Know the Etymology: 437
Place Name of the Day: Wednesday, 06 January 2016

Thumba-liyadda, Æl-liyadda, Karal-liyadda

தும்ப₃-லியத்₃த₃,
எ[æ]ல்-லியத்₃த₃,
கரல்-லியத்₃த₃
Tumba-liyadda, Ael-liyadda, Karal-liyadda

Thumba+liyadda
Æl+liyadda
Karal+liyadda

The grid for the cultivation of a kind of gourd

The grid for the cultivation of Æl-vee paddy

The cereal cultivation grid

Liyadda	also Liyædda (singular), Liyædi, liyadi (plural): grid, grid of cultivation field, division or bed of a paddy field (Sinhala); Liyadda, Liyædi, Liyadi: “Kumburaka niyarin vata ka'la kæbælla” (Sinhala, Sorata); from Liyu: to cut into small pieces, written or inscribed (Sinhala); Liyanawaa: (verb) to write, inscribe, engrave, mince or chop into small pieces (Sinhala); Likhati: scratches, writes (Sanskrit, CDIAL 11050); scratches, carves, writes (Pali, CDIAL 11050)
Thumba1	also Thumbi: long gourd, Momordica (Sinhala, Clough); Tumbam: a long gourd, Leganaria (Malayalam, DED app. 43); Thumpi: calabash gourd, Leganaria vulgaris (Tamil, MTL, DED app. 43); Tumbi, Tumba: Leganaria vulgaris (Kannada, DED app. 43); Tumba: the calabash gourd, Leganaria vulgaris (Sanskrit, Pali, CDIAL 5868); Thoompu: tube, tubularity (Tamil, DED 3389); Thumbi: bee, because of its honey-sucking limb; dragon-fly, because of its tubular shape (Tamil, DED 3328); elephant, because of its trunk (Tamil, DED 3330); Thumpik-kai: elephant's trunk (Tamil, DED 3330)
Thumba2	a spiny gourd, Momordica dioica; a small, oval-shaped gourd, with a projecting end and spiny exterior, “Thumba-karivila”, (Sinhala, Sorata); Either because of its gourd family (see Thumba 1) or because of the spines; Thumpu: frayed ends, fibre (Tamil, DED 3333, MTL)
Thumba3	a plant, Leucas zeylanica (Sinhala, Clough); “Gæta-thumba-gasa” (Sinhala Sorata); Thumpai: Leucas, Leucas aspera (Tamil, DED 3334, Ku'rignchippaaddu, 90); an ancient Tamil literary theme in which the flowers of the plant are worn to mark assembling for an attack on enemies (Pu'nam, 2: 14-15; Tholkaappiyam, 20: 12); Tumba: Leucas indica (Malayalam, DED 3334); Tumbe, Tumbi: Leucas indica, a very common weed, Leucas linifolia (Kannada, DED 3334); Leucas indica (Tulu, DED 3334); Tummi: Leucas cephalotes (Telugu, DED 3334); Probably from Thumpai: assembly, crowd (Tamil, DED 3331), or from the plant's attribute of visibly transferring water through its stem, related to Thoompu (DED 3389)
Æl	= S'aali, also Æl-vee: a kind of paddy (Sinhala, Sorata); Æl-ket: paddy field for growing Æl-vee paddy (Sinhala, Sorata); a kind of paddy field, i.e., ground which has been cleared of jungle and sawn with a particular kind of paddy (Sinhala, Clough); Æl-goviyaa: cultivator of hill paddy (Sinhala, Clough); S'aali: paddy of two kinds, one white and growing in deep water, and the other a red sort requiring only a moist soil (Sinhala, Clough); S'aali, Saal, Haal: rice in general (Sinhala, Clough); Hæl: Rice growing on hilly ground (Sinhala); Haal-ælvee: A kind of hill paddy (Sinhala);S'aali: Growing of unhusked rice, grains of rice (Sanskrit, CDIAL 12415); Saali: Rice (Pali, Prakrit, CDIAL 12415); Chaal: Furrow in ploughing, track of a sower while passing and re-passing in sowing (Tamil, DED 2470, Natti'nai, 340: 7); Chaali: Paddy, rice (Tamil); Paddy of red grains (Tamil, Changkam Diction, Porunaraattuppadai, 246); Chegn-chaali: Paddy of red grains (Tamil, Champanthar Theavaaram, 1: 60: 6); Chen-nel, Ve'n-nel: The red-grained and white-grained paddy respectively (Tamil, Ku'runthokai 53: 4-5, Akanaanoo'ru 340: 14); Saal: furrow (Kannada, Konda, DED 2471); Saalu: furrow (Tulu, Gadba, DED 2471); Aal: furrow (Gondi, DED 2471); See column on Hal-wella
Karal	ear of corn, pod or seed of any kind, plant Paspalum kora (Sinhala, Clough); “Goyam aadiyeahi æta tibena kotasa” (Sinhala, Sorata); reaped sheath of cereals, tresses of hair (Sinhala, Sorata); Kural: ear of corn, spike, sheath of millet, (Tamil, DED 1775, Ku'runthokai, 105: 1-5; Pu'ra:naanoo'ru, 168: 6); also bunch of flowers, tresses of hair (Tamil, Changkam diction); Koraloo: an ear of corn (Tulu, DED 1775); related to Kulai: (verb) to shoot forth in a bunch; (noun) cluster, bunch (DED 1810, L/ R change); Kuru: (verb) to appear, break out (Tamil, DED 1780); Kuruththu: shoots of grain or leaves (Tamil, DED 1791)

Liyadda or Liyædda literally means a grid as in a cultivation field, where the land is cut into beds by baulks for water management.

In usage, the Sinhala term usually means a cultivation field, especially a paddy field. But vegetable gardens and grids such as coconut husk-soaking beds are also called by that term, as could be seen from some of the prefixes of the Liyadda place-names.

Liyadda meaning a cultivation grid is related to other Sinhala words such as Liyu and liyanawaa, meaning to cut something into small pieces. Note that the same words are also related to writing, inscribing or engraving, because the basic meaning is cutting, grooving, scratching or making lines.

The said Sinhala words are of Indo-Aryan etymology. The word Likhati is used in Sanskrit and Pali, when someone scrapes, carves or writes (CDIAL 11050).

* * *

Thumba and Thumbi in Sinhala mean the vegetable, long-gourd of the Momordica family (Clough). Thumba also means a small, oval-shaped, protrusion-tipped, spiny vegetable of the species Momordica dioica. It is often called Thumba-karivila (Sorata) or Thumba-karavila, a combination of terms for gourd and bitter gourd.

The closest cognate is Tumbam meaning a long gourd in Malayalam. But many kinds of gourds, and especially the calabash gourd, are called by cognate terms in various Dravidian as well as Indo-Aryan languages. Both the DED and CDIAL have listed them.

A gourd is the common meaning found in all the Thumba-related cognates in the said languages. It seems the etymology is connected to the tubular attribute of various kinds of gourds. Thoompu in Tamil and in other Dravidian cognates mean tube or tubularity (DED 3389). Also note Thumpik-kai meaning the trunk of an elephant and Thumpi meaning a honeybee as well as a dragonfly in Tamil/ Dravidian (DED 3330, 3328).

The vegetable, Thumba-karivila, has a protruding tubular tip, but it could have also got its name by its spiny exterior. Thumpu in Tamil/ Dravidian also means frayed ends (DED 3333)

* * *

Another meaning for Thumba in Sinhala is the plant Leucas zeylanica, which is also called Gæta-thumba-gasa (Sorata). In some Sinhala place names the prefix Thumba seems to have been used in this sense of meaning.

The cognates in this context are Thumpai in Tamil and Tumba, Tumbe, Tumbi and Tummi in other Dravidian languages, meaning the same plant (DED 3334).

The plant is a densely growing weed and the etymology is probably related to Thumpai in Tamil also meaning assembly or crowd (DED 3331). The Thumpai plant noted in Changkam literature (Ku'rignchip-paaddu, 90), also marks the literary theme of assembling for an attack on enemies, as the garland of the flowers of Thumpai are worn on that occasion (Pu'ra:naanoo'ru, 2: 14-15; Tholkaapiyam, 20: 12).

The translucency of the stem of the plant is such that water going up could be seen. The etymology could therefore be related to the tube meaning of the word Thoompu as well (DED 3389).

* * *

Æl or Æl-vee in Sinhala means a kind of paddy, probably a hill paddy, as Æl-goviyaa is one who cultivates hill paddy.

Sorata equates the terms Æl and Æl-vee to S'aali, which is a kind of paddy having red and white varieties. Saal and Haal in Sinhala are general terms for rice.

While S'aali in Sanskrit and Saali in Pali/ Prakrit mean grains of rice or rice in general (CDIAL 12415), Chaali in Tamil (Changkam diction) means paddy or rice of red and white varieties. The etymology seems to be related to the term Chaal meaning a furrow made in ploughing or the to-and-fro track of one who saws paddy (Tamil, DED 2470). Also note the word Hala meaning a plough in Sanskrit/ Prakrit (CDIAL 14000).

* * *

Karal in Sinhala means an ear of corn (corn in the meaning of any cereal) or reaped sheath of any cereal. It also means bunches of long fruits, flowers etc., and long tresses of hair.

Kural in Tamil/ Dravidian (DED 1775, Changam diction) shares all the shades of meaning for Karal in Sinhala. See box

The etymology could be further traced to the Tamil verb and noun Kulai (DED 1810, L/ R interchange) and Kuru/ Kuruththu (DED 1791). See box.

Karal in the sense of meaning a spike of grains stands for any cereal crop in Sinhala place names.

* * *

Kural meaning ear of corn:

“Uzhaa-athu viththiya paroo-uk kural chi'ru thinai” (Pu'ra:naanoo'ru, 168: 6)

“உழா-அது வித்திய பரூ-உக் குரல் சிறு தினை” (புறநானூறு, 168: 6)

The fine-grained Thinai crop (millet, Panicum italicum) growing with thick ears of corn, (even when) the land was sown without ploughing


Kural meaning reaped sheath of corn:

“Chi'ru thinaik kadi u'n kadavudku idda chezhung kural a'riyaathu u'nda magngnai” (Ku'runthokai, 105: 1-5)

“சிறு தினைக் கடி உண் கடவுட்கு இட்ட செழுங் குரல் அறியாது உண்ட மஞ்ஞை” (குறுந்தொகை, 105: 1-5)

The peacock that was eating from the reaped sheath of fine Thinai (millet, Panicum italicum), without realising that it was placed as offering to the deity that partakes the first produce of the millet.

* * *

Thumba-liyadda is a place in Warakapola division of Kegalle district.

Æl-liyadda is in Medadumbara division of Kandy district.

Karal-liyadda is in Medadumbara division of Kandy district. There is another place by the same name in Hanguranketha division of Nuwara Eliya district.

* * *

Some related place names:

Liyadda, Liyædda:

Wala-liyadda: The paddy field grid in the jungle; Attanagala division, Gampaha district

Poho-liyadda: The productive paddy field grid; Thumpane division, Kandy district

Kænda-liyadda: The paddy field grid in the locality of Kænda trees or Kænda plants; Pathadumbara division, Kandy district. Kænda: a plant, Macaranga tomentosa; Kænda-gaha: Tel-kækuna, Candlenut Tree, Croton moluccanum (Sinhala)

Kænda-liyædda-Paa'luwa: The desolate or abandoned paddy field grid in the locality of Kænda trees or plants: Mahara division, Gampaha district. See Kænda-liyadda

Dora-liyadda: The grid for the cultivation of Dora pulse; Medadumbara division, Kandy district. Dora: a kind of grain called Woraka, “Woraka nam dhanyaya” (Sinhala, Sorata); Woara: a sort of pulse, Dolichos catjang (Sinhala, Clough); Thuvarai: a pulse, Cajanus indicus (Tamil, DED 3353); Varaku: common millet, Paspalum scrobiculatum (Tamil, DED 5260)

Maha-dora-liyadda: The bigger village of the name Dora-liyædda; Medadumbara division, Kandy district. See Dora-liyædda

Wathu-liyadda: The garden cultivation grid; Medadumbara division, Kandy district

Wathu-liyædda: The garden cultivation grid; Pathahewaheta division, Kandy district

Hathara-liyadda: The four grids of paddy fields; Hataraliyadda division, Kandy district

Eramudu-liyadda: The paddy field grid in the locality of Earmudu trees; Hatharaliyadda division, Kandy district. Eramudu: = Erabadu (Sinhala, Sorata) Coral Tree, Erithrina indica

Ha-liyadda: Probably, Haal-liyadda: the rice cultivation the grid; Yatinuwara division, Kandy district

Kapu-liyadda: The grid for cotton cultivation; Pathahewaheta division, Kandy district

Poo-liyadda: The (paddy) winnowing grid; Pathahewaheta division, Kandy district. Poo: winnowing (Sinhala)

Nuga-liyadda: The paddy field grid in the locality of Nuga trees; Pathahewaheta division, Kandy district

Gala-liyadda: The stony paddy field grid; Yatawatta division, Matale district

Naagu-liyadda: The paddy field grid of the locality of Naa trees; Ambanganga Korale division, Matale district. Either Naaga-liyadda or Naa+gu(ga)+liyadda

Maa-liyadda: The big paddy field grid; Hanguranketha division, Nuwara Eliya district: Wlapane division, Nuwara Eliya district; Kaduketiya division, Badulla district

Amba-liyadda: The grid of mango trees or the grid of paddy fields having mango trees; Hanguranketha division, Nuwara Eliya district; Wlapane division, Nuwara Eliya district

Kohu-liyadda: The grid to soak coconut husk to make fibre; or the grid for the cultivation of Kohu paddy; or the grid of paddy field having jack trees; Hakmana-division, Matara district. Kohu: coconut husk, fibre of coconut husk (Sinhala, Clough, Sorata); a sort of paddy (Sinhala, Clough); Koho: jack tree, “Kosgasa” (Sinhala, Sorata)

Niraa-liyadda: Probably Niri-liyædda; the grid of field producing second crop or inferior crop; Rasnayakapura division, Kurunegala district

Pan-liyadda: The grid for growing Pan grass (used in mat-making); Ibbagamuwa division, Kurunegala district

Mee-liyadda: The grid of paddy field in the locality of Mee trees; Rideegama division, Kurunegala district

Thal-liyadda: Probably Thala-liyadda: The grid for the cultivation of sesame; or the grid of paddy field having palmyra palms; Kuliyapitiya division, Kurunegala district; Warakapola division, Kegalle district

Oru-liyadda: Probably, Uru-liyadda: The large paddy field grid; Polgahawela division, Kurunegala district

Ridee-maa-liyadda: The big, silvery, paddy field grid; Rideemaliyadda division, Badulla district

Boa-liyadda: The paddy field grid in the locality of Boa trees: Soranathota division, Badulla district

Rada-liyadda: The grid of crown paddy fields or the king's paddy fields; or the grid of dividing paddy field; Bibile division, Moneragala district

Nel-liyadda: Probably, the grid for paddy cultivation (Nel: paddy, Tamil); or Nelli-liyadda: the paddy field grid in the locality of Nelli trees; Madulla division, Moneragala district

Beli-maa-liyadda: The big paddy field grid in the locality of Beli trees; Weligepola division, Ratnapura district

Dunugama Maa-liyadda: The big paddy field grid of Dunugama village; Mawanella division, Kegalle district

* * *

Karal:

Karal-dækma: (The land to pay) grain tax; Bulathsinhala division, Kalutara district

Karalæwa: The place of grain (fields); Damana division, Ampaa'rai district

Karalap-pala: The grain field; Narammala division, Kurunegala district

* * *

Thumba as the weed Leucas zeylanica:

Thumba-goda: The bank/ hill/ village of Thumba plants; Balangoda division Ratnapura district

* * *

Æl:

Hæla-kandana: The hill of Æl paddy; Minuwangoda division, Gampaha district

Hæla-mada: The Æl paddy field; Galigamuwa division, Kegalle district

Hæliya-goda: The bank/ hill of Æl paddy; or the white bank/ hill; Warakapola division, Kegalle district

Æl-kaduwa: The Æl forest (paddy field); Ukuwela division, Matale district

First published: Wednesday, 06 January 2016, 19:30