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305. Which is the interrogative particle?
The letter 'o'; this is used 1. for alternative questions,
2. as a distributive, 3. to give a noun pre-eminence
in the sentence, 4. to indicate doubt, 5. to shew inde-
finiteness, and 6. for antithesis of cause and consequence,
7. joined to a negative, it is used to express a strong
affirmative.
Ex: 1. (Alternative questions.) 'bhakti koṇṭó' 'karmmam koṇṭó'
salgati varú? (= will salvation come by faith or by works?)
2. (As a distributive.) 'appózhó' sukham ér̥um 'ippózhó' sukham
ér̥um? (=will happiness be greater then or now ?)
3. (To give a noun pre-eminence in the sentence.) 'avaḷ chey-
tató' ellárum kaṇṭu (=as for what she did, all saw it); 'nidrayó'
ńanngaḷkku násti (=as for sleep, we have none).
4. (Doubt.) avan 'varumó'? [= will he come? (implying that
I am not sure that he will)].
5. (Indefiniteness.) inicheykayillennu 'etrayó' prárthichchu
(=he begged and prayed him ever so much saying that he
would not do it again).
6. (Antithesis of cause and consequence.) nám kúṭé 'chelláykiló'
káryyam tírá (= if we do not accompany you, then indeed the
matter will not be settled); práṇané 'tyajikkiló' mukti varum
(=if we abandon life, then indeed salvation may be attained).
7. (With a negative, strong affirmation.) ní 'kaṇṭatalló'! (= did
you not see it!)
