Know the Etymology: 281
Place Name of the Day: Tuesday, 03 September 2013

Parei-gama, Pu'raath-thoaddam

பரெய் க₃ம, புறாத்தோட்டம்
Pareygama, Puṟāttōṭṭam

Pareyi+gama
Puraa+thoaddam

The village of pigeons
The garden or orchard of pigeons

Pareyiyaa	Colloquial of Paraviyaa: Pigeon, dove (Sinhala); Pareyi-mal: An orchid with small white flowers like pigeons, Dendrobium crumenatum (Sinhala); Pa'ravai: Bird (Tamil, DED 4020); Para: (verb) to fly (Tamil, DED 4020); Cognates found in 11 Dravidian languages; Pu'ravu: Pigeon, Dove (Tamil, DED 4334). Cognates found in 10 Dravidian languages
Pu'raa	Also, Puravu, Puravam: Pigeon, dove, (Tamil, 4334). Cognates found in 10 Dravidian languages.
Thoaddam	Garden, orchard, plantation, (Tamil, DED 3549); Traced to the root Thoa'ndu: (verb) to dig (Tamil, DED 3549); The verb root Thoa'ndu also means unloading as of a ship (Tamil, DED 3549, Pu'ra:naanoo'ru, 30: 12-13) that might have formed the word Thoaddam (Eezham Tamil)/ Tota (Sinhala), meaning a port, harbour or emporium. Cognates are found in 15 Dravidian languages
Gama	Village (Sinhala); Graama: Troop, village (Sanskrit, CDIAL 4368); Gaama: Village (Pali, Prakrit, CDIAL 4368)

Parei is a shortened form of Pareyi, which is the adjective of Pareyiyaa, meaning a pigeon or dove in Sinhala. The standard form in Sinhala for Pareyiyaa is Paraviyaa. The word corresponds to the Tamil words, either Pa'ravai meaning a bird, or Pu'ravu/ Pu'raa meaning a pigeon or dove.

The Tamil cognates are listed as words of Dravidian etymology (DED 4020, 4334).

Pu'ravu:

“Thuthai men thoovith thu'naip pu'ravu” (Ku'runthokai 174: 3)

“துதை மென் தூவித் துணைப் புறவு” (குறுந்தொகை 174: 3)

The pigeon pair of packed, soft feathers


Pu'raa:

“Pun pu'raa uyavum venthuka'l iyavil” (Natti'nai 66: 5)

“புன் புறா உயவும் வெந்துகள் இயவில்” (நற்றிணை 66: 5)

The hot dusty way (in the arid tract) where a little dove grieves (after eating a wrong fruit)

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Thoaddam in Tamil generally means a garden, orchard or plantation. The word of Dravidian etymology is traced to the verb root Thoa'ndu meaning to dig (DED 3549). In another sense, Thoa'ndu in old Tamil diction has also meant unloading as of a ship (DED 3549) that might have rendered the other meaning port, harbour or emporium for Thoaddam (as in Maa-thoaddam) in Eezham Tamil, Tho'ndi in Tamil/ Malayalam and Tota in Sinhala.

See earlier columns for etymological discussions on Gama meaning a village in Sinhala/ Indo-Aryan.

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Parei-gama is a village in the Walallawita division of Kalutara district.

Pu'raath-thoaddam is a village in the Addaa'laichcheanai division of Ampaa'rai district.

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Some related place names:

Thoaddam meaning garden, orchard or plantation:

Moolaith-thoaddam: The garden in the corner; Mannaar Town division, Mannaar district

Paddith-thoaddam: The garden or orchard that is also a cattle pen; Mannaar Town division, Mannaar district

Peththaan-thoaddam: The added garden or the garden of a bonded person; Naanaaddaan division. Mannaar district. Peththam: Think added (Tamil, Jaffna usage, MTL); Bond, tie (MTL)

Akaththi-muripputh-thoaddam: The garden of the barrage (tank) of Akaththi trees; Musali division, Mannaar district

Pooth-thoaddam: The flower garden; Puthukkudiyiruppu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Poo:n-thoaddam: The flower garden; Oddusuddaan division, Mullaiththeevu district

Suvaami-thoaddam: The garden of a deity or a person called Suvaami; Karaithu'rappattu division, Mullaiththeevu district

Karadith-thoaddam; the garden or orchard frequented by bears; Kaaraitheevu division, Ampaa'rai district

Arasadith-thoaddam: The garden in the locality of a Bo tree; Ninthavoor division, Ampaa'rai district

Maa:n-thoaddam; The mango grove; Ninthvoor division, Ampaa'rai district

Peru:n-thoaddam: The big garden; Vaakarai division, Batticaloa district

Maaddup-pul-thoaddam: The garden providing grass for cattle; Vaazhaichcheanai division, Batticaloa district

Maramunthirikaith-thoaddam: The cashew-nut plantation; Vaazhaichcheanai division, Batticaloa district

Munaith-thoaddam: The garden at the point; Vaazhaichcheanai division, BNatticaloa district

Vi'laa:n-thoaddam: The grove of wood apple trees; Ea'raavoorpattu division, Batticaloa district; Vellaave'li division, Batticaloa district

Narippul-thoaddam: The garden of Narippul grass; Vellaave'li division, Batticaloa district

A'ruvu-thoaddam: The garden of A'ruku grass; Ki'n'niyaa division Trincomalee district

Rubber-thoaddam: The rubber plantation; Ki'n'niyaa division, Trincomalee district

Thoaddam: The garden or orchard; Vellaave'li division, Batticaloa district

First published: Tuesday, 03 September 2013, 06:23