Know the Etymology: 32
Place Name of the Day: Sunday, 21 May 2017

Neṭun-tīvu, Puṅkuṭu-tīvu, Nayiṉā-tīvu, Eḻuvai-tīvu, Maṇṭai-tīvu

நெடுந்தீவு, புங்குடுதீவு, நயினாதீவு, எழுவைதீவு, மண்டைதீவு
Neṭun-tīvu, Puṅkuṭu-tīvu, Nayiṉā-tīvu, Eḻuvai-tīvu, Maṇṭai-tīvu

Neṭum+tīvu
Puṅkuṭu+tīvu
Nayiṉā+tīvu
Eḻuvai+tīvu
Maṇṭai+tīvu

The island at the long distance or the big island

The island of Puṅku trees

The lord's island

The island at the entry; or the island having enclosures; or the island of goats

The island (of the waters) found with Maṇṭai fish; or the island (of the waters) to lay Maṇṭā fishing net; or the island (of the waters) to go for harpoon fishing

Tīvu	island, islet, water-surrounded ground or bank (Eezham Tamil place names); island (Tamil, Caṅkam diction, Puṟanāṉūṟu, 397: 21-22); Tīvam: island (Tamil, Maṇimēkalai, 21: 90); Tīvakam: island (Tamil, Maṇimēkalai, 25: 131); Tīv: island (Malayalam); Tīyar: a caste in Malayāḷam (Tamil, DED 3277); Tīyan, Tīvan: the caste of the palm-cultivators, toddy-drawers, sugar-makers, etc., said to be islanders from Ceylon (Malayalam, DED 3277); Jīva, Jīfa: island, as in Paṇañ-jīva, Faṇan-jīfa: the Maldives (old Dhivehi/ Maldivian, Boḍugalu Miskit Lōmāfānu Copperplates of the Maldives; equivalent of the term Paḻan-tīvu, literally meaning the old islands and referring to the Maldives in Tamil inscriptions; note the Ḻ/ Ṇ change and T/ J change); Dību: island (Dhivehi/ Maldivian, as in Faṇań-dību in Haddunmatī Lōmāfānu copperplate): Tīmu: island, as in the island names Ańgoḷi-tīmu, Kańḍi-tīmu, Rasge-tīmu, U-tīmu (Dhivehi/ Maldivian, EDMIN); Dippoḷu: atoll, as in the atoll names Ihavań-dippoḷu and Fā-dippoḷu; from Dīpa+oḷu, line of islands (Dhivehi/ Maldivian, EDMIN); Dū, Duvu, Duvā, Ḍū, Dīfu: island (Dhivehi/ Maldivian, DBF); Dūva: island, any small spot of ground or bank surrounded by water (Sinhala, Clough); Dūpata: islet (Sinhala, Clough); Div, Divi, Divu, Divayina: = Dvīpa: island, bank or high ground surrounded by water, "Hātpasin jalayēn vaṭa vū goḍabima" (Sinhala, Sorata); Etymology 1: Dvīpa: land, island (Sanskrit, CDIAL 6691); island, peninsula, sandbank (Sanskrit, Rig Vedic, etymology traced to Dvi+ap; Pāṇini, IV: 74; VI: 3, 97; Monier Williams; Dvi: two; Ap: water; meaning water on either side?); Dīpa, Dīpaka: island (Pali, CDIAL 6691); Dīva: island (Prakrit, CDIAL 6691); Diyā: island in a river; Zuvu: island; Juvē, Jū: island in a river (in some IA languages, CDIAL 6691); Etymology 2: Tippai: mound, elevated ground (Tamil, DED 3229); Tippa: small island, heap, mound, hill (Telugu, DED 3229); Tippe: heap (Kannada, Tulu, DED 3229); Dibba, Dibbu: eminence, hillock (Kannada, DED 3229); Dibba: heap, mound, hillock (Telugu, DED 3229); Dībe: heap (Gondi, DED 3229); Ḍepa: rising ground, shore, high land (Kui, DED 3229); Bāli-dibba: sand hill (Kuwi, DED 3229); cognates in 12 Dravidian languages; Tumpu: (verb) be amassed (Kannada, DED 3331); Etymology 3: Nīr-demma: island (Parji, DED 3239); Dimba: bank of a river (Kannada, 3239); Dimmi: an eminence, elevated spot (Kannada, DED 3239); Temar: rising ground (Kannada, DED 3239); Dimma: mound (Telugu, DED 3239); Timir: (verb) to grow, to grow stout (Tamil, DED 3233). See columns 42, 134 and 145
Neṭu	(adjective) long; (verb) to be long (Tamil, DED 3738); Neṭumai: length, extension, greatness, excessiveness (Tamil, DED 3738); cognates in 7 Dravidian languages; Nīḷ: (verb) to be long, be great (Tamil, DED 3692); Nīṭu: (verb) to grow long, be lengthened, extended, copious (Tamil, DED 3692); cognates in 11 Dravidian languages. See column 105
Puṅku	1. a tree, Indian beech, Pongamia glabra, commonly found in Jaffna; also another tree, Dalbergia lanceolaria (Tamil, DED 4341); Puṉku: = Puṅku, Pongamia glabra (Tamil, DED, Caṅkam diction, Akanāṉūṟu, 116: 5); = Puṉa-muruṅkai, Butea frondosa (Tamil, Tivākaram, 4: 20); Puvaṅku-divayina: an island noted among Buddhist pilgrim centres in Demaḷa Paṭṭanama (Tamil city), identified with Puṅkuṭu-tīvu (Sinhala, Nampota, Indrapala, 2006, p. 224); Puvańgu, Piyaṅgu: a tree, said to be equivalent to Ruk-gasa, "Enam gasa, Rukgasẹsi samaharu kiyati" (Sinhala, Sorata); a lofty tree which produces fragrant flowers, Myristica horsfieldia (Sinhala, Clough); Piyaṅku: millets and plants like Panicum italicum, a medicinal plant called panic seed etc. (Pali, CDIAL 8976); Priyaṅku: = Piyaṅku, millets and plants like Panicum italicum, a medicinal plant called panic seed etc. (Sanskrit, CDIAL 8976); 2. Probably related to Puṅkam: greatness, eminence (Tamil, Campantar, 3: 25: 6); Puṅkavar: deities and celestials in general (Tamil, Tivākaram, 1: 28); Puṅkavaṉ: Buddha (Tamil, Thivākaram, 1: 12); Jina, lord (in Jaina usage, Tamil, Cīvaka Cintāmaṇi, 3: 111); Siva (Tamil, Kampar, Āraṇya Kāṇṭam, 12: 9); sage Akattiyar (Tamil, Takka-yākap-paraṇi 624); the word form Puṅkuṭu eludes satisfactory explanation
Nayiṉā	from Nayiṉār: lord, kinglet: (Tamil, inscription, 1442 CE, ARE, 1925, 429); lord, master, god, title of Jainas, the deity Aiyaṉār, the folk deity Citragupta (Tamil, MTL); title of Tamil Muslims, as in Nayiṉā Muhammatu, Naiṉa-marakkar etc. (Tamil usage); Nāyaṉ: god, king, lord (Tamil, MTL); Nāyaṉār: lord, master, god, Siva, Saiva saints, title of certain castes (Tamil, MTL). See columns 145 and 395
Eḻuvai	probably, 1. Eḻuvāy: one that appears first; or the entrance in the front; Eḻu: (verb) to rise, appear, begin, commence (Tamil, DED 851a); Vāy: mouth (Tamil, DED 5352); 2. Eḻu, Eḻuvu: a toponymic component noticed in Jaffna, probably meaning an enclosure made of irregular stones. Such enclosures made of coral are commonly seen in the islands off Jaffna (related to Aḻu in Malayalam and Aḻuvam in Tamil, DED 286, see column 225); 3. Eḷu, Eḷuvā: goat (Sinhala, Clough); Ēḻakam: ram, male goat (Tamil, Caṅkam diction, Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai, 326); Eḷaka: ram, wild goat (Pali, CDIAL 2512); Ēla: ram (Prakrit, CDIAL 2512); Ēḍu: goat (Tulu, DED 5152); Ēḍa: a kind of sheep; Ēḍaka: a sheep or goat (Sanskrit, etymology traced to Dravidian, CDIAL 2512)
Maṇṭai	1. Probably from a kind of fish found in the sea around the island; the term comes in some varieties of fish found in Jaffna, such as, Maṇṭaik-keḷiṟu: Arius thalassinus (Tamil, Murukanantham, p. 146); Maṇṭaik-kāṟal: Equula edentula (Tamil, MTL); Tuḷḷu-maṇṭai: a kind of fish (Tamil, Jaffna usage); seems to be related to the bulkiness of the head of the fish types; Maṇṭai: head, skull, cranium (Tamil, DED 4682); 2. Probably from a kind of fishing net used in the waters; Maṇṭal-valai: a fishing net that reaches and stays at the bottom of the seabed (Tamil, Murukanantham, p. 145); Maṇṭi: sediment (Tamil, DED 4676); Maṇṭal: going down, related to Maṇṭi: kneeling (Tamil, DED 4677); 3. Probably from Maṇṭā fishing, i.e., use of harpoon in fishing; Maṇṭā: harpoon used especially in fishing ray fish (Tamil, Murukanantham, p. 145-146; Maṇṭu: (verb) to thrust in, attack, Tamil, DED 4681)

Tīvu is a common term in Tamil meaning an island. Usage examples in Tamil go back to the Caṅkam times.

In Eezham Tamil place names, in addition to meaning an island, the word also means an islet, sandbank islet, seasonally or permanently water-surrounded ground, marsh-surrounded ground etc. (see column 42).

The etymology of Tīvu is usually traced to Dvīpa meaning island, peninsula or sandbank in Sanskrit/ Indo-Āryan that probably comes from the root Dvi+ap meaning water on either side (CDIAL 6691, Pāṇini, Monier Williams).

There are also other etymological possibilities of tracing the term Tīvu in Tamil to Dravidian etyma such as Tim, Tip, Dim, Dib etc., connected to mound/ heap/ bank formation.

See box on Tīvu above for cognates in Indo-Aryan and in Dravidian.

* * *

Usage example for Tīvu in Caṅkam diction:

"வாய் வாள் வலம்படு தீவின் பொலம் பூண் வளவன்" (புறநானுறு, 397: 21-22)

"Vāy vāḷ valampaṭu tīviṉ polam pūṇ vaḷavaṉ" (Puṟanāṉuṟu, 397: 21-22)

The Cōḻa king, who is attired with gold coming from the island conquered by his sword

* * *

Neṭu, basically meaning long or high in Tamil/ Dravidian, means long distance or largeness in the case of the Neṭun-tīvu Island off Jaffna and in the case of an uninhabited islet having the same name in Kaṟpiṭṭi lagoon in Puttalam. Nīḷ and Nīṭu are other related verbs in Tamil/ Dravidian, meaning to be long, be extensive, copious etc. See column 105.

Neṭun-tīvu is the farthest among the inhabited islands off Jaffna. In the past, the island also had the names Pacut-tīvu (meaning the island of cows; Ilha das Vacas in Portuguese records) and Taṉat-tīvu (probably meaning the same). Tanni-divayina, listed in Nampota in the context of Buddhist pilgrim centres in Demaḷa Paṭṭanama (Indrapala. K., 2006, p. 224) is probably a Sinhala rendering of Taṉat-tīvu. The Dutch gave the name Delft to the island, after the place of the same name in the Netherlands.

* * *

Puṅku, as seen in the island name Puṅkuṭu-tīvu, may mean the tree called by that name in Tamil/ Dravidian and commonly found in Jaffna (DED 4341). Puvaṅku-divayina noted in Nampota is identified with Puṅkuṭu-tīvu (Indrapala, 2006, p. 224). Puvaṅku may be a Sinhala equivalent of Puṅku or may be another tree. Whether Puṅku or Puvaṅku, the word-form Puṅkuṭu eludes convincing explanation.

Puṅkuṭu-tīvu was given the name Middleburg in the Dutch times.

* * *

Reference to Puṉku/ Puṅku in Caṅkam literature:

"பொரி எனப் புன்கு அவிழ் அகன் துறை" (அகநானூறு, 116: 6)

"Pori eṉap puṉku aviḻ akaṉ tuṟai" (Akanāṉūṟu, 116: 6)

The broad bathing ghat (of the river) where Puṉku trees blossom flowers looking like popped cereal

* * *

In Tamil usage examples the word Nayiṉā means a lord or master. The word also could be found as a part or title in some Tamil Muslim names. Nayiṉā is a shortened form Nayiṉār and Nāyaṉār. The latter forms have more meanings such as kinglet, god, certain deities, certain caste titles etc. The terms are related to Nāya and Nāta in Sanskrit. See column 395.

In the past, Nayiṉā-tīvu was called by different names at different times. It was called Pirāmaṇat-tīvu (the Brahmins' Island, Yāḻppāṇa Vaipava Kaumuti, p. 73, noting on events of Portuguese times) and was also called Papparavat-tīvu (the island of people from Africa, mentioned in the family records of Kāraitīvu temple priests noting on events of the Dutch times, Kaṇapatīsvarak Kurukkaḷ Memorial Number, 1967; Papparavar in Jaffna were mostly members of African Muslim soldier guilds coming in the times of the Kingdom of Jaffna, Vaiyā Pāṭal, 77; Papparavaṉ-calli is the land deed name of today's Nāka-pūṣaṇi temple ground in Nayiṉā-tīvu; also see column 81). Nāga-divayina, listed among the Buddhist pilgrim centres of Demaḷa Paṭṭanama in Sinhala Nampota is believed to be Nayiṉā-tīvu (Indrapala, 2006, p. 224). But in the early past, Nāka-dīva/ Nāga-dīpa was a name standing for the entire peninsula of Jaffna (Vallipuram Gold Plate). Identification of Nayiṉā-tīvu with Maṇipallavam of the Tamil Buddhist epic Maṇimēkalai is only a speculation.

* * *

Nayiṉār meaning a lord or kinglet:

"நயினார் காணிக்கை ஒரு பணம்" (Tamil inscription, 1442 CE, ARE, 1925, 429)

"Nayiṉār kāṇikkai oru paṇam" (Tamil inscription, 1442 CE, ARE, 1925, 429)

One unit of money as tribute to the lord (a Nāyakka kinglet in this case)

* * *

The component Eḻuvai as seen in Eḻuvai-tīvu could be interpreted in different ways.

Eḻu could be related to the entrance position of the island to go to the other islands off Jaffna, when coming from the north. Eḻu may be related to the toponymic component Eḻu/ Eḻuvu, exclusively noticed in Jaffna, possibly meaning a kind of enclosure made of rough coral stones (see column 225). Eḻu could also be related to Eḷu/ Eḷuvā meaning goat in Sinhala and Ēḻakam meaning the same in old Tamil. In all the said possibilities the terms are of Dravidian etymology (see box above)

* * *

Maṇṭai, as coming in Maṇṭai-tīvu, is possibly related to a kind of fish or fishing in the waters around the island. The island is located at a mouth where Palk Bay enters into Jaffna Lagoon close to Jaffna City, which is a potential fishing area. See box on Maṇṭai for possible meanings.

* * *

Neṭun-tīvu Island itself is designated as a division in Jaffna district. Delft was the name given to the island by the Dutch.

Puṅkuṭu-tīvu Island is in Kayts division of Jaffna district. The Dutch named it as Middleburg.

Nayiṉā-tīvu is an island in the Kayts division of Jaffna district.

Eḷuvai-tīvu Island is in Kayts division of Jaffna district.

Maṇṭai-tīvu Island is located adjacent to Kayts Island and is in the Kayts division of Jaffna district

* * *

Some related place names:

Kārai-tīvu: Karainagar, Jaffna, Jaffna OIS; Puṅkuṭu-tīvu, Jaffna, Delft OIS; Kalpitti, Puttalam, Kutiraimalai OIS; Karaitheevu, Amparai, Kalmunai OIS. Kārai: a common shrub, Webera tetrandra. See column 68

Kuriñcā-tīvu: Puṅkuṭu-tīvu, Jaffna, Delft OIS; near Parantaṉ, Kilinochchi, Elephant Pass OIS. Kuṟiñcā: a creeper, see Kuṟiñcāppiṭṭi in column 37

Ūra-tīvu: also Ūṟa-tivu: Puṅkuṭu-tīvu, Jaffna, Delft OIS. Ūra: probably 1. Ūri: a kind of small conical seashell. When dead, the shells are occupied by hermit crabs (Eezham Tamil); conch (Tamil, MTL); snail (Tamil, MTL app.); Ūral: shellfish (Tamil, Piṅkalam, 8: 333); Ūr: (verb) to move slowly, creep, crawl (Tamil, DED 749); 2. Ūṟal: saline land?; Uppūṟaṇi: being impregnated with salt, as saline soil (Tamil, MTL); wet marshy land (Tamil, MTL); Ūru-bim: saline ground, "Luṇukara bima" (Sinhala, Sorata); Ūṟu: (verb) to ooze, percolate, soak, be steeped (Tamil, DED 761)

Palla-tīvu/ Pallai-tīvu: an islet adjacent to Puṅkuṭu-tīvu; Delft OIS. Pallam: grazing land, cattle pen, settlement of cattle-herders (Tamil, related to Paḷḷi, DED 4018)

Kaṇṇāt-tīvu: also Kaṇṇā-tīvu: Puṅkuṭu-tīvu, Jaffna, Delft OIS; Kayts, Jaffna, Jaffna OIS; near Maṇṇittalai, Pūnakari, Kilinochchi, Pūnakari OIS. Kaṇṇā: mangrove (Eezham Tamil); related to Kaṇṭal: Rhizophora mucronata, Kandelia rheedii (Tamil, DED 1171). See column 37

Kacca-tīvu: see column 22

Pālai-tīvu: uninhabited island, Poonakari OIS. Pālai: a tree, Mimusops hexandra

Kaṟkaṭa-tīvu/ Kākkara-tīvu: an uninhabited islet located southeast of Neṭun-tīvu and south of Puṅkuṭu-tīvu in the Palk Bay. The church in the islet comes under Neṭun-tīvu parish (the island is marked in Delft OIS, as Kakerativu); Kaṟkaṭa: probably adjective of Kaṟ-kaṇṭam: stony or rocky piece of land; Kaṟ: conjunction form of Kal: stone, rock (Tamil, DED 1298); Kaṇṭam: piece, piece of land (Tamil, see column 85); See Kākkara-tīvu

Kākkara-tīvu/ Kaṟkaṭa-tīvu: an uninhabited islet located southeast of Neṭun-tīvu and south of Puṅkuṭu-tīvu in the Palk Bay. The church in the islet comes under Neṭun-tīvu parish (the island is marked in Delft OIS, as Kakerativu); Kākkarai: Indian partridge, also called Kavutāri, Kautāri (Tamil, heard in Jaffna usage); Kakkare: partridge (Kolami, DED 1078); Kākral: partridge (Parji, DED 1078); the bird is commonly seen in the wilds of Jaffna and Mannar, it might have been brought to the islet; note the place name Kākkaraik-kuḷam (noted as Kekerai-kulam, Point Pedro OIS); also note Kavutāri-muṉai (Pooneryn OIS). See Kaṟkaṭa-tīvu

Iraṇai-tīvu: Tunukkai OIS. Iraṇai: twins (Tamil, DED 474)

Kākkai-tīvu: north of Jaffna city, Jaffna OIS; Valaip-pāṭu, Tunukkai OIS; Kalpitti, Puttalam, Kalpitti OIS. Kākkai: a sea bird in this case. See column 42

Neriyanpi-tīvu: near Vēlaṇai, Kayts, Jaffna, Jaffna OIS. Spelling and meaning uncertain

Ciṟu-tīvu: near Jaffna City, Kayts, Jaffna, Jaffna OIS. Ciṟu: small

Kurucāṭṭi-tīvu: near Jaffna City, Kayts, Jaffna, Jaffna OIS. Kurucu: Holy Cross. There is a church at this uninhabited islet

Paruttit-tīvu: also called Paṟavait-tīvu; located between Eḷuvai-tīvu and Aṉalai-tīvu, Jaffna OIS. Paritti: cotton (Tamil, DED 3976); Paṟavai: bird in general (Tamil, DED 4020)

Aṉalai-tīvu: Kayts, Jaffna; Jaffna OIS; Dona Clara (name given by the Portuguese, Yāḻppāṇa Vaipava Kaumuti, p. 73); Rotterdam (name given by the Dutch); Aṉalai: 1. Probably a maritime term, Aṇalai: a term meaning middle or attached; the island is in the middle between Eḻuvai-tīvu and Nayiṉā-tīvu; it is a unit of two attached islands, Aṉalai-tīvu and Puḷiyan-tīvu; Aṇa: (verb) to be joined, united (Tamil, DED 120); 2. probably, Aṇalai: a myrobalan tree, Kaṭukkāy, Terminalia chebula; Aṇile: Terminalia chebula, or ink-nut tree (Kannada, Tulu, DED 119)

Puḻiyan-tīvu: an islet attched to Aṉalai-tīvu; Jaffna OIS; near Talai-maṉṉār, Thalaimannar OIS. Puḷi: tamarind tree

Mān-tīvu: near Maṇṇittalai, Pūnakari, Kilinochchi, Pooneryn OIS; near Puttalam, Puttalam OIS; Batticaloa, Batticaloa OIS. Mā: probably related to 1. Māñ-cēru: a kind of mud found in seabed (Tamil maritime term, Murukanantham, p. 185); 2. Māṉ-pāṭu: a liquid film seen in the surface of seawater indicating large shoal of fish underneath (Tamil maritime term, Murukanamtham, p. 185); 3. big; 4. mango tree

Pūvaracan-tīvu: near Maṇṇittalai, Pūnakari, Kilinochchi, Pooneryn OIS; Trincomalee, Trincomalee OIS. Pūvaracu: Portia tree (Tamil, DED 4345+202). See column 65

Kēra-tīvu: Thenmaradchi, Jaffna, marked as Kēra-tīvu as well as Kāra-tīvu, Pooneryn OIS. See Kārai-tīvu

Karukkāi-tīvu: near Pūnakari, Kilinochchi, Pooneryn OIS. Kaṟuk-kāy, Kaṭuk-kāy: Chebulic myrobalan, Terminalia chebula (Tamil, DED 1134).

Celliyā-tīvu: near Pūnakari, Kilinochchi, Pooneryn OIS. From Calliya-tīvu or Calliyā-tīvu; Calli: small fragments of shells etc. (Tamil, DED 2381). See column 91. Ā: Adjectival suffix and genitive case suffix noticed in Tamil Brahmi inscriptions and in old Kannada (ETE, 61, 66)

Āvarampaṭi-tīvu: near Pālāvikk-kuḷam, Poṉṉāveḷi, Kilinochchi, Pooneryn OIS. Āvarampu+aṭi; Āvaram: a shrub, Cassia auriculata (Tamil, DED 391); Aṭi: locality

Periya-tīvu: near Kēratīvu, Thenmaradchi, Jaffna, Pooneryn OIS; Puttaḷam, Puttalam OIS; Batticaloa, Batticaloa OIS. Periya: big

Ciṉṉa-kākkai-tīvu: near Kēra-tīvu, Thenmaradchi, Jaffna, Pooneryn OIS. Ciṉṉa: small; see Kākkai-tīvu

Mullait-tīvu: Mullaiththeevu, Mullaiththeevu OIS. Mullai: a shrub or small tree in Eezham Tamil usage. See column 42

Ciṉṉa-tīvu: near Valaip-pāṭu, Tunukkai OIS. Ciṉṉa: small

Viṭattal-tīvu: Vidaththaltheevu, Mannar; Mantai OIS. Viṭattal: a shrub, Dichrostachys cinerea (Tamil, DED 5391). See column 42

Kaḷḷiyaṭi-tīvu: near Talai-maṉṉār, Thalaimannar OIS. Kaḷḷi+aṭi; Kaḷḷi: spurge, Euphorbia; milk hedge, Euphobia tirucalli; prickly pear, Opuntia dillenii (Tamil, DED 1383); Aṭi: locality

Kaṇṇāṭi-tīvu: near Arippu, Mannar, Murunkan OIS. Kal+nāṭṭi > Kaṉ+nāṭṭi: where a boundary stone etc., is erected. See column 197

Kilācci-tīvu: near Arippu, Mannar, Murunkan OIS. Kiḷā: = Kaḷā, Carissa spinarum, Carissa caradas (Tamil, DED 1377); Ācci: an affix

Ippaṉ-tīvu: Kalpitti OIS. Ippaṉ: turtle, tortoise; Ibbā: land tortoise (Sinhala, Clough); Ippi: shell (Tamil, DED 2535)

Ōṭakkāraṉ-tīvu: Kalpitti OIS. Ōṭak-kāran: boatman. See column 42

Erumai-tīvu: or Erumait-tīvu: Valaip-pāṭu, Tunukkai OIS; Kalpitti OIS. Erumai: buffalo, female buffalo (Tamil, DED 816)

Ciṉṉa-erumai-tīvu: Kalpitti OIS. Ciṉṉa: small (Tamil, DED 2594); see Erumai-tīvu

Pampa-tīvu: Kalpitti OIS. This is a marshland; Pampai: a reed that grows in marshes and along ponds. Note the place name Pampai-maṭu. See column 499

Māṭṭut-tīvu: Kalpitti OIS. Māṭu: cow, ox, buffalo (Tamil, DED 4798)

Ampaṭṭa-tīvu: or Ampaṭṭat-tīvu: Kalpitti OIS. Ampaṭṭaṉ: barber

Kiḷit-tīvu: near Kaṟpiṭṭi, Kalpitti OIS. Kiḷi: parrot (Tamil, DED 1584)

Mariputu-tīvu: Kaṟpiṭṭi, Kalpitti OIS. Spelling and meaning uncertain

Sōma-tīvu: Kaṟpiṭṭi, Kalpitti OIS. Spelling and meaning uncertain

Pampu-tīvu: Puttalam OIS. See Pampa-tīvu

Āttaṭi-tīvu: Puttalam OIS. Āṟṟu+aṭi+tīvu > Āṟṟaṭi+tīvu > Āttaṭittivu; Āṟu: river; canal in the case of the place name; Aṭi: locality

Karaṭit-tivu: Puttalam OIS. Karaṭi: bear; Karaṭṭi, Karaṭṭu: rugged

Hēvā-tīvu: Puttalam OIS. Hēvā: service (Sinhala)

Tēttāvaṭit-tīvu: Kuchchaveli, Trincomalee. Tēttā+ aṭi+ tīvu. See column 42

Pēyt-tīvu: Trincomalee OIS. Pēy: devil, goblin (Tamil, DED 4438)

Naṭut-tīvu: Kinniya, Trincomalee; Moothoor, Trincomalee; Trincomalee OIS. Naṭu: middle

Kuruvit-tīvu: Trincomalee OIS. Kuruvi: small bird in general (Tamil, 1793). See column 242

Kūṉit-tīvu: Moothoor, Trincomalee, Trincomalee OIS, Kūṉi: a very small shrimp (Tamil, Winslow); common shrimp (Tamil, MTL). See column 42

Kokkā-tīvu: Trincomalee, Trincomalee OIS. Kokkā: from Kokku+ā; Kokku: common crane, stork (Tamil, DED 2125); Ā: adjectival or genitive suffix (Tamil, Brahmi inscriptions, ETE 61, 66)

Mayil-tivu: Kinniya, Trincomalee, Trincomalee OIS. Mayil: probably Mayilai shrub in this case

Paṇṭit-tīvu: near Katiraveḷi, Katiraveli OIS. Paṇṭi, Paṉṟi: boar, pig (Tamil, DED 4039)

Āṉait-tīvu: a place south of Īccilampattai, Trincomalee, Katiraveli OIS. Āṉai: elephant

Callit-tīvu: Koralaippattu, Batticaloa, Katiraveli OIS. Calli: small pieces of shells (Tamil, DED 2381). See column 91

Verana-tīvu: north of Māṅ-kēṇi, Kalkudah OIS. Spelling and meaning uncertain

Kumpuṟu-tīvu: near Kalkuṭā, Kalkuda OIS. Kuṁburu: paddy field. See column 221

Ciṟiya-tīvu: Batticaloa, Batticaloa OIS. Ciṟiya: small

Tēttāt-tīvu: Manmunai South and Eruvilpattu, Batticaloa, Kalmunai OIS. Tēṟṟā > Tēttā: a water-clearing-nut tree, Strychnos potatorium (Tamil, DED 3471). See column 42

Pōra-tīvu: Poratheevuppattu, Batticaloa. See column 42

Kōyil-pōra-tīvu: Poratheevuppattu, Batticaloa. See column 42

Periya-pōra-tīvu: Poratheevuppattu, Batticaloa. See column 42

Karuṅkoṭit-tīvu: also Karuṅ-koṭṭit-tīvu: Akkaraippattu, Amparai, Kalmunai OIS. Karuṅ-koṭi: a creeping plant of medicinal value (Tamil, Winslow, MTL); Karuṅ-koṭṭi: an aquatic plant, Aponogeton (Tamil, MTL)

Ciṉṉa-mullait-tīvu: Akkaraippattu, Amparai. Ciṉṉa: small; the term differentiates the place from Mullait-tīvu in the North. See column 42

* * *


Revised: Sunday, 21 May 2017, 18:30

First published: Sunday, 15 July 2007, 01:00