Manipravala

[James Gair]

VYAKARAN: South Asian Languages and Linguistics Net
Editors:  Tej K. Bhatia, Syracuse University, New York
          John Peterson, University of Osnabrueck, Germany
Details:  Send email to listserv at listserv.syr.edu and say: INFO VYAKARAN
Subscribe:Send email to listserv at listserv.syr.edu and say:
          SUBSCRIBE VYAKARAN FIRST_NAME LAST_NAME
          (Substitute your real name for first_name last_name)
Archives: http://listserv.syr.edu

On Oct 22, 2006, at 8:39 PM, Ian Smith wrote:

> VYAKARAN: South Asian Languages and Linguistics Net
> Editors:  Tej K. Bhatia, Syracuse University, New York
>          John Peterson, University of Osnabrueck, Germany
> Details:  Send email to listserv at listserv.syr.edu and say: INFO  
> VYAKARAN
> Subscribe:Send email to listserv at listserv.syr.edu and say:
>          SUBSCRIBE VYAKARAN FIRST_NAME LAST_NAME
>          (Substitute your real name for first_name last_name)
> Archives: http://listserv.syr.edu
>
> Hello All
> I'm passing on a request from a colleague for information on any  
> studies on the linguistic aspects of Manipravala.
> -Ian Smith
> York University/University of Sydney


A few years ago, I was on a symposium l at the AAS called, as i  
recall, "greater South India/Sri Lanka in the Longue Duree", arranged  
by J.R. Freeman and Charlie Hallisey, which included some concern  
with Manipravalam. Rich was particularly interested in it, and he  
would be a rich (no pun intended, at least originally) source of  
information I believe. When I last had an address for him, he was at  
U.penn, but a quick googling didn't turn up anything more recent.

There is a volume called "A linguistic Study of Early Manipravalam"  
by K. Retnamma, published by the DLA in 1976. V.R Prabodhacharan  
Nayar's "Malayalam: A Linguistic Description" (National Research  
Publishing Company, Kazhhatkuttam P.O., Kerala 1973) is based on the  
15th Century "Kris.n.agaatham", which is in the period of  
Manipravalam, but not, as I understand it, itself composed in it. it  
might be of interest, in that connection, though, as one of the rare  
descriptions of earlier Malayalam.

It might also prove fruitful to contact  Rodney Moag, who has now  
retired from the U. of Texas, if that hasn't been done alrewady,  
since he could certainly provide further leads.
I am by no means a Malayalam specialist, but would certainly be  
interested in what else turns up.

Collegially,

James W. Gair