Monday, May 18, 2020

Today's Tamil word - 18th May 2020 - திறவுகோல்

Key - சாவி (Portuguese)

Original Tamil word(s): திறவுகோல், திறகுச்சி

We had earlier looked at the word, Jannal from the Portuguese word 'Janela' which means window. Similarly, the word Chavi/Savi comes from the Portuguese word 'Chave' which means key.

The Portuguese had captured many port cities in India, during the 16th century, for their trade (map attached). Tamil speaking population in ports like Tuticorin, Nagapattinam, Jaffna, etc got used to these Portuguese names for the products they brought in for trade.

These Portuguese words traveled as far and wide as their products did, slowly replacing the native words.

அலமாரி and கிராம்பு are two other similar trade related Portuguese words in Tamil; their original Tamil words are:

அலமாரி --  நிலைப்பேழை
 கிராம்பு -- இலவங்கம்




அண. நாகப்பன்

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