Kodava language


The Kodava is an endangered Dravidian language and the original language of the Kodagu district in Southern Karnataka, India. The term Kodava has two related usages. Firstly, it is the name of the Kodava language and culture followed by a number of communities from Kodagu. Secondly, within the Kodava-speaking communities and region, it is a demonym for the dominant Kodava people. Hence, the Kodava language is not only the primary language of the Kodavas but also of many other castes and tribes in Kodagu. The language has two dialects: Mendele and Kiggat.
Historically, it has been referred to as a dialect of Kannada. However it has been re-analysed as a language by early 20th century academics.
It is traditionally written using the Kannada script which is an abugida. However, an abugida called the Coorgi–Cox alphabet has been developed on the request of community members. The 2011 Census of India reports 96,918 persons who returned Kodava as their mother tongue and 16,939 for Coorgi/Kodagu, for a total of 113,857 persons who identified one of these languages as their mother tongue.

Phonology

Vowels

Dravidian vowel systems contain five vowel qualities i.e. those usually corresponding to a, e, i, o and u., with a short and long variants for each. However, Kodava has two more: the mid and high back unrounded vowels, with corresponding long variants.
Kodagu has 14 vowels. 7 of these, i, e, ɛ, a, ɑ, o, u, have long equivalents.

Consonants

Kodava has 25 consonants.
Kodava and Kannada share a lack of palatalization of word-initial *k-, which is a feature found in the Tamil-Malayalam branch.

Comparisons

Linguistically, Kodava language shows some deviations from other Dravidian languages. It is closely related to and influenced by Tamil, Tulu, Kannada, and Malayalam. A majority of the words are common between Kodava and Beary bashe, a dialect which is a mixture of Tulu and Malayalam spoken by the Beary and Belchada community.

Literature

Family histories, rituals and other records were scripted on palm leaves called Pattole by astrologers in the ancient times. When Kodava was written, it was usually with Kannada script, sometimes with minor modifications. The folk songs of the Kodavas, called the Palame, were orally transmitted across several generations. The language had no significant written literature until the twentieth century. Appachcha Kavi, a playwright, and Nadikerianda Chinnappa, a folk compiler, are the two important poets and writers of the Kodava language. Other important writers in the language were B D Ganapathy and I M Muthanna.

In 2005, after requests from the Kodagu community, German linguist Gerard Cox created a script unique to Kodava called the Coorgi-Cox script. It uses straight lines for 5 vowels, and has circles for diphthongs.
The Pattole Palame, a collection of Kodava folksongs and traditions compiled in the early 1900s by Nadikerianda Chinnappa, was first published in 1924. The most important Kodava literature, it is said to be one of the earliest, if not the earliest, collection of folklore of a community in an Indian language. Nearly two thirds of the book consists of folksongs that were handed down orally through generations, sung even today during marriage and death ceremonies and during festivals relating to the seasons and in honour of local deities and heroes. Traditionally known as Balo Pat, these songs are sung by four men who beat dudis as they sing. Kodava folk dances are performed to the beat of many of these songs. The Pattole Palame was written using the Kannada script originally; it has been translated into English by Boverianda Nanjamma and Chinnappa, grandchildren of Nadikerianda Chinnappa, and has been published by Rupa & Co., New Delhi.

Cinema

The Kodava Cinema industry is very small. A few movies portraying the native culture and traditions of the Kodavas have been produced in this language. The first Kodava film 'Nada Mann Nada Kool' was directed by S.R.Rajan and produced in the year 1972.

Words for family members

MotherAvvo
FatherAppo
GrandfatherAjjo
GrandmotherAjjavo Thaayi
Maternal Uncle / Paternal Aunt's husbandThammaavo / Maavo
Maternal Uncle's wife / Paternal AuntMaavi / Thammaavi
Eldest Paternal Uncle / Eldest Maternal Aunt's husbandBaliappo
Eldest Paternal Uncle's wife / Eldest Maternal AuntBaliavvo
Elder Paternal Uncle / Elder Maternal Aunt's husbandBojappo
Elder Paternal Uncle's wife / Elder Maternal AuntBojavvo
Younger Paternal Uncle / Younger Maternal Aunt's husbandKunjappo
Younger Paternal Uncle's wife/ Younger Maternal AuntKunjavvo
Youngest Paternal Uncle / Youngest Maternal Aunt's husbandCheriappo
Youngest Paternal Uncle's wife/ Youngest Maternal AuntCheriavvo
Father-in-lawMaavo
Mother-in-lawMaavi
brother-in-law / cross-cousin / lineal cousin 's husbandBaavo
sister-in-law / cross-cousin / lineal-cousin 's wifeMammo
brother / lineal cousin / cross-cousin 's husbandAnno / Annaiah
sister / lineal-cousin / cross-cousin 's wifeAkko / Akkaiah
brother Thammanno
sister Thange
WifePonne
HusbandWadiyye
SonMovo
DaughterMova

Kodava words

KodavaKannadaTamilEnglish
KinhaHudugaChiruvanBoy
PoyiHoguPoGo
KanniSaaruCurryCurry
KooleAnnaSoruCooked Rice
IdeIdePōṭuPut
ThimbakeTinnakkeCāppiṭuTo Eat
KulliSnanaKuliTo Bathe
Undaunta/ideyaUndaIs There
BappiBartinivarpomI will Come
UlloIddeneirukkiṟēṉAm There
Bandan UlloBaruta iddenevarukiṟēṉAm coming
Yenene Ulliya?Hege iddiya?eppaṭi irukkiṟīrkaḷHow are you?
MāṅgeMaavuMangaMango
KaḷḷaKaḷlaKaḷlanThief
Suroole /MinyatheleModaluMudalilFirst
Kere PambKere HaavuSare PambuRat Snake
MūleMūleMuulaiCorner
ĀmeĀmeĀmaiTortoise
BēliBēliVēliFence
Bithe/KuruBeejaVithaiSeed
BādegeBādigeVādagaiRent
ChaththeSanteSanthaiMarket
ĒniĒniĒniLadder
Pulunja PuḷiHunase HuliPuliTamarind
Gaali/KaathGaaliKaathuWind
ThaariKoduKodugive
KaapiKaapiKaapiCoffee
PaaduvoHaaduPaaduto sing