34 
ON THE ORIGINAL INHABITANTS 
if it happens to be long ; e.g., ^ocod^&j ceyyutaioT '^Qi&k:^ 
cSijuta, Velldlan for Veldlan, PaUa for Fdla., &e. 
It will be readily perceived that this laxity of pronun- 
ciation affords a wide field for pbilologieal conjectures, and 
that, if we choose as an example the representative name of 
the Malla or Palla tribe, a variety of forms for J^ara and 
Malla, or Para and Palla, which actually occiir, can be re- 
traced to the common source, and thus be shown to have a 
sound basis. The task which a philologist has to perform is 
a serious one and ought to make him cautious. Considerable 
and unexpected difficulties also arise from the great simi- 
larity of many Sanskrit and Dravidian words with Mara, 
Malla and their derivatives.* The explanations of names of 
persons, tribes, places, &c., so readily tendered by the Natives 
^ A few of such similar words are in Sanskrit : para, other, pala, m., straw, 
n., flesh, pala, m., ham, pallava, m., n., sprout, palvala, m., pond, pala, m., 
gnaxA, pula ^reaX, phala, n., iruit, phala, m., n., ploughshare, j»/i!<//(7, open, 
bala, n., power, bali, m., ohlation, bdla, young, bhala, n., forehead, mara, 
killing, mala, n., dirt, malli, f ., jasmine, mdra, killing, mala, n., field, mala, f ., 
garland, valla, covering, vallabha, m., lover, valli (T), f., creeper, kc; in Tamil: 
alam, plough, alU, lily, alliyam, village of herdsmen, alai, cave, dlam, water, 
palar {palMr), many persons, palam, strength, fruit, flesh, pali, sacrifice, 
pal, tooth, pallam, henr, arrow, palli, lizard, palam, old, palam, fruit, pali, 
blame, palai, hole, pallam, lowness, paUayam (paUaii/am), ofieringto demons, 
paUaicci, dwarfish woman, pal, milk, palam, bridge, pdlar, herdsmen, pdlai, 
B,Tidi,pdli, cave, yULa^q, pdlayam (pdlaiyam) country, camp, pali, encampment, 
pdlai, palmtree, pilli, demon, piilam, ricefield, puldl, flesh, pulai, flesh, pul, 
meanness, pidlu, grass, pullam, ignorant, paUi, lizard, malam, excretion, 
malar, flower, malai, hill, mal, boxing, mallam, strength, malli, jasmine, mallu, 
wrestling, malai, rain, mall/im, strength, mdl, greatness, mullai, jasmine, 
tnul, miillu, thorn, ;»?/, above, valam, rightside, ralam, power, rali, strength, 
strong, valai, net, vallar, strong persons, i'f?//(7;un», beloved, t-allava)!, shep- 
herd, valli, woman, village, ralliyam, vUlage of shepherds, i-alnti, poetical 
epithet of the Pand}-a kings, valappam, ralamai, vahim, valari. strength, 
valavan, epithet of Cola, vallam, com measure, raUiyam, pipe, pepper, vdljii, 
plantain, ivf^, sword, ril, bow, l illi, Manmatha, rcZ. white, rcllniii, inxmdation, 
t'c^.^j, silver, ^'f/, lance, f^/i', village, sugaixane-reed, iSrc; in Teluffii .- 
ala, wave, ala {alia), then, alii, water, \\\y,all<\ bowstring.f/i?, yoimg, ella, 
all, limit, white {vclla), palla (pi/lla), red, reddish, pdhmu, camp, palhmu, 
saucer, pala, name of a tree, white, jay, pdlii, share, milk, pilla, child, pilli, 
cat, pidi (palla), sour, pitli, tiger, piilu (pullii), grass, piilla, piece, balla, 
bench, bhdlj, affection, mala, mountain, malomu, dirt, malu, ag-ain, tmlln 
