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THE PHRASE IN TELUGU PROVERBS I: A CASE STUDY OF ADJECTIVAL

AND NOUN PHRASES IN ANDHRA LOKOKTHI CHANDRIKA

Chilukuri Bhuvaneswar CIEFL, Hyderabad

Abstract

In addition to sentences and clauses, there are a significant number of phrases occurring

independently as proverbs in Telugu. Such proverbial phrases are embedded in sentences

generally to perform different functions in discourse.

In this paper, the very first collection of Telugu proverbs Andhra Lokokthi Chandrika, published

in 1868 by Captain M. W. Carr, has been examined as a case in point to find out the range of

phrasal structures represented in Telugu proverbs from the very beginning of such collections.

From such an examination, it has been found out that three types of phrases have been used

productively in the formation of proverbs. They are: 1) noun phrases premodified by adjectival

phrases; and 2) adverbial phrases postmodified by adverbs;and 3) phrases indicating analogy

(or comparison or similarity).

In this paper, the first type of phrases from Carr (1868) are examined and illustrated with

examples. Most of these noun phrases contain adjectival phrases premodifying them but some

others are postpositional. An analysis of them shows that both these types of phrases contain

social or natural praxis that has been prototypicalized to function as proverbs.

I. INTRODUCTION

In the structural analysis of Telugu proverbs, phrasal proverbs are not

comprehensively studied so far. There is a need for such analysis to find out how

they function in conversation and how they are related to the sentential proverbs

which helps us to know the essential characteristics of proverbs.

A. Aims and Objectives

In this paper, an attempt will be made to identify and analyse the internal structure

of the noun phrases from among the other types of phrases in a corpus of about

500 proverbial phrases collected from Carr (1868).

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B. Materials and Methods

Captain M. W. Carr‟s (1868) Andhra Lokokthi Chandrika has been selected as the

source for the collection of proverbial phrases for the following reasons:

i. It is the first collection ever to be published. So, its corpus gives us a

historical perspective to the choice of proverbs.

ii. Its size is both comprehensive as well as compact. Hence, the corpus

can be easily analysed.

iii. Its explanations are so elaborate that we know the meaning of the

proverbs as they are used at that time.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

A comprehensive analysis of Telugu proverb phrases has not been made so far - as

far as I know. In Bhuvaneswar (2003a), a review of more than 250 references in

Telugu proverb literature has been made – which is so far the most comprehensive

bibliographical review since 1868 – and in it, there is no mention of any specific

analysis of phrases in Telugu proverbs apart from this and the next two articles in

this series.

III. AN ANALYSIS OF THE ADJECTIVAL AND NOUN PHRASES IN

ANDHRA LOKOKTHI CHANDRIKA

According to Quirk and Greenbaum (1989: 17 59) an English noun phrase can be

basic or complex. A basic noun phrase consists of “Pronouns and numerals, and

of nouns with articles or other closed system items that can occur before the noun

head such as predeterminers like all” (ibid. 59). A complex noun phrase consists

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of a head either premodified notably by adjectives and nouns or postmodified by

prepositional phrases, non-finite clauses, and relative clauses (ibid. 375-76).

An example of a basic noun phrase containing the predeterminers „all‟, of-

construction „of‟, determiner „the‟ and the quantifier „many‟ premodifying the

noun „boys‟ is:

(1a). all of the many boys (ibid. 63)

Another example of a basic noun phrase containing the determiner „the‟, the

ordinal numeral „first‟, the cardinal numeral „three‟ premodifying „planes‟ is:

(1b). the first three planes (ibid. 65)

An example for a complex noun phrase containing the determiner „the‟, the

adjective „pretty‟ and the noun „college‟ premodifying the head „girl‟;

and the non-finite clause „walking on the lawn‟, the prepositional phrase „in the

garden‟ the relative clause „who smiled sweetly‟, the clause of reason „because I

waved to her‟ and the clause of time when I saw her‟ postmodifying the same head

„girl‟ is:

(2). The pretty college girl walking on the lawn in the garden who smiled

sweetly because I waved to her when I saw her (is Sonali).

In Telugu also such complex noun phrases are possible according to the rules of

Telugu grammar. For example, (1b) has an equivalent in Telugu as follows:

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(1c). mod ai mu:u inima:lu

first three planes

[There is no specific word for the definite article „the‟ of English in Telugu

and hence it is not found in the phrase.]

(1a). can be translated in Telugu as follows:

(1d). ta:la kurra a: a lo: andaru:

many boys in all

„All in many boys‟

(2) has an equivalent in Telugu as follows:

(2a). anamu lo: pattika lo: naustunna and amaina

garden in lawn in walking pretty

e: kaa:a:la ba:la ne:nu a:menu ts:tin(a) appuu

which college girl I her seeing then

(a:menu) palakarintina mu:la:na: tijjaga:

(her) greeting because of sweetly

naind o: a:me so:na:li.

smiled she Sonali

„which pretty college girl walking in the lawn in the garden smiled sweetly

because of (I) greeting her when on seeing her, that (girl) is Sonali‟.

or

(2) as given earlier in the normal English version.

According to Venkateswarlu, V. (1982:99), adjectival phrases are formed by the addition

of adjectival postpositions to nouns or noun equivalent adjectives. For example, in

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(3). u:ri elupali teuu

town outside tank

„The tank outside the town‟

teuu is a common noun. elupali is a postposition. It joins with u:ri to form an

adjectival phrase „u:ri elupali‟ and that qualifies the noun teruu. Since the

postposition is used in the formation of an adjectival phrase, it is called an adjectival

postposition.An adjectival postposition is formed by the suffixation of the particle /i/, and

sometimes /i/, or /t i/ to the noun from which it is formed. In the case of the above

adjectival postposition /pali/ is added as follows:

(3a). eli (noun) > elupali (adjectival postposition)

out outside

The derivation of elupali from eli is difficult and is not as straight forward as the other

adjectival postpositions such as:

(3b). alanu (noun) > alana (adv. postp) > alani (adj. postp)

because because because

(3c). te:ji (noun) > te:ta (adv.postp) > te:t i (adj.postp)

hand hand hand

[a or t a or a is added to nouns to form the adverbial postposition.]

These nouns eli „out‟ and lo: „in‟ do not get the „a‟ / „i‟ changes as in other

postpositions. The particle pala/pali is added to them to get the adverbial and adjectival

postpositions. Sometimes „i' replaces „li‟ and a, „la‟.

(3d). eli/lo: + pali > elupali / lo:pali ; u:ru + elupali > u:ri elupali

out in outside inside town outside > outside the town

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(3e). elupali/lo:pali + i > elupai /lo:pai outside inside outside inside

There are many proverbs that are formed by the addition of adjectival postpositions and

suffixes to nouns. They are given below:

A. Adjectival Postpositional Phrases

i. The noun krind u „down‟ gives rise to krinda „down‟ as an adverbial

postposition and k(r)ind i „down‟ as an adjectival postposition. krind i is very

productive in forming noun phrases that contain adjectival postpositions. The

following examples are observed in Carr (1868). The nouns are separated

from the adjectival phrase by a bar.

(4). teppu kindi / te:lu

sandal under / scorpion

„A scorpion under a sandal‟

[„A ruffian under restraint‟ (No.915, p.165)]

(5). tala kindi / korii

head under / brand

„A brand under (one‟s) head‟

[„A dangerous companion‟ (No.999, p. 180)]

(6). talagaa(:) kindi pa:mu

pillow under snake

„A snake under the pillow‟

[„A dangerous companion‟ (No.1002, P. 180)]

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(7). diii: kinda / d i:pamu

torch under light (lamp)

„A lamp under a torch‟

[„One insignificant before the other‟ (No.1164, p.207)]

(8). re:gu teu kindi / musala:me samet a

Regu tree under old woman proverb

„The old woman under the Regu tree proverb‟

[Regu is zizyphus Jujuba. „To knock off the fruit, boys were throwing

stones into the tree, and they fell on the old woman who was too infirm to

move away‟. (No.1879, P.325)]

„An unfortunate disposition‟. sa:met a was translated as „like‟ by Carr (No.

1879, P. 325)

„Like the old woman under the Regu tree.‟

ii. The noun mi:du „on‟ gives rise to mi:da „on‟ an adverbial postposition and

mi:di „on‟ an adjectival postposition. The following examples are observed in

Carr (1868).

(9). aa go:a mi:d i pilli

cross wall on cat

„A cat on the cross wall‟

[„It can jump down either side. Applied to an unprincipled, double-dealing

person. Jack o‟ both sides.‟ (No. 44, p. 9)]

(10). mid de mi:d i parugu

terrace on running

„Running on the terrace (of a house)‟

[„A hasty beginning‟. (No. 1734, p. 300)]

(11). ligamu mi:d i eluka

lingam on rat

„A rat on the lingam‟

[„ One is afraid to knock the rat off lest he should strike the lingam, and at

the same time he cannot bear to see the emblem so insulted.

A difficult dilemma‟ (No. 2593, p. 75 (Supplement))]

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A lingam is an idol which is a cylindrical stone sanctified by divine ritual to represent

Lord Siva.

iii. The noun te:ji „hand‟ gives rise to te:ti „of hand‟ an adjectival postposition.

The following examples are observed in Carr (1868).

(12). koti teti pu:la dana

monkey hand flower garland

„A flower garland in a monkey‟s paw‟

[„A good thing thrown away on a stupid person‟ (No. 720, p. 130)]

(13). eRRi a:i te:ti ra:ji

mad man‟s hand in stone

„A stone in a mad man‟s hand‟

[„A dangerous experiment‟ (No. 2009, p. 348))]

(14). aidi:kuni te:ti iemu

Brahmin‟s hand betel nut

„A betel nut in the hand of a Vaidiki Brahmin‟

iv. The noun na:u „ a place, day or time‟ gives rise to na:i „place‟ an adjectival

postposition. The following examples are observed in Carr (1868).

(15). taddinamu na:i dandjamu

death ceremony day of yagjnopavithamu (sacerdotal thread)

„The jandhayamu (put) on the day of death ceremony‟

[„It is worn temporarily by Sudras on such occasions.

Said of any temporary honour.‟ (No. 2358, p. 37 (Supplement))]

(16). juga:la na:i judiiriu

yugas of Yudhishthira

„A Yudhishtira of the olden days‟

[„Applied ironically, to a great liar.

He shall have the king‟s horse. (No. 2572, p. 71)]

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v. The particle /i/ or /a/ joined to nouns is the singular or plural possessive case

suffix which is added to nouns. The words in possessive case exhibit a

relationship with the latter noun in an adjectival form. The following examples

are observed in Carr (1868).

(17). attaga:ri sa:d impu

mother-in-law‟s teasing (rancour)

„The rancour of a mother-in-law‟

[„Among Hindus the husband‟s mother, when living, rules the house, and to

her the wife is subject.‟ (No. 49, p. 9)]

(18). pa:kalapa:ia:ri raa kommu

Pakalapati people‟s war horn

„The war horn of the Pakalapati family‟

[„Said of a loquacious person‟ (No. 1406, p. 247)]

(19). danija:lu + a ( g.c.s. ) > danijala

coriander s > corianders‟

The word danijalu is in plural ending with „lu‟. So it becomes „la‟ by the

replacement of „u‟ by „a‟. [g.c.s. = genitive case suffix]

(20). pe:dala biguu

poor men‟s superciliousness

„Poor men‟s superciliousness‟

(20 a). pe:dalu + a ( g.c.s.) > pe:d ala

poor people > poor people‟s

(b). The noun paji „on‟ gives rise to pajina „on‟ an adverbial postposition

and paji „on‟ an adjectival postposition. The following example is

observed in Carr (1868).

(21). me:ika:ja pai misimi

fig fruit on luster

„The lustre of a green fig‟

[„It often has worms in it. Outwardly fine but inwardly bad‟. (No. 1810, p.

314)]

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vii. The noun lo:nu „in‟ gives rise to lo:na „in‟ an adverbial postposition and

lo:ni „in‟ an adjectival postposition. The following examples are observed

in Carr (1868).

(22). aakat tu lo: ni po:ka

nippers in nut

“A nut in the nippers‟

[„adakattu are nippers used for breaking areca nuts‟. (No. 35, p. 7)]

The modern variant of this proverb is:

(22a). aakat tera lo: po:ka tekka la:ga

nippers in areca nut like

„Like an areca nut in the nippers‟

(23). pa:nakamulo: ni pulla

molasses in twig

„A twig in molasses (sherbet)‟

The modern variant is:

(23a). pa:nakamlo: puaka la: ga

molasses in twig like

„Like a twig in molasses‟

(24). addamu lo:ni muupu

mirror in offering (of money)

„Like a bag of money in a mirror‟

[„Visionary prospects‟ (No. 66, p. 12)]

viii. tagina „suitable for‟ can be used as an adjective as in the following phrases.

(25a). a:sa:niki tagga (tagina) ku:samu

rafter to suitable peg

„A peg fit for the rafter‟

[„A well matched pair‟ (No. 1969, p. 340)]

(25b). nuulaku tagina nu: ne

sesamum to befitting oil

„Oil according to the (auality of) sesamum‟ (No. 2443, p. 50)

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So far we have discussed only noun phrases containing (premodified by) adjectival

phrases which are formed with postpositions.

B. Verb – Adjective Phrases

Adjectival phrases can also be formed with verb adjectives and these phrases can

premodify nouns, further creating noun phrases. This is a very productive process in

proverbial phrases. There are 26 such phrases identified in Carr (1868) with the

following numbers: 221, 445, 523, 601, 673, 839, 1233, 1291, 1438, 1465, 1503, 1536,

1618, 1619, 1678, 1729, 1757, 1952, 2024, 2052, 2237, 2388, 2392, 2441, 2560, and

2584.

A few examples are given below for illustration.

(26). igua kaina gua

asafoetida being tied cloth

„A cloth tying asafoetida‟ or „A cloth that tied (held) asafoetida‟

[„Said of a man who is respected on account of his connection with the

family of some famous person, no longer living; or on account of his own

greatness, now passed away; (No. 221, p. 40)]

kattina is an infinite verb. igua is a noun which functions as the object of the infinite

verb. In addition, it qualifies the noun gua as an adjective. igua kaina is the

adjectival phrase qualifying the noun gua. Such words which perform the function of

a verb as well as an adjective are called kriya (verb) – viseshnamulu (adjectives) and the

phrases formed with them are also called adjectival or (to be specific) verb-adjectival

phrases. By using verb adjectives, the length of an utterance is drastically reduced.

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Especially in the case of Telugu, adjectival clauses are long and turning them into

participial phrases drastically reduces the length (see Bhuvaneswar, 2003). For example,

(26) has an equivalent adjectival clausal construction as follows:

e: guato: iguani karo: a: gua ….

which clothe with asafoetida (obj. case) tied that cloth ….

„That cloth with which (they) tied asafoetida…‟

Sometimes, additional words indicating similarity or analogy in the form of adverbs are

added to the noun phrases containing the verb-adjectival phrases as in:

(27). e:nugu migina elaga pau att u

elephant having swallowed wood-apple like

„Like a wood apple swallowed by an elephant‟

[„It is swallowed whole, and is said to be found afterwards empty though

unbroken. Said of a person in an influential position who does not benefit

others. (No. 445, p. 81)]

In the above example, enugu is in the subject position and velaga pandu is in the object

position of the verb. migina functions as the verb-adjective qualifying the wood-apple.

(28). kaupu ninina be: ramu

belly being filled up bargain

„A bargain that is belly filled (i.e. made with a person whose belly is full)‟

[A person in easy circumstances will drive a hard bargain‟. (No. 523, p.

96)]

(29). ka:li: ka:lani moni kae

burning not burnt hard log

„Burnt without being burnt hard log (i.e. half-burnt log)

[„said of a mean spirited creature who resents no affront‟ (No. 601, p.

109.)]

In this example, the verb adjective (ka:li:) ka:lani modifies moni kae and moni

further modifies kae as an adjective.

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(30). krutagnuniki te:sina me:lu

ungrateful person having done good

„Good done to an ungrateful person‟ (No. 673, p. 122)

(31). tekkara puta pu:sina iamu

sugar coating coated poison

„A poison coated with sugar (coating)‟ (No. 839, p. 151)

(32). niuru kappina nippu sa:mit a

embers covered fire proverb (or like)

„(The proverb) fire covered with embers‟

[„Said of a very learned person and humble man‟. (No. 1291, 227)]

(33). pindelo: panina panu

(an unripe) fruit in ripened fruit

„A fruit ripened in its unripe stage (i.e., ripening a fruit before it is mature)‟

[„Said of a precocious youth (No. 1438, p. 252)]

(34). pu:sa ku:rtina tand amu

bead having strung manner

„The manner of stringing beads‟ or „stringing (of) beads manner‟

[„All in harmony‟ (No. 1504, p. 263)]

(35). pe:alo: podigina ulligaa

cattle-dung set onion

„An onion set in in cattle-dung‟

[„A bad man in like company‟ (No. 1536, p. 269)]

(36). a (o:) a pagilina kala:sula sa:mit a

ship wrecked crew proverb

„Like the crew of a wrecked ship‟

[„In a miserable plight. Said of something sudden and alarming‟ (No. 1952,

p. 337)]

(37). me:kunu perikina ko:ti ale

nail (wedge) having pulled out monkey like

„Like the monkey that drew out the wedge‟

[“The monkey drew the sawyer‟s wedge and died;

Let meddlers mark it, and be edified.” (The Arnold‟s Book of Good

Counsels from the Hitopadesa, pp. 49, 50) (No. 2560, p. 69)]

le:ni is a verb-adjective formed from le:d u „not is‟ or „without‟ and is very productive in

forming verb-adjectival phrases in proverbs. Eight such examples with the following

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numbers in Carr (1868) are observed: 832, 1006, 1684, 1679, 1860, 1966, 2410 and

2621.

(38). gra:samu le:ni koluu

fodder without work

„work without pay‟ (No. 832, p. 149)

(39). tala: t o:ka le:ni kata, mukku: mukamu le:ni pilla

head tail without story, nose face without girl

„A story without a head and tail, a girl without a nose and face‟ (No. 1006,

p. 181)

(40). manasu le:ni manumu

mind without match (marriage)

„A match with out interest (i.e. an unhappy match)‟ (No. 1684, p 292)

(41). mat i le:ni ma:a, rut ile:ni pa:a

mind less word, tuneless song

„A senseless speech, a tuneless song‟ (No. 1679, p. 291)

(42). ra:du le:ni u:u pu:dale:ni gui

king less towns, worship less temples

„Towns without a king, temples with out worship‟ (No. 1860, p. 322)

(43). a:na le:ni ai piugu

rain less empty thunderbolt

„An empty thunderbolt without rain‟ („A useless thing‟. (No. 1966, p. 340))

(44). dorale:ni mu:kalu

leader less crowds

„Crowds without a leader‟ (No. 2410, p. 44 (Supplement))

C. Adjective – Noun Phrases

In I, verb-adjective phrases as premodifiers in noun phrases are explained. In addition to

such verb-adjective phrasal proverbs, adjective-noun phrasal proverbs are also formed in

Telugu.

A word that performs the dual functions of a verb and an adjective at the same time is

called a verb-adjective. Such words are formed by suffixation of the particles a:u, d i,

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i, etc. to adjectives. For example, t ellanii „white ones‟; t ellanid i „white one‟; and

tellania:u „white man‟ are formed by the suffixation of i ; d i, and a:u to the

dependent adjective t ellani „whitish‟ to become independent adjectives.

(46). tellani + i > tellanii

whitish + suffix „whitish ones‟

(dependent adjective) (independent adjective)

In the case of Telugu proverbs, this kind of a suffixation is productive and has been

innovatively extended to large phrases. There are 20 examples of this type in Carr (1868)

with the following numbers: 469, 624, 644, 1078, 1080, 1206, 1334, 1339, 1427, 1615,

1756, 1872, 2098, 2432, 2444, 2445, 2455, 2651, 2698 and 2700.

A few examples are given below for illustration.

(47) aka kanta:na tini, aka manta:na paukonea:ru

one platter in eating, one bed in sleeping people

„Eating-in-one-platter, sleeping-on-one-bed persons‟

In this example, two simple sentences are turned into two participial clauses and joined

together and then made into the adjective-noun phrase by suffixing a:ru the plural of

:u – to it.

(47a). oka kanta:na tinna:ru > oka kantana t ini,

„(they) ate in one platter‟ „eating in one platater‟

(47b). oka manta:na paukonna:ru > oka manta:na paukone:

„(They) slept on one bed‟ > „sleeping in one bed‟

(47c). oka kanta:na… paukone: + a: ru > oka…a:ru

„one platter in … sleeping‟ + people > „Eating-in-one…persons‟

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(48). kunallo: gua:lu to:le:a:u

plots among horses driving man

„A driver of horses among the pots‟

[„A man that sticks at home. A mollycoddle‟ (No. 624, p. 114)]

(49). kuppa t agalabei pe:la:lu e:jintukoni t ine:a:u

heap burning parched grain roasting eating man

„A heap-burning-parched-grain-roasting-eating man‟

kuppa is the heap made by collecting all the rice-carrying stalks together in the rice-

forms. When the rice-grains are dried up, they are separated from the hay and then filled

up in sacks. A fool set fire to the whole heap and began to eat the parched grain.

[„The work of a fool‟ (No. 644, p. 117)]

(50). tinna ini a:sa:lu jenne:a:u

having eaten house‟s rafters counting man

„A man that counts the rafters of his benefactor‟s house‟

or

„Counting-the-rafters-of-a- benefactor‟s-house man‟

[„A person basely attempting to swindle another, who had befriended him,

out of his property‟ by laying his claim to it on the knowledge of the

number of rafters. (No. 1078, p. 193)]

(50a). tinna + illu > tinna illu + a:sa:lu >

having eaten house having eaten house + rafters

tinna ini (illu + i = ini) a:sa:lu + jennu >

having eaten of house (house + of = house of) rafters + count

tinna ini a:sa:lu jennu + a:du >

having eaten of house rafters counting + man

tinna ini a:sa:lu enne:a:u

having eaten of house rafters countingman

„The man counting the rafters of the eating house (i.e. the house in which

he has eaten)

(51). tinnaa:e: mannaa:u , mannaa:e: maha:ra:du

having eaten man prospered man prospered man great king

„He that ate is he that prospered, he that prospered is he that became a great

king‟. [No. 1080, p. 193]

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In this proverb, simple adjective noun phrases are used:

(51a). tinina + a:u > t ininaa:u > t innaa:u

„having eaten‟ „man‟ >„having-eaten-man‟ >„having-eaten-man‟

(51b). mannina + a:u > manninaa:u > mannaa:u

having prospered +man > having-prospered-man > having-prospered-man

(52). da:rapu:i pattpu a:i attu

Dwarapudi pick pocketing man like

„Like a pickpocket of Dvarapudi‟

[„Dwarapaudi is a notorious village in the (East) Godavary District.‟

(No. 1206, p. 213.)]

In this proverb, a noun Dwarapudi functions as an adjective to patepu u.

Again, pattemu + au > pattepu a:u is an adjective-noun phrase.

(53). nelaku mu:a:maa bia pettuga: naite:a:u

month for three amadas plate (tablet) as walking man

„walking-thirty-miles-in-a-month-as-fast- as-a-round plate (can be thrown)

man‟ (No. 1334, p. 234)

(54). ne:ti kuna ne:labei oikunda ui mi:d a

ghee pot putting on the floor empty pot sling on

pee:a:u

putting man

„putting-the-ghee-pot-on-the-floor(and)-putting-the-empty-pot-on-the-

sling-man‟

[„The eye is blind if the mind is absent‟ (No.1339, p.235)]

(55). pa:re: ti:ma tappuu ine: a:u

creeping out noise hearingman

„A creeping-out-noise-hearing man‟

[„As wary as a blind horse. He is so wary that he sleeps like a hare with his

eyes open‟ (No.1427, p.250]

(56). burad a bukkaamu ania:u

eel like man

„An-eel-like-man‟ or „A man like an eel‟.

[„Sloth, Apathy‟ (No. 1615, p. 281)]

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Here, ani is an adjectival postposition formed from the root of the verb „po:lu‟ (like),

a:u is added to it to form the adjective-noun.

(57). saramakaa praa kalaa:u

All knowing ability having one

„an-all-knowing man‟

[„Jack of all trades and master of none‟ (No. 2098, p. 363)]

(58). pagalu talli, ra:tri ba:rja ane:a:u

day time mother, night wife saying man

„calling - (in)- day – time - mother (and) –night – wife man‟

[„An unprincipled rascal‟ (No. 2455, p. 52)]

(59). re:gu teu kindi teiI guia:ni attu

Regu tree under deaf blind man like

„Like a deaf-(and)-blind-man-under-the-Regu-tree.‟

D. Double Nouns

Sometimes proverbs are formed from phrases that contain „double nouns‟, i.e. the same

word performing the functions of two nouns at the same time. For example, in the

sentence.

(60). a: illu ped da koukudi that house elder son‟s

„That house is of the elder son‟.

koukud i is formed by the suffixation of the particle di to the noun kouku „son‟:

(60a). kouku + d i > kodukud i son + of „of the son‟

to express the object indicated by the word „house‟.

However, this is not the same as koduku jokka „son of‟ which is in the possessive relation

with illu „house‟ in

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(60b). kouku jokka illu

son of house

„The house of the son‟.

In this phrase, koduku jokka does not refer to the object indicated by the word illu

„house‟. kodukudi further performs another function by taking the adjective ped da

„elder‟. Hence, the same word performs the functions of two nouns. Such words are

called double nouns or jugma na:mamulu by Venkateswarlu, V. (1982: 89).

Such words are used in proverbs but they do not form individual proverbs separately by

themselves. Double nouns are observed in 553, and 1872.

These examples are given below for illustration.

(61). kalalo: pa:lu ta:gaa:naku (pa:tra) kantud (i) dream in milk drinking for (vessel) bell metal‟s

aite:ne:mi kanakapud (i) aite:ne:mi

if being what gold‟s if being what

„For drinking milk in a dream, what if (the vessel) is bell metal‟s or gold‟s.‟

[„Building castles in the air‟ (No. 553, p. 101)]

(61a). kantu + d i > kantudi bronze + of > „of bronze‟

(61b). kanakamu + d i > kanakamud i > kanakapud i gold + of „of gold‟ „of gold‟

Both kantudi and kanakamud i are double nouns even though the object indicated by the

word pa:t ra „vessel‟ is not given in the proverb. The dual functions of these two words

can be derived as follows:

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(61c). kalalo: pa:lu ta:ge pa:tra kantudi/ kanakapud i dream in milk drinking vessel of bronze/ of gold

“The milk-drinking vessel in the dream is „of bronze‟ / „of gold‟”.

In (61c), kantudi / kanakapud i indicates the object referred to by the word pa:t ra

„vessel‟, which is ellipted in the proverb. At the same it also takes an adjective as in

(61d). braamaina kantudi / re:amaina kanakapud i spoiled of bronze high quality gold of

„(vessel made) of bronze that is of‟ / „(vessel made) of gold that is of

high quality‟

Therefore, kantudi / kanakapud i are double nouns.

(62). ra:jai taladi, ta:kali molad i lord‟s head‟s, washerman‟s waist‟s

„(The cloth) of lord‟s head, (the cloth) of washerman‟s waist‟.

[„The lord‟s head cloth is used by the washerman for a lower garment‟ (No.

1872, p. 324)]

taladi (t ala + d i) and molad i (mola + d i) are double nouns since they express „the cloth‟

and also take the adjectives ra:jai and t:a:kali.

IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

In Section III, four important types of proverbial phrases have been analysed. All these

phrases are basically noun phrases that are premodified by adjectival phrases formed in

different ways. They are formed by postpositions, verb-adjectives, adjective-nouns and

double nouns.

The examples from the above analysis show that proverbs are not constrained by any

special syntactic patterns but they make use of such phrasal combinations as are required

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to express a prototypical practice. This paper further supports the view that, contrary to

the commonly held belief, proverbs are open-ended in their choice of syntactic patterns

(Bhuvaneswar 2003, b, c, d, e, f)

REFERENCES

Bhuvaneswar, Chilukuri. (2003a). “A Bibliographical Review of Telugu

Proverb Literature (1868-2000)”. An updated Ph.D. Assignment. Hyderabad:

CIEFL

_______ (2003 b). “A Survey of the Syntactic Structure of

Proverbs 1”: A Case Study of English in Quirk‟s Model‟. A Research Paper

e-published in Proverbiallinguists @ yahoogroups.com

________ (2003 c). “The Clause in Proverbs 1: A Case Study of

English”. A Research Paper e-published in Proverbiallinguists@yahoogroups.com

________ (2003 d). “The Clause in Proverbs 2: A Clase Study of

Telugu”. A Research Paper e-published in Proverbiallinguists@yahoogroups.com

________ (2003 e). “The Samasam (Compound) in Telugu

Proverbs: A Case Study of Andhra Lokokthi Chandrika”. A Research Paper

e-published in Proverbiallinguists @ yahoogroups.com

_______ (2003f). “The Phrase in Telugu Proverbs 2: A Case

Study of Adverbial and Analogical Phrases in Andhra Lokokthi Chandrika”. A

Research Paper e-published in Proverbiallinguists @ yahoogroups.com

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Carr, M. W. (1988). Andhra Lokokthi Chandrika. First Reprint of 1868 Edition.

Madras. Asia Educational Services

Quirk, Randolph and Greenaum, Sydney. (1989). A University Grammar of

English. Harlow: Longman

Venkateswarlu, Vajjhala. (1982). Adhunika-Pramanikaandhra Vyakaranamu.

Visakhapatnam: Published by the Author