Sinhala words of Tamil origin came about as part of the more than 2000 years of language interactions between Sinhala and Tamil in the island of Sri Lanka, as well as through Dravidian substratum effect on the Sinhala language. According to linguists, there are about 900 Tamil words in Sinhala usage.
Sinhala is classified as an Indo-Aryan language and Tamil is classified as a Dravidian language. Separated from its sister Indo-Aryan languages such as Hindi and Bengali by a large belt of Dravidian languages, Sinhala along with Dhivehi of the Maldives evolved somewhat separately.
Close interaction with the Tamil language and the assimilation of Tamils into Sinhalese society contributed to the adoption of several Tamil origin words into the Sinhalese language. The range of borrowings goes beyond the scope to be expected for a situation where two neighbouring peoples exchange material goods: Firstly, there are many Tamil loanwords pertaining to everyday and social life (kinship terms, body parts, ordinary activities). Secondly, several lexical words (nouns, adjectives and verbs) along with interjections (ayiyō), (aḍō) have also been borrowed. This - along with the impact Tamil has had on Sinhala syntax (e.g. the use of a verbal adjective of "to say" as a subordinating conjunction meaning "whether" and "that") - is suggestive of not only close coexistence but the existence of large numbers of bilinguals and a high degree of mixing and intermarriage.[1] [2]
Tamil loanwords in Sinhala can appear in the same form as the original word (e.g. akkā), but this is quite rare. Usually, a word has undergone some kind of modification to fit into the Sinhala phonological (e.g. paḻi becomes paḷi(ya) because the sound of /ḻ/, pronounced as /link/, does not exist in the Sinhala phoneme inventory) or morphological system (e.g. ilakkam becomes ilakkama because Sinhala inanimate nouns (see grammatical gender) need to end with /a/, pronounced as /link/, in order to be declineable).
These are the main ways Tamil words are incorporated into the Sinhala lexicon with different endings:
It can be observed that the Tamil phonemes /ḷ/ and /ḻ/ do not coherently appear as /ḷ/ in Sinhala but sometimes as /l/ as well. This is because in Sinhala pronunciation there is no distinction between /ḷ/ and /l/; the letter /ḷ/ is merely maintained as an etymological spelling.
In many cases, the appearance of a loanword in a language indicates whether the borrowing is old or more recent: The more a word deviates from the "original" one, the longer it must have been a part of the respective lexicon, because while being used, a word can undergo changes (sometimes regular sound changes along with the native words). The inversion of this argument is not possible since loanwords already matching the linguistic requirements of the target language may remain unchanged. Thus, the word täpäl (Tamil tapāl) gives away its old age because the respective umlaut processes took place before the 8th century; iḍama (Tamil iṭam) however needn't be a recent borrowing, because no sound changes that could have affected this word have taken place in Sinhala since at least the 13th century.
In the following list, Tamil words are romanized in accordance with Tamil spelling. This results in seeming discrepancies in voicing between Sinhala words and their Tamil counterparts. Sinhala borrowing however has taken place on the basis of the sound of the Tamil words; thus, the word ampalam, pronounced as /[ambalam]/, logically results in the Sinhala spelling ambalama, and so forth. However, the Tamil language used here for comparison is Tamil as spoken in Sri Lanka.
Note: For information on the transcription used, see National Library at Calcutta romanization and Tamil script. Exceptions from the standard are the romanization of Sinhala long "ä" (pronounced as /[æː]/) as "ää", and the non-marking of prenasalized stops.
| Sinhala | Meaning | Tamil | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ādāyama | Income | ādāyam | Profit | Trade |
| akkā[3] | Elder sister | akkā | Elder sister | Kinship |
| agampadi | foreign soldier | agampaḍi | palace guard | Military |
| agaḷa | trench | akaḻi | ditch | Daily |
| accu | mould | accu | mould | Trade |
| aliyā | Elephant | alliyaṉ | Elephant | Daily |
| ambalama | Way-side rest | ambalam | Public place | Daily |
| ämbäṭṭayā | Barber | ampaṭṭaṉ | Barber | Trade |
| āṃgāṇiya | Stall (in a market) | aṅgāḍi | Market | Trade |
| ammā | Mother | ammā | Mother | Kinship |
| ānā | Man | ān | Man | Daily |
| āṇḍuva | Government | āṇṭāṉ | Rich man with many slaves | Administration |
| appā | Father (regional/colloquial) | appā | Father | Kinship |
| āppa | Hoppers | Food | ||
| araliya | araḷi | Oleander | Botany | |
| aḍaṃgu | containing | aḍaṅku | including | Trade |
| aḍakō | blockade | aḍaikōṭṭai | shelter | Military |
| aḍakkalama | insurance, halfway through | aḍaikkalam | deposit | Trade |
| aḍanteṭṭam | aḍantēṟṟam | inclusion | ||
| aḍappaṃ | cattle disease | aḍaippaṉ | cattle disease | Daily |
| aḍō | oops (exclamation) | aḍā | oops (exclamation) | Daily |
| attammā | grandmother | āttāḷ | mother | Kinship |
| attikārama | authority | adikaram | authority | Administration |
| attā | grandmother | attaṉ/accaṉ | elder | Kinship |
| accakāram, accāram | advance payment | Trade | ||
| attikkā | fig | attikkāy | fig | Food |
| atvaru, attara | high person, Dravidian Brahmin who held high position | attaṉ | superior/high person | Administration |
| attivārama | foundation | attivāram | foundation | Daily |
| andam | andam | |||
| annāsi | pineapple | annāsi | pineapple | Food |
| attiya | mother | attai/annai | mother | Kinship |
| adō | expressing pity | antō | expressing pity | Daily |
| appacci | father | appācci | father | Kinship |
| appā! | exclamation | appā! | exclamation | Daily |
| avariya | Indigo plant | avuri | Indigo plant | Botany |
| ayyā | Elder brother | aiyā (see also Ayya) | Sir, father | Kinship |
| bā | Come | vā | Come | Daily |
| caṇḍiyā | Bandit, rowdy | saṇdiyar | Bandit | Daily |
| cīttaya | cīttai | Chintz | Trade | |
| ediriya | Opposition, hostility | edhiri | Opponent, enemy | Military |
| galkaṇḍuva | Sugar-candy | kaṟkaṇdu | Sugar-candy | Food |
| hirumaṇaya[4] | Device prepared for grinding coconut | tirukumaṇai | Device prepared for grinding coconut | Daily |
| heṭṭu | Talk about buying goods at reduced price | ceṭṭu | Talk about buying goods at reduced price, thrifty | Trade |
| hori | Name of an itchy skin condition | cori | Name of an itchy skin condition | Daily |
| huṇḍuva | A metric used in measuring materials | cuṇḍu | A metric used in measuring materials | Daily |
| hurulla | Betel leaf | curuḷ | Betel leaf | Daily |
| iccāva | Flattery | iccakam | Flattery | Daily |
| iḍama | Site, land | idam | Place, site | Construction |
| īḷa | īḷai | Asthma | Daily | |
| ilakkaya | Target | ilakku | Target | Military |
| ilakkama | Number | ilakkam | Number | Trade |
| iḷandāriyā | Young man | iḷandāri | Young man | Daily |
| iḷavuva | Death, funeral | iḻavu | Death | Daily |
| iraṭṭa | Double, even number | iraṭṭai | Double, even number | Trade |
| īyam | Lead | īyam | Lead | Daily |
| jāḍiya | Jar | cāṭi | Jar | Daily |
| jōḍuva | Pair | jōdi/cōdi | Pair | Daily |
| hodi | Gravy | soti | Daily | |
| kaḍalē | kadalai (paruppu) | Chickpea | Food | |
| kaḍasarakkuva | Spice, curry stuffs | kadai + sarakku | Shop + Goods | Trade |
| kaḍaya | Shop | kadai | Shop | Trade |
| kaḍinama | Haste | kathi | speed | Daily |
| kaḍiyāḷama | Bridle | kadivāḷam | Bridle | Military |
| kaṃkāṇiyā | Overseer | kaṅkāṇi | Foreman | Administration |
| kalanda | A small measure of weight | kaḻañcu | Weight of 1.77 grams | Trade |
| kalavama | Mixture, blend | kalavai | Mixture | Daily |
| kālaya | Quarter | kāl | Quarter | Trade |
| kaḷudäävā | Donkey | kaḻudai | Donkey | Daily |
| kambiya | Wire | kambi | Wire | Trade |
| kāndama | Magnet | kāandam | Magnet | Trade |
| kaṇisama | Size | kaṇisam | Size, amount | Daily |
| kaṇṇāḍiya | Mirror, spectacles | kaṇṇāadi | Mirror, spectacles | Daily |
| kappama | Tribute | kappam | Tribute | Military |
| kappara | Small ship | kappal | Ship | Trade |
| kappi | Grit, bruised grain | kappi | Coarse grits in flour | Daily |
| kappiya | Pulley | kappi | Pulley | |
| kāvala | Protection | kaval | ||
| kayippu | ||||
| kayitālama | A type of cymbal | |||
| kāppuva | Bracelet | kāappu | Bangle | Daily |
| kärapottā | Cockroach | karappaāṉ | Cockroach (SL) | Daily |
| karavaḷa | Dried fish | karuvāadu | Dried fish | Food |
| kāsiya | Coin | kāasu | Small change, coin | Trade |
| kasippu | Illicit liquor | kacippu | Illicit liquor | Trade |
| kaṭṭumarama | Catamaran | kaṭṭumaram | Catamaran | Trade |
| kayiyeliya | Cloth with coloured border | kaili | Multicoloured cloth worn by Muslims | Daily |
| keṇḍa | Calf | keṇdai(kkāl) | Calf | Daily |
| keṇḍiya | Pitcher | keṇṭi | Pitcher | Daily |
| kiṭṭu | Close, near | kiṭṭa | Close, near | Daily |
| koḍiya | Flag | kodi | Flag | Administration |
| kola / Kole | Leaf | kulai | Foliage / Young leaf | Botany |
| kollaya | Plunder, pillage | koḷḷai | Plunder | Military |
| kombuva | Name of the sign ෙ | kombu (lakaram) | Name of the sign ள | Daily |
| kōn | Part of a name | kōṉ(ar) | Name pertaining to members of the Iṭaiyar caste ("shepherd, king") | Personal name |
| kōṇama | A loin cloth for men | kōvaṇam | A loin cloth for men | Daily |
| koṇḍaya | Plait/bun of hair | koṇdai | Bun/plait of hair | Daily |
| kottamalli | koṭhamalli | Coriander | Botany | |
| koṭṭaya | Pillow | koṭṭai | Nut, round shape, pillow | Daily |
| kōvila | Hindu temple | kōyil | Temple | Daily |
| kūḍama | Shed, Resthouse | kūḍaram | Tent | Daily |
| kuḍaya | Umbrella | kudai | Umbrella | Daily |
| kūḍaya | Basket | koodai | Basket | Daily |
| kūḍuva | Nest, cage | koodu | Nest, small box | Daily |
| kulala/kuḷala | Pipe | kuḻal | Tube, musical pipe | Daily |
| kulappuva | Confusion | kuḻappu- | to confuse | Military |
| kūlama | Pond | kulam- | Pond | Agricultural Term |
| kurumbā | Young coconut | kurumbai | Young coconut | Food |
| kuliya | Rent | kooli | Rent, pay | Administration |
| kuṭṭama | A Pair | Daily | ||
| machan | Term of endearment along males | machan | Daily | |
| Malaya | Hill country | malai | Hill | Place name |
| malli | Younger brother | malalai | Infant | Kinship |
| māmā | Maternal uncle | māmā | Maternal uncle | Kinship |
| marakkalaya | marakkalam | (Sailing) Boat | Fishing | |
| massinā[5] | Brother-in-law | macciṉaṉ | Brother-in-law | Kinship |
| mayil | Fur, any hair other than on the head/face | mayir | Daily | |
| mella | Gentle, tame, obedient | Daily | ||
| mudala | Money | mudhal | Capital | Trade |
| mudalāli | Merchant, owner of a shop | mudhalāḷi | Merchant | Trade |
| mudali | Part of a name | mudhaliyār | Name of a caste | Personal name |
| muḍukkuva | Narrow street, slum | Daily | ||
| mulu | whole, entire | mullu | Daily | |
| munuburu[6] | Grandson | marumakan (marumakana > manumaraka) | Descendant | Kinship |
| muranḍu | Obstinate, wanting to fight | muranḍu | Daily | |
| muruṃgā | "Drumsticks", the edible fruits of the Drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera) | muruṅgai | Horse-radish tree | Food |
| mūḍiya | lid | mūḍi | Daily | |
| mūṭṭi | Earthen cooking pot | Daily | ||
| mūṭṭuva | bale/bagful | mūṭtai | Daily | |
| nāḍagama | Stage-play | naādagam | Drama, stage-play | Culture |
| nōṃjal, nōṃcal | feeble, unsteady | Daily | ||
| naṃgī | Younger sister | naṅgai | Younger sister | Kinship |
| neyyāḍam[7] | Play | neyyāṭal | Oil bath taken on festive occasions | Culture |
| nōnḍi, nonḍi | lame | nonḍi | Daily | |
| nūla | String/Thread | nūl | Daily | |
| oppuva | Proof | oppu | Administration | |
| ottē | Odd number | otṟai | Odd number | Trade |
| ottuva | Espionage | otṟu | Espionage | Administration |
| padakkama | Medal | padhakkam | Medal | Administration |
| pāḍama | Lesson | pāadam | Lesson | Culture |
| paḍiya | Wage | paṭi | Extra pay | Administration |
| pālama | Bridge | pāalam | Bridge | Construction |
| paḷiya | Revenge | paḻi | Guilt, revenge | Daily |
| palliya | Church/Mosque | palli | Church/Mosque | Daily |
| pandalama | Bower, shady place | pandhal | Bower, shady place | Daily |
| pandama | Torch | pandham | Torch | Religious |
| peruṃkāyam | Asafoetida | peruṃkāyam | Asafoetida | Daily |
| parippu | paruppu | Lentils | Food | |
| piṭṭu | A rice dish | A rice dish | Food | |
| poḍi | Small, little | podi | Small | Daily |
| poṭṭuva | Bindi | pottu | Daily | |
| poraya | Fight | pōr | Fight | Military |
| poronduva | Agreement, promise | porundhu- | To fit, to agree | Daily |
| porottuva | Delay, waiting | poṟutthu | Having waited | Daily |
| pūccama | Boast, brag | Daily | ||
| pullē | Part of a name | Part of a name (originally a title) | Personal name | |
| pūṇa nūla | Sacred string/cord that Brahmins wear over their shoulder | poo-nool | Sacred string | Daily |
| saiva, sāiva | Shaivite | saiva | Shaivite | Daily |
| salli | Money | salli | Coin | Trade |
| saṇḍuva | Fight | saṇdai | Fight | Military |
| sekkuva | Oil mill | sekku | Daily | |
| sembuva | Small metal pot | sembu | Daily | |
| seṃkamālaya | jaundice | Daily | ||
| sereppuva | Sandals | seruppu | Sandals | Daily |
| sotti | Crippled, deformed | sothhai | Emaciated person, defect | Daily |
| suli | whirl, vortical | Daily | ||
| suruṭṭuva | Cigar | suruṭṭu | Cigar | Daily |
| takkāli | thakkaāḷi | Tomato | Food | |
| talluva | A push | thaḷḷu- | To push | Daily |
| tambiyā | Derogatory term for a Muslim man | tambi | Younger brother | Daily |
| tani | Alone | taṉi | Alone | Daily |
| täpäl | Postal | tabaāl | Postal, mail | Administration |
| tarama | Size, position, quantity | tharam | Quality, sort | Trade |
| taṭṭa | Bald | thaṭṭai | Baldness | Daily |
| tāliya | A necklace signifying marriage | tāli | Daily | |
| tāttā | Father | thāathaā | Grandfather | Kinship |
| taṭṭuva | A knock | thaṭṭu- | To knock | Daily |
| tōḍuva | A hollow cylindrical earring | tōḍu | Daily | |
| tunḍuva | bit/scrap | tunḍu | Daily | |
| uḍäkkiya | A narrow drum | udukkai | A narrow drum | Daily |
| udavva | Help | udhavi | Help | Daily |
| ulukkuva | Sprain (of a joint) | suḷukku | Sprain | Daily |
| ūḷiyama | Tax payable by foreigners | ooḻiyam | Service | Administration |
| uraya | Covering/Case | Daily | ||
| urumaya | Rights/heritage | urimai | Rights/heritage | Administration |
| vaṭṭiya | Type of shallow basket | Daily | ||
| veri | Drunk | veṟi | intention, madness | Daily |
Several verbs have been adopted into Sinhala from the Tamil language. The vast majority of these are compound verbs consisting of a Tamil origin primary verb and a Sinhala origin light verb.
| Sinhala | සිංහල | Meaning | Tamil | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iranavā | ඉරනවා | To tear | ||
| kiṭṭu venavā | කිට්ටු වෙනවා | To get close, to near | ||
| kolla karanavā | කොල්ල කනවා | To plunder | Koḷḷai | |
| nōnḍi venavā | නෝන්ඩි වෙනවා | To be humiliated/embarrassed | ||
| parakku venavā | පරක්කු වෙනවා | To be late/delayed | ||
| pattu karanavā | පත්තු කරනවා | To light, to set on fire | patṟu- | To catch fire |
| pēru väṭenavā | පේරු වැටෙනවා | To fall to someone by chance | pēṟu | Luck ll |
| poḍi venavā | පොඩි වෙනවා | To be crushed/crumpled | ||
| pūṭṭu karanavā | පූට්ටු කරනවා | To splice, to fasten together | ||
| tallu karanavā | තල්ලු කරනවා | To push | thaḷḷu- | To push |
| taṭṭu karanavā | තට්ටු කරනවා | To knock | thaṭṭu- | |
| udav karanavā | උදව් කරනවා | To help | Utavi | |
| veḍi kanavā | වෙඩි කනවා | To have been shot | vedi | Shot, dynamite |
| veḍi tiyanavā | වෙඩි තියනවා | To shoot, to fire | vedi | Shot, dynamite |
| veri venavā | වෙරි වෙනවා | To become drunk | veri | |
Linguistic Character of Sinhalese, in: Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (Ceylon), Vol. XXXIV