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THE TAMIL PEOPLE
35

confirmed by the identity in form and meaning of several important words in the Semitic, Altaic and Tamil languages. For example,-Tam. akkan, Ugr. iggen=elder sister ; Tam, annai, Fin. anya=mother; Tam. appan, Fin. appi, Hung. ipa=father ; Tam. amma, Samoy. amma=mother; Tam. attal, Fin. atta=mother ; Tam. am, Vogoul. am=yes ; Tam. auvai, Mordvin. ava=mother ; Tam. kattu, Hung. kot=to bind, to tie ; Tam. kel, Fin. kul-en=to hear ; Tam, ko, Behistun tablets, ko=a king; Tam. kozhi, Vogoul. kore=a cock; Tam. ti, Samoy. ti=fire ; Tam. tol, Vogoul. towl=skin ; Tain. jnayiru (the sun) Hung. nyar=summer; Tam. pidi, Fin. pidan=to catch; Tam. pira, Fin. pera=after; Tam. manai, Sam. man= a house; Tam. mar-am, Lap. mor=a tree ; Tam. velicham, Hung. velega=light &c. We may trace similar affinities with Turkic languages also, both in grammar and vocabulary.

Of course, we must bear in mind the axiom that no account should be taken of mere resemblances in sound and meaning of words for linguistic considerations ; but in the above case such coincidences do not seem to be so purely accidental as to vitiate our conclusions, as there are other collateral evidences to strengthen them, notwithstanding the opinion of M. Hovelacque that 'Dr. Caldwell has not been more successful with his assumed Dravidi. an affinity.'

It was for a long time supposed that the cradle of the Aryans was somewhere in Central Asia, which was