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215. Does the affix 'é' ever occur in compound nouns as
an augment?
Yes; it is used in many ways in composition.
Ex: nálu náḷé-ppaṇi (=four days' work); oráṇṭatté-anubhavam
(=one year's enjoyment).
annatté-rátri (=that day night); munpatté-ppóle (=as
before).
rávilatté-bhakshaṇam (=morning's meal).
216. Is there any peculiarity in the use of pure Malayálam
abstract nouns in composition?
Yes; the affixes 'ma', 'a', 'am', 'kkam', 'pu', 'ppu', be-
tokening the abstract noun, are dropped, and the plain
verbal root is used to qualify the noun following.*
Thus above said 'nanma' (=nalma) becomes in com-
position 'nal'.
Ex: nal-kuḷam (=a good tank), nal-cherukkan (=a good boy).
The abstract noun 'vanpu' (=greatness, might), occurs
in composition as 'van'.
Ex: van-kaṭal (=the mighty ocean), van-káṭu (=a great forest)
van-mala (=a great mountain) etc. *
217. In such cases does the vowel of the root ever under-
go any change?
It is sometimes lengthened. *
Ex: chév-aṭi (=beautiful foot); kár-íyam (=black lead); pér-ál
(=the large kind of banyan tree); ár-uyir (= 'dear life' i. e.
friend).
* These may also be taken as verbal roots used in composition
with the force of adnounal participles. The above however is
Dr. Gundert's view.