands and knees ) and dd'imbkhuriatn on all fours)' sug' ( the knees) made ddukhriam moving

>21 gesting the meaning'of way of walking of dduhor (pig).

In Portuguese the vocable estella (star) crossed with astro (heavenly body), and, taking the letter r from the latter, formed cstrela ( star ).

13. Popular

etywology has been a favourite process of people in all times and languages, and a source of many myths and legends, by which, rvhen a vocable contains elements unfamiliar to the user, they are made equal or similar to those known to him in other words I so in portuguese the word verolfto (latch) was changed into feruolho, because it was made of lemo (iron), and the word fl.oresta (forest) is composed of lorasta and fl,er ( flower ) because of presence of flowers in a particular forest, while in old portuguese and other languages the same word does not have l. (Conilnitio de Gramdtica Histlriea Portuguesa, by Jos6 Joaquim Nunes, Livraria Clissica Editora de A. M. Teireira, Praga dos Restauradores, 17, Lisboa, 1919. pp.

155.156). A similar phenomenon has occurred in coining many Konka'ni vocables, such as:

a)

Ufioriib ( uvula ), which was forme d by ufor ( above ) and jib (tongae), is turned into paddjib, in which fadd, means borten, i.e. of no use, and uvula has no apparent use.

bl

Mhoinildellen

cl

to be eaten after being fried changed into moiildehellem, undet supposition that it -is was formerly grown in the village Moid\of Bardez taluka.

Magaw temfiar is used by people to mean in time ol Kings

-

a banana

Magi of the Bible, supposing that Mag are those wise kings, and hence frIaganahea latnfu ot Magam tempu (tempo being a Portuguese word f,or tine), wbile actually the word n agant is an adverb meaning either lormerly or alterwards, just like Latin olim.

/

QQ

dl

-;-,Zoletn-

-'a

pairr'of sandali. But today,the word: zotam stdncls f ot sandsl itself , :and hence zoteam far-a pair of sandals(par-Por' tuguese word for pair'); literally zoteam'' pat wodd mean a pair of Pairs i a

pdii, hence ohawdchonr,

zotom,

e) Chinchoolo- burnt Portion of a wick-has turned

fI

into chuchulo, ProbablY because of the burning sound of. chur char, i.e. crackling.

Paos and,llaita means roin clouds are being fotmed.. The verb andllaita, af.ter being simplified into andta, also took the sound ol manddta - to be arranged or put i:nto order as tire'clouds look like being arranged and get re ady to

-

rain.

boil - besides hensoi, also is changed into hispulli, as it causes kis kis, i.e. a pricking' pain' .gonvallo, gonvllo Goplli - milkmani - shepherd' As shepherd and milkman are quite close to each other, both in sound and in meaning, common elements formed the word gonolli meanin g shephetd as well as milhman'

g') Kenspul/i

h)

-

hharo - salty. [n Salcete kattuh became kattuk, taking perhaps a trcm khato, and means sally, so that koitilu andkattuk have different meanings, i.e. bittar and salty respectively, while in Bardez the word

i,) Koddu, kottuk- bitter i

jl

hottuk disappeared, and the other two remained rvith their original senses.

Pottonft-to run away ; follonvh -to maLe to run away; poll,enk- to see. From the gonfusion of pollonvk and pollenh, in Bardez the vocabl e pollonvh took the meaning of pol,lenk which was dropped, while in Salcete the three words Preserve the' primitive meanings'

+23 k

)

the:synonytns vav and shodd (wind) undetwent an inter-, esting popular process to express three different ideas, namely : wind - oao; spray oI rain water by force of wind rnade generally of palm leaves to a -vaozhodd; blind zhodd. protect from the above spray of rain by wind

-

*** So also the perversion o[ Konkani vocables goes on, not only as a phenomenon inherent in the evolution of a living lan: guage but also due to the influence of other idioms prevailing in the region, mainly of English and Marathi' 'fhe Portuguese language, which exercised overwhelming ascendancy upon the whole Konkani structure for over four and half centuries, will no longer play any significant role in its evolution. al

a

,;,