Proto-South Dravidian : *ala- ~ *alai-
Meaning : to suffer
Tamil : ala (-pp-, -nt-)
Tamil meaning : to suffer, be in distress, suffer privation, be in want
Tamil derivates : alam distress, pain, misery; alappu confusion of mind; alantalai distress, vexation, confusion; alantai trouble; alantōn_ one who is in distress; alati-kulati disorder, confusion; alaŋku (alaŋki-) to be agitated in mind, troubled; alacu (alaci-) to suffer, be distressed, be exhausted, become weary; alamaru (alamari-) to be agitated, distressed; alamala (-pp-, -nt-) to be confused, dazed, be anxious; alampal vexation, trouble; alavu (alavi-) to be troubled in mind; n. confusion, perturbation; alavalai hasty action, confusion of mind, distress; alu (-pp-, -tt-) to be weary, tired by overwork or care; aluppu weariness, exhaustion; aluval business, affair; alai (-v-, -nt-) to be harassed, wander in weariness, (-pp-, -tt-) to harass, vex, afflict, annoy; n. oppression; alaicu (alaici-) to be lazy; alaiccal weariness, vexation; alaippu disturbance, distress, trouble; alaivu mental agitation, trouble, distress; allal affliction, distress; allā (-pp-, -nt-) to suffer, be in distress; n. distress; allāṭu (allāṭi-) to suffer
Malayalam : ala
Malayalam meaning : lamentation
Malayalam derivates : alaŋŋuka, alukka to be worn out, grow lean; aluppu weariness; alampal having enough of it, vexation; alayuka to be wearied; alaccal vexation, mourning; alasal, alaśal agitation, fatigue, disappointment; alasuka to be tired; alati troublesome; alappu confusion, stir, fright; alampu trouble; alampuka to be agitated, tired; aluval bustle, business; allal sorrow, grief; alla tumult, disturbance
Kannada : ala, alapu, alupu, alavu, alavike, alasike
Kannada meaning : fatigue, weariness, trouble
Kannada derivates : alapaṭe, lampaṭe, alasaṭe exhaustion, weariness, harassment; alasu to become weary, be tired, vexed, disgusted, loiter; n. weariness; ale to annoy, slight, disgrace; allari state of being troubled, disturbed, harassed
Kodagu : ala- (alap-, aland-)
Kodagu meaning : to crave
Kodagu derivates : alambalɨ hurry; ? alas- (alasi-) (curry, rice) becomes spoiled
Tulu : alasuni, alajuni
Tulu meaning : to be fatigued, vexed, suffer griping pain
Tulu derivates : alepuni, aleyuni, alevuni to be fatigued; alepāvuni to cause to tire, fatigue; alụmbe suffering; alubaŋga vexation, trouble; albe thin, weak, lean
Notes : In Tamil there exists evidence for at least three bisyllabic stems with similar semantics: ala-, alu-, alai-. The variant with -u- is the least well represented of the three and may be secondary (e. g., a back-formation from aluppu, which itself would be a reduced dialectal variant of *alappu). The other two, however, both find parallels outside of the Tamil-Malayalam area (cf. the Kan. opposition ala - ale), and the question is whether they go back to the same root or not. According to the general policy of DEDR, we would have to judge in favour of the former; in this particular case, however, even Burrow & Emeneau note that "these etyma and those s. v. Ta. alaŋku seem to have started from two roots with different basic meanings: suffer and move, shake". It seems, therefore, reasonable to trace *ala- back to a stem with the basic meaning 'suffer', and *alai- back to 'move, shake, dangle', with a whole bunch of derived forms (see *ala-ŋ-, *ala-ṭ-, etc.). For the same reason of numerous possible contaminations, however, that Burrow & Emeneau also complain about, we do not separate the forms in this database entry.
Number in DED : 0236
