PUBLISHER REVIEW: Text extracted from opening pages of book: UNIVERSITY OF MYSORE STUDIES IN DRAVIDIAN PHILOLOGY No 1. A GRAMMAR OF THE OLDEST KANARESE INSCRIPTIONS BY A. N. NABASIMjaiA, M. A., L. T., Ph. o. ( London) Uni varsity Librarian a-tid Part-time Professw of Philology, Maharaja' s College, Mysore PUBLISHED BY THE ONIVEBSITY OF MYSORE MYSORE A Grammar of the Oldest Kanarese Inscriptions, including a Study of the Sanskrit and Prakrit Loan Words. Volume I THESIS Presented to the Faculty of Arts of the University of London, June 1933, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. PREFACE. THIS is an attempt to give a descriptive account of the grammar of the oldest Kanarese inscriptions from the linguistic material available in the Inscrip tions of the sixth and the seventh centuries A. D. Every effort is made to explain the forms, wherever possible, in the light of those in Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Tulu; and also the developments of some of the old Kanarese forms into the modern Kanarese. I take this opportunity to express rny sincere gratitude to Professor R. L. Turner. Director, the School of Oriental Studies, London, who, as my supervisor, opened my eyes to the western methods of scientific research. He has been kind enough not only to go through the whole of this thesis, but also to help me constantly with his most valuable and enlightening criticisms and suggestions for improve ment. The fact that it is published as the first volume of the series Studies in Dravidian Philology is due to the kindness and active sympathy of Dr. E. P. Metcalfe, D. sc., F.-iNST.-P., & ndIlajakarya2) ravinaN. S. Subba Rao, ESQ., M. A. ( Cantab.), Bar.-at-law., the former andthe present Vice-Chancel lors of the University of Mysore. I would be failing in my duty if I did not acknowledge these obligations and express my sincere gratefulness to them and the University of Mysore. THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, ) MYSORE, A. N. NARAglMHJA, 27th November 1941. CONTENTS. SUBJECT Preface An Abstract of the Thesis Chief Abbreviations, etc. Introduction PAGE, i iii v-viii xi-xxi 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. PART I. A. CONSONANTS AND CONSONANT GROUPS. History of p ... ... ... 1-22 History of r ... ... ... 23-51 History of v ... ... ... 52-60 History of I ... ... ... 61-85 Consonant Groups ... ... ... 86-95 Long Consonants ... ... ... 96-105 B. GRAMMAR. Nouns Adjectives Pronouns Numerals Derivative Nouns Composition Verbs Substant