| Kodava | |
|---|---|
| Coorg, Kodagu | |
| ಕೊಡವ ತಕ್ಕ್Koḍava takkï | |
| Pronunciation | [koɖɐʋɐt̪ɐkːɨ] |
| Native to | India |
| Region | Kodagu |
| Ethnicity | Kodava |
Native speakers | 113,857 (2011 census)[1] |
| Muthanna script,Kannada script,Coorgi-Cox alphabet,Tamil script,Malayalam script,Thirke script (archaic)[2] | |
| Official status | |
| Regulated by | Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | kfa |
| Glottolog | koda1255 |
| ELP | Kodagu |
 Kodava is classified as Definitively Endangered by theUNESCOAtlas of the World's Languages in Danger[3] | |
| Person | Koḍavanï |
|---|---|
| People | Koḍavarï |
| Language | Koḍava takkï |
| Country | Koḍagï |
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TheKodava (Kodava:[koɖɐʋɐ], natively:Koḍava takkï,Kodava:[koɖɐʋɐt̪ɐkːɨ], meaning 'speech of Kodavas', Angloid name: Codava,Coorgi) is aDravidian language spoken inKodagu district (Coorg) in SouthernKarnataka,India.[4] It is an endangered language.[5] The termKodava has two related usages. Firstly, it is the name of the Kodava language and culture followed by a number of communities fromKodagu. Secondly, within the Kodava-speaking communities and region (Kodagu), it is a demonym for the dominantKodava people. Hence, the Kodava language is not only theprimary language of the Kodavas but also of many other castes and tribes in Kodagu. The language has two dialects: Mendele (spoken in Northern and Central Kodagu, i.e. outside Kodagu's Kiggat naadu) and Kiggat (spoken in Kiggat naadu, in Southern Kodagu).
Historically, it has been associated to Old Canarese orHale Kannada[6] However, it has been re-analysed as a language by early 20th century academics. Now it is considered as an intermediate language betweenKannada,Malayalam,Tamil, andTulu in comparative linguistics.[6]
It is traditionally written using thethirke script which is anabugida.[7][8] The 2011 Census of India reports 96,918 persons who returned Kodava as their mother tongue and 16,939 who returned Coorgi/Kodagu, for a total of 113,857 persons coming under the parent group which is again identified as Coorgi/Kodagu (another name for Kodava) as the mother tongue.[9]
In Kannada, the region was called Kodagu and the people Kodaga. Natively, the people were called Kodava and the land was called Kodavu in the folksongs. Comparative Dravidian studies show that the Kodava language belongs to the South Dravidian language group.[10][11]
The grammar of Kodagu has been systematically studied and documented since at least around 1867 when Captain R.A. Cole published the seminal workAn Elementary Grammar of the Coorg Language.[12]
Dravidian vowel systems contain five vowel qualities i.e. those usually corresponding toa, e, i, o andu., with a short and long variants for each. However, Kodava has two more: the mid and high (close) back unrounded vowels, with corresponding long variants.[13]
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i | ɨ | u |
| Close-mid | e | ə | o |
| Open | a |
| Bilabial | Dental | Alveolar | Retroflex | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nasal | m | n̪ | ɳ | ɲ | ŋ | |||
| Plosive | voiceless | p | t̪ | ʈ | c | k | ||
| voiced | b | d̪ | ɖ | ɟ | g | |||
| Fricative | s | ʂ | ʃ | h | ||||
| Approximant | ʋ | l | ɭ | j | ||||
| Trill | r | |||||||
Kodava and Kannada share a lack of palatalization of word-initial*k-, which is a feature found in the Tamil-Malayalam branch.[15]
The Kodava (Kodagu) language was popularly written in the Kannada script.[4]Dr. IM Muthanna, developed a script to Kodava Thakk in 1971, and as of 2022, Karnataka Kodava Sahitya Academy, a government body for the development of Kodava Language, accepted the script developed by Dr IM Muthanna as the official script of Kodava Language. It is also widely used acrossKodagu, Although around 7 scripts were developed over a period from 1889 to 2008, Only Dr. IM Muthanna's script is considered as the most acceptable script for Kodava Language.
TheCoorgi is analphabet developed by thelinguist Gregg M. Cox[16] that is used by a number of individuals withinKodagu district of India to write the endangeredDravidian language of Kodava, also known sometimes asCoorgi.[17]
The script uses a combination of 26consonant letters, eightvowel letters and adiphthong marker. Each letter represents a single sound and there are nocapital letters.[16] A computer-based font has been created.[18]The script was developed out of the request by a group of Kodava individuals to have a distinct script for Kodava Takk, to distinguish the language. Kodava Takk is generally written in theKannada script, but can also be found written in theMalayalam script, especially along the borders withKerala. The new script is intended as a unified writing system for all Kodava Takk speakers.[19]
Recently an old Kodava script from the 14th century was discovered, it is now called theThirke script.[2]
Various other scripts were made by Kodava writers likeIychettira M Muthanna, Koravanda Appayya, Appaneravanda Kiran Subbaiah.[20]
Linguistically, Kodava/Kodagu language belongs to the South Dravidian subfamily of the Dravidian family. Further within the South Dravidian subfamily, it belongs to the subgroup Tamil-Malayalam-Kodagu-Kota-Toda.[21] It is closely related to and influenced byKannada,Malayalam,Tamil andTulu. A majority of the words are common between Kodava andBeary bashe, a dialect which is a mixture ofTulu andMalayalam spoken by theBeary Muslims and Kodava Thiyyar communities. Kodava is also closely related to the Kasaragod and Kannur dialects of Malayalam, which are in turn related to Beary.
Family histories, rituals and other records were scripted on palm leaves called Pattole (patt=palm, ole=leaf) by astrologers in the ancient times. When Kodava was written, it was usually withKannada script, sometimes with minor modifications. The folk songs of the Kodavas, called the Palame (also known as the Balo Patt or Dudi Patt), were orally transmitted across several generations. The language had no significant writtenliterature until the twentieth century.Appachcha Kavi, a playwright, andNadikerianda Chinnappa, a folk compiler, are the two important poets and writers of the Kodava language. Other important writers in the language wereB D Ganapathy andI M Muthanna. In 2005, after requests from the Kodagu community, German linguist Gerard Cox created a script unique to Kodava called theCoorgi-Cox script. It uses straight lines for 5 vowels, and has circles for diphthongs.[22]
ThePattole 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 (drums) 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.[23]
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.
| Kodava | Kannada | Tamil | Malayalam | Tulu | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moodi | Hudugi | Peṇ/Peḍai/Ponnŭ | Penkutti | Ponnu | Girl |
| Kinha | Huduga | Aan/Peḍiyan/Paiyan/Chiruvan | Aankutti | Aan/Kinni | Boy |
| Po(Singular); Poyi(Plural) | Hogu | Pō(y) | Poyko | Poyi | Go |
| Kanni | Saaru/ganji | Kañji/Kūṭṭŭ/Chārŭ | Chaar | Kajipu | Stew (lentils, vegetables, etc.) |
| Koole | Anna/Kool | Chōr/Kūḻ | Chor | Nuppu | Cooked Rice |
| Id | Idu | Iḍŭ/Vai | Ide | Dee | Put |
| Thimbak | Tinnakke | Thinnŭ/Uṇṇŭ/Sāppiḍŭ | Tinnuka/Kazhikkuka | Thinere | To Eat |
| kuLi | snana | kuLi | kuLi | Meela | To Bath |
| Unda? | Unta/ideya? | Uṇḍā?/Irukkuthā? | Undo? | Unda? | Is There? |
| Bappi | Bartini | Var(uk)iṟēn/Varuvēn | Varam | Barpe | I will Come (Farewell Greeting) |
| Ulla- | iddene/ulle | irukkiṟēn/uḷḷēn | Ulle | Ulle | Am There |
| Bandand Ulla- | Baruta iddene | Var(uk)iṟēn | Varunnund | Barond ulle | Am coming |
| Yenene Ulliya? | Hege iddiya? | Eppaḍi/Enneṇdŭ (uḷḷ-/irukkiṟ-)(-ai/-āi/-īrgaḷ) | Engane und? | Encha ulla/ya? | How are you? |
| Māṅge | Maavu | Māṅgā(y)/Māmpaḻam | Māṅga/Māmpaḻam | Mudi/Kukku | Mango |
| Kaḷḷa | Kaḷla | Kaḷḷan/Kaḷvan/Thiruḍan | Kaḷḷan | Kalva | Thief |
| Suroole /Minyathele | Modalu/Suroonalli | Mudal(il) | Adyam | Suru | First |
| Karay Paambu | Kere Haavu | Chārai Pāmbŭ | Chēra Pamb | Keri | Rat Snake |
| Mūle | Mūle | Mūlai | Mūla | Mudye/mūle | Corner |
| Āme | Āme | Āmai | Āma | Eme | Tortoise |
| Bēli | Bēli | Vēli | Vēli | Bēli | Fence |
| Bitth/Kuru | Beeja/bitha | Vitthŭ/Vithai | Vitth/Kuru | Bitth | Seed |
| Bādege | Bādige | Vādakai | Vādaka | Badige | Rent |
| Chaththe | Sante | Chanthai | Chantha | Santhe | Market |
| Ēni | Ēni | Ēṇi | Ēṇi | Ēni | Ladder |
| Pulunja Puḷi | Hunase Huli | PuLi | PuLi | Punke puli | Tamarind |
| Gaali/Kaath | Gaali | Kāṟṟŭ/Kāththŭ | Kaatt | Gaali | Wind |
| Thaari | Kodu/tha | Tharŭ/Koḍŭ | Tharu | Koru | give |
| Kaapi | Kaapi | Kaapi | Kaapi | Kaapi | Coffee |
| Paaduva- | Haadu | Paadŭ | Paaduka | Pada paad | to sing |
| Mother | Avva- |
| Father | Appa- |
| Grandfather | Ajja- |
| Grandmother | Ajjava- Thaayi |
| Maternal Uncle / Paternal Aunt's husband | Thammaava- / Maava- |
| Maternal Uncle's wife / Paternal Aunt | Maavi / Thammaavi |
| Eldest Paternal Uncle / Eldest Maternal Aunt's husband | Baliappa- |
| Eldest Paternal Uncle's wife / Eldest Maternal Aunt | Baliavva- |
| Elder Paternal Uncle / Elder Maternal Aunt's husband | Bojappa- |
| Elder Paternal Uncle's wife / Elder Maternal Aunt | Bojavva- |
| Younger Paternal Uncle / Younger Maternal Aunt's husband | Kunjappa- |
| Younger Paternal Uncle's wife/ Younger Maternal Aunt | Kunjavva- |
| Youngest Paternal Uncle / Youngest Maternal Aunt's husband | Cheriappa- |
| Youngest Paternal Uncle's wife/ Youngest Maternal Aunt | Cheriavva- |
| Father-in-law | Maava- |
| Mother-in-law | Maavi |
| brother-in-law (elder) / cross-cousin (elder, brother) / lineal cousin (elder, sister)'s husband | Baava- |
| sister-in-law (elder)/ cross-cousin (elder, sister) / lineal-cousin (elder, brother)'s wife | Mamma- |
| brother (elder) / lineal cousin (elder brother) / cross-cousin (elder, sister)'s husband | Anna- / Annaiah |
| sister (elder) / lineal-cousin (elder, sister) / cross-cousin (elder, brother)'s wife | Akko / Akkaiah |
| brother (younger) | Thammanna- |
| sister (younger) | Thange |
| Wife | Ponne |
| Husband | Wadiyye |
| Son | Momva- |
| Daughter | Mova |
Since 2021, the Mangalore University teaches an MA degree in the Kodava language.[24]