Reconstruction:Proto-Dravidian/mē

This Proto-Dravidian entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Dravidian

Alternative forms

• *mēl

Adverb

*mē

1. up, above

Derived terms

• *mēl-Vkku (“high place”) (possibly)
  • Sumerian: 𒈨𒈛𒄩𒆠 (me-luh-ha^ki /⁠Meluḫḫa⁠/)
  • Akkadian: 𒈨𒈛𒄩𒆠 (Meluḫḫa)
  • Sanskrit: म्लेच्छ (mleccha) (see there for further descendants)
  • Prakrit: 𑀫𑀺𑀮𑀓𑁆𑀔𑀼 (milakkhu)
  • Pali: milakkha, milakkhu, milāca

Descendants

• Southern:
  • Southern I:
    • Tamil-Kannada:
      • Kannada: ಮೇಲೆ (mēle)
      • Tamil-Malayalam:
        • Tamil: மேல் (mēl), மேலே (mēlē)
        • Malayalam: മേൽ (mēl), മേലെ (mēle)
  • Southern II:
    • Telugu: మేలు (mēlu)

References

• Krishnamurti, Bhadriraju (2003) The Dravidian Languages (Cambridge Language Surveys), Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 14, 137-138.
• Burrow, T., Emeneau, M. B. (1984) chapter 5086, in A Dravidian etymological dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 460.