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The assimilation of Dravidian loans to Konkani phonological and morphological patterns

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Indo-Iranian Journal

Abstract

After briefly reviewing the status of Konkani in the Dravidian area, and the extent of Dravidian influence on this Indo-Aryan language, the assimilation of Dravidian loan words to Konkani phonological and morphological patterns is examined in detail. In the process of accommodation, Dravidian loanwords have undergone various phonological modifications (such as syncope, apocope, vowel rounding, vowel raising, vowel lowering, palatalization, depalatalization, gemination, and degemination). They have undergone also various morphological modifications in order to adjust to a considerably different system of morphological classes and inflectional patterns. Finally, certain sociolinguistic factors are pointed out which might have enabled Konkani phonological and morphological patterns to withstand the pressures of the massive influx of Dravidian loans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA

    Rocky V. Miranda

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  1. Rocky V. Miranda
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Additional information

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Oriental Society in 1975. Much of the data was collected by me during a 1967–68 field trip under an American Institute of Indian Studies junior fellowship. I have also consulted Katre 1942, Ghatage 1963, and Menezes 1967 for Konkani, Bhat and Kedilaya 1967 for Tulu, and Kittel 1894 for Kannada.

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Miranda, R.V. The assimilation of Dravidian loans to Konkani phonological and morphological patterns. Indo-Iran J 19, 247–265 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00183519

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