ಬಾಣಂತಿ

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Kannada

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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Seemingly inherited from Proto-Dravidian, with Malayalam വണ്ണ (vaṇṇa, woman who has recently delivered) being the sole certain cognate. The variant ಬಾಣತಿ (bāṇati) was perhaps the regular original form as the -ತಿ (-ti) suffix is often used to form feminine nouns in Kannada; compare ಗೌಡತಿ (gauḍati, woman of the Gauda cast) from ಗೌಡ (gauḍa), ಮಹಾರಾಯತಿ (mahārāyati, queen; empress) from ಮಹಾರಾಯ (mahārāya, emperor), etc.

The term was also perhaps influenced by Marathi बाळंत (bāḷanta), बाळंतीण (bāḷantīṇ, woman who has recently delivered), which would explain both the long ā vowel (which is otherwise unetymological) and the insertion of the nasal -n- into the suffix. Furthermore it is quite likely that the -ಅಂತಿ (-anti) suffix is also due to Sanskrit influence as feminine present participles in Sanskrit are formed by the suffix -अन्ती (-antī).

Telugu బాలింత (bālinta) has also been compared but the structure of the word makes establishing a connection challenging.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ಬಾಣಂತಿ (bāṇantif

  1. a woman who has recently given birth